I went on a school field trip with my oldest son yesterday. It was a good day. We spent it with a man who studies West Michigan Neshnabe’k (Native Americans). He taught us many things about their Zechke’wen (culture/things people do).

I learned a lot from him, but one thing he said keeps ringing in my head and bouncing around in my heart. It was his teaching on how differently Neshnabe’k measure wealth.

They measure a person’s wealth by how much he can give away.

Just think of it.

Wealth is determined not by how much one can possess, but by how much one can give what they have away to others. The better the hunter, the more he can supply food for others. The more crops one can produce in the summer, the more one can help others make it through another winter.

Imagine -

North American followers of Jesus taking up Neshnabe’k Zhechke’wen of wealth.

What would happen if we saw all our accumulations as an opportunity to resource others. If we recognized wealth in each other by how much we gave away. If we felt sorry for those who kept what they accumulated.

Do Neshnabe’k have a deeper understanding of Jesus’ story of the rich farmer* than we do?

Yep.

*Luke 12:13-21