I think I was nine years old whenever I realized that there were differences between economic classes. That is probably later than this realization comes for most and the fact that I realized it so late was likely because my family was firmly entrenched in the middle class. We were not rich, nor were we poor. Because of this I had much in common with my friend who was the son of the local bank president, as well as my friend who lived across the street from me in a trailer. When I was nine or ten I was playing with some of my friends who were from a wealthy family and I suddenly realized something; they had more toys than I did, lots more. Not only that, but the toys they had were nicer and were all brands that I had seen on television commercials, their house was huge, and their “play clothes” cost more than anything I owned.
My nine year old mind did not take long to catch up with the reality of economics. From that day forward I realized that there was a difference in economic class between my friend’s families and my own. Something inside of me said that if I was talented, driven, and industrious, I too could own excessive amounts of nice things. That day, I affirmed that I would be wealthy when I grew up.
I watched the local news with my Granny almost every night growing up, and in the endless stream of weather reports, school board scandals, and interest pieces, I learned about the American Dream. It seemed like a simple dream, but everyone spoke of it as if it was so grand. It went like this:
1. Get a good job.
2. Buy a nice house.
3. Get ahead financially.
4. Have a family upon whom you can bestow the abundance of your excess lifestyle.
I was happy to realize that something I had began to desire was part of being American. I was not just pursuing something I wanted, I was being a good citizen. For the next several years, I resolved to accomplish this dream, to be better off than my parents, and to live a life of comfort.
All this changed when I was fifteen. For six years I had been convinced that I had to make money, I had to own property, I had to be comfortable. Then God called to follow His will for my life, which in my case, I knew meant forsaking my dreams of wealth. The truth was that He had been calling me since I was saved two years before, but at fifteen I accepted the calling. My dreams of wealth were gone. I knew that the American Dream would be unobtainable for me if I followed God’s will for my life. Then like a dreamer waking from a long sleep I realized something: The American Dream is as poor a dream as ever was concocted. What kind of a dream is it that causes a nine year old boy to dream of retirement? The dream I now embraced was the proclamation of the gospel, following Christ at all cost. It was a daring adventure, a better story, a life of true value.
In Matthew 8:18-22 two would be disciples approach Jesus. The first says that if Jesus is going anywhere, then he will follow. But Jesus tells him that everything from the birds to the foxes have a place to sleep except for Jesus and those who follow him. The man then turns away and chooses not to follow Jesus across the sea of Galillee. Another would be disciple comes to Jesus saying that he will follow Him after he has buried his father. Jesus tells this man that this is not an excuse and he demands his allegiance immediately.
How many would be disciples have there been in the American church who have come to Jesus and said, “I will follow you so long as I can keep this American dream alive.”? How many more missionaries, pastors, teachers would be in the service of the kingdom were it not for such a hindrance? How many lawyers, doctors, factory workers, and civil servants would have been used by God to transform the lives of those who were around them if they had lived for the Kingdom of God rather than the American Dream? How many children would have been fed, how many youth sent to evangelistic events, how many homeless given shelter if the people of God had put all of their financial support to the Kingdom of God rather than having the nicest clothes, toys, and food?
The truth is that Jesus’ call to us is still the same. We must follow him at all cost. We must realize that “Our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21) O people of God, let us cease dreaming dreams of a kingdom and a world to which we do not belong. Let us set our hearts, minds, and souls on Christ and follow him recklessly, boldly, till His Kingdom comes!
A brief disclaimer: There is nothing wrong with having money, or a nice house, or nice clothes, so long as these things do not stand in the way of your relationship with God. I do not mean this to be anti upper class, nor do I mean it to be anti-American. I only ask that we take seriously the biblical teaching that we must allow nothing to get in the way of following Christ. I do see many of my fellow brothers and sisters chasing after it and never living up to their potential in the Kingdom. Pastors are not immune from this either, it is often tempting to use ministry for personal gains. Such pastors are loathed by all members of society, however, we call them televangelists.
