I'm Just Askin'

At a Christian church last Sunday

I drove into the parking lot

And saw fifty-thousand dollar cars 

In many a parking spot

That number recalled a statistic

That I had recently read

Average annual household income

Is fifty-two thousand dollars it said

The comparison wasn't difficult

It was obvious and clear

That car would cost the average family

Every cent they earned in a year

I couldn't help but think

Sitting in the midst of that luxury

That this was a bountiful island

Surrounded by a sea of penury

So here they were by the dozens

More than a million dollars sitting there

And I wondered, and I asked myself

How could this possibly be fair?

I'm sure these parishioners work hard

For the luxury they bask in

But so do those who have not

So I'm just askin'

******

The preacher didn't cause a stir

When he gave the topic for his lesson

"How hard it is for those with riches

To enter the kingdom of heaven"

These folks didn't seem worried

They'd heard it all before

It simply didn't apply to them

And the riches they had galore

For as they've heard it

One requirement is a must

It isn't the riches of themselves

But if in those riches they trust

And you see, they gave thanks

Every single night and day

For the riches God had given them

Quietly hoping they'd never go away

But I'm sittin' there a little confused

'Cause you could feel the fear thick

Don't you think if it all disappeared

That their hearts would be feeling sick?

So they insured their assets

And justified their rationalization

But who am I to judge what's in their heart

Which I'm not trying to do, I'm just askin'

******

And after the sermon ended

I listened as the people talked

Of the places they'd been visiting

Describing the places they've walked

I heard one speak of a place

Thousands of miles away

"Oh yes, it's a beautiful city",

I heard the other one say

Stunned that they both had visited

The same distant, remote spot 

I couldn't help but wonder how much

Such a marvelous trip would cost

These weren't once-in-a-lifetime trips

But excursions several times a year

It was like they had a checklist

They worked on; places far and near

So they travel to exotic places

While the average man daily grinds

And I wonder if the disparity in wealth

Ever crosses their minds?

Then the words from the sermon

Came into my mind once again

"Where your treasure is, is your heart"

So I'm just askin'

******

I got into my car that wasn't purchased

At the aforementioned price

But if anyone saw it

They'd likely say it's nice

And thought about the things

I'd seen and heard that day

The impression that they made

Just wouldn't go away

I thought about my house

That I would drive home to

Like my car, people would say

That it is really nice, too

And the many furnishings

And the fun accessories

Are really far more than I

Can comfortably call "needs"

And these thoughts made me wonder

'Cause I know many have it rough

When do I admit to myself

That I really have enough?

I'll ponder that while in the midst

Of this excess I sit in

With no answer on my tongue

Because I'm just askin’

September 2014