What would you do with $100,000?

Matt Wiemer teaches fourth grade at Fresno Christian School and is part of the leadership team in PC for Children Ministries on Sunday mornings. Currently, Mr Wiemer, as he his known to his students, is teaching about the California gold rush.

Camden, our grandson, is in the class and is deep into this part of our state’s history. It has the adventure and intrigue that draws in young boys. One of Cam’s assignments is to tell how he would spend $100,000 of gold he had just found in the Sierra foothills.

Carol asked him for his answer. Here’s what he said: he would buy himself a blanket, then blankets for everyone in his family, then use some to buy blankets for homeless people. Given that there are a lot of other options for a nine year old, we thought he answer was pretty good and showed a carry heart.

I’ve been reading Jentezen Franklin’s book, Fasting. In it he draws attention to Matthew 6, where Jesus speaks, “When you give to the poor…” and “When you pray…” and “When you fast.” This is a pattern by which the child of God is live: giving, praying and fasting. Ps Franklin states, “When giving, praying and fasting are practiced together in the life of a believer, it creates a type of threefold cord that is not easily broken.”

In reading Matthew 6 I’m reminded of Isaiah 58, where the people of Israel fasted and prayed, but God was unhappy with them because they did it to be seen and they overlooked injustice, oppression and the poor.

This past year, when we had 40 days of fasting, Brad and Kellie, Camden’s parents, taught and practiced with their family the value of prayer and fasting. In addition the family helped those who were in need.

As the pace of 2009 picks up, I pray we not lose sight of these three components of our faith: giving to the poor, praying and fasting.

OH! There’s one more part of the story. Carol asked Cam what he would do with the rest of the $100,000. His quick response, “I’d hire a butler to do my homework, clean my room and make my bed.” Draw your own conclusions from that!

Blessings,