Chinese Congregational Church

Scripture Readings
The Holy Bible, New Century Version
Ecclesiastes 5:10-12
Ecclesiastes 6:7-9
Luke 12:15
Luke 12: 32-34
1 Timothy 6:6-7

When Rev. Cheng first asked me to be a lay speaker and Election Day coming, my first thought
was, Oh, Boy, a chance to espouse my political views. But Carol Chan burst my balloon, pointing
out that I might not find too many references to Al Gore in my Bible Concordance, and there
would probably be a lot more �bush� passages. Then Rev. Chen suggested that there might be a
message there since, after all, Moses fled from the burning bush.

Instead, I�ll do what Mike always tells me not to do...that is get up on my soapbox..and just say,
�Don�t forge to vote on November 7! Otherwise the Earth may incinerate from global warming in
100 years and then we�ll be sorry.� And leave it at that.

My second thought was that perhaps I could talk about how important it is to be punctual, but
coming from me, that would be the shortest message in history.

Instead, today�s message is cryptically entitled �Chasing Down the ?wind.� This title refers to the
Ecclesiastes passage which end, �It is better to see what you have than tow ant more. Wanting
more is useless - like chasing down the wind.� The passage through this memorable simile, tells
us that insatiable yearning for wealth and materials things is useless, a senseless goal. Better to
appreciate what we already have.

But we see examples of �chasing down the wind� every day. When we buy colossal SUVs to tool
around parking lots in, when we�ve lost track of all the clothes in our overstuffed closets, when
we dump our 36" TV in favor of a 54" with surround sound, when we strive to keep up with the
Jones�. The average American home has doubled in size since 1950 and is still stuffed to the gills
with...stuff. Our landfills are filled with discarded stuff. We pollute our air and water
manufacturing stuff.

There are also social costs in all this consumerism. In a time of unprecedented prosperity,
personal savings rates are at a low; credit card balances and families declaring bankruptcies are at
record highs. We are on a never-ending and self-defeating crusade based on the principle of
bigger is better. We have bought wholesale into the idea that whoever dies with the most toys,
wins.

But what does the Bible have to say about all this?

Ecclesiastes 5, points out the differences between working hard in life, which leads to sound
sleep, and obsessing about amassing riches, which only leads to constant worry. We see this truth
every day , for example, in the way we lust after luxury cars, and then arm them with obnoxious
car alarm systems to protect them from those who would covet our precious vehicle.

In the book of Luke, Jesus warns us to guard against greed, and that our monetary and materials
wealth is no measure of a person�s worth. Instead, Jesus tells us, �Get for yourselves purses that
will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never runs out, where thieves can�t steal and months
can�t destroy. Your heart will be where your treasure it.� Better to cultivate our gifts and our
truth within, than to invest all our efforts on external, material possessions, which do not last.

In the book of Timothy, we are reminded that we came into the world with nothing, and when we
leave the world, as the old saying goes, �You can�t take it with you.� Yet we persist and toil for
long hours to pay off those credit cards so we can afford all the most fashionable trinkets, the
most state-of-the-art gadget, the fanciest doodads. When we die, will people say of us, �That was
a cool Lexus she had.� or will they say, �She really made a difference.� Will our epitaph be, �He
was quite the fashion plate,� or will it read, �He loved and spent time with his family.� Will our
legacy be that we spent a lot money amassing great material wealth, or that we lived a life in
service to God?

This year, November 24, is a time when we can collectively exercise some self-restraint. Who
knows what day is November 24?

Shame on you if you said it�s the day after Thanksgiving sales! It�s not only the day after
Thanksgiving - it�s International Buy Nothing Day. International Buy Nothing Day was created
eight years ago. It began in Canada, and is now practiced in many places all around the world. A
day to essentially, spend no money, and buy nothing. A day of respite from the holiday busying
frenzy, to pause for reflection and take a time-out from over consumption.

I hope you will seriously consider observing Buy Nothing Day. Instead of whipping out that
plastic money, you can spend quality time with your loved ones, take a long meditative walk,
consider what the Christmas season really means, maybe even read your Bible.