One of the great struggles in our lives is the one that we have with materialism. Often our childhood affects the way we see money and possessions. In my own life, the fact that I had parents who were both products of the Great Depression shaped the way in which money is viewed. My parents always lived as if they would be poor again. As a result, it has sometimes been difficult to see money as a tool and not the end result.

In my first congregation, we were discussing a maintenance project that was going to cost a large sum of money. Everyone was just a little nervous about the project because of the cost. Then one of our members, Larry Brown, said something that I have always remembered. Larry said, "It is only money." He was right. It was not our lives or our health that we were discussing, but only money. It was a liberating word to us all. That comment helped me to understand a lot better the idea that money is simply a tool that we are to possess and not to own.

Abraham Lincoln was once walking down the street with two boys. Each of the boys was crying and was terribly upset. Someone shouted over to Abe and asked what was wrong with those two boys. He said, "The same thing that is wrong with the rest of the world. I have one walnut and each boy wants it." The sooner we learn that the things that we have are a gift from God to use and not to own, the better off we will be.