People Are Crazy

Taking time to discuss the things that matter  

Luke 12:13-21  

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”  

 

          You may not know this but I’m a country music fan. And the reason I like it is because it often touches themes that are not only earthly but also heavenly, not only emotional but also eternal, that is, subjects really worth singing about.    One such song is Billy Carrington’s popular, “People Are Crazy.” The first stanza goes: “This old man and me, were at the bar and we, Were having us some beers, And swapping I-don’t-cares, Talking politics, blonde and red-head chicks, Old dogs and new tricks, And habits we ain’t kicked. We talked about God’s grace and all the hell we raised, Then I heard the old man say, ‘God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy’.” Now, notice what these two men discuss sitting at the bar: politics and religion, love and life, holiness and grace. These are the things that truly matter.   

          Here’s the last stanza: “Last call it’s 2 a.m. I said goodbye to him, I never talked to him again. Then one sunny day, I saw the old man’s face, Front page obituary, he was millionairy (that’s redneck for “millionaire”), he left his fortune to, some guy he barely knew, the kids were mad as hell. But me, I’m doing well.” Now, I’ll give you one guess whom the old man left his fortune to. You see, that stranger had given that old man something that his own children had not: time and attention, love and respect. For a few hours, he didn’t feel like a rich old man, but like a loved old man.

   

          In the gospel today, we hear another story of who gets the inheritance. Someone in the crowd said to Jesus: “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” And Jesus replies: “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” I’m sure Jesus would have loved to play Bill Carrington’s song for that man if he could have. In other words, don’t make money and possessions your main goal, instead put people first. Take time to be with people and talk about things you hear in country music songs, like politics and religion, love and life, sin and grace. When you put people first, the possessions will find their own proper place, maybe in the hands of a stranger.   

          My friends, may I suggest you look for opportunities and occasions in which you can have truly meaningful and worth-while conversations over topics that have eternal weight and consequence? Try to do that with your parents, especially as they get older and closer to that great finish line of life. How sad if they only find strangers to share their wisdom with. Try to do that with your spouse. Sometimes we get so busy with daily duties and chores we forget to discuss what life is ultimately all about. This lack of discourse often leads to marital distance and difficulties and finally to divorce. Try to share your deepest hopes and longings with your children. Their hearts are hungry for you to inspire them to greatness; don’t deprive them.

          And if by chance you can’t think of anything to talk about with these people, maybe you need to listen to more country music, especially if you’re a “millionairy.”

          Praised be Jesus Christ!