When I was a kid, my brothers and sisters would often play Monopoly (The Ghetto Cutthroat Version). We would beg, borrow and deal to capitalize on the best properties and bankrupt each other to claim the title as the best. Often, I learned harsh lessons on property, money management and sheer life by chance. Whenever I landed on my brother's property (Especially Boardwalk with a hotel) I know he was a vicious landlord. He wanted the debt paid right then and there and would eviscerate any and every scrap of cash or property to get his. Well...I've come to find he was giving me a good lesson on how the world is.
As a college graduate I know this feeling all too well. I'm black, broke and baffled by the prospect of student loans catching up to me everyday!!! I have a pretty trifling credit score and I am definitely a qualifier for low-income tax breaks (According to my tax lady).
Crazy thing is I am in good spirits, I have the whole world in front of me as a prospect and I can smile through the embarrassing and often overwhelming possibility of not achieving what is expected. I have an inheritance no one can steal. God promised it to me after his son was murdered for my flaws, my mistakes and my sins. So I guess you can say...I am RICH!!! (Are you confused Yet???!!!)
It's a confusing and down-right mysterious thing because the good guy died for the bad guys. The innocent died for the guilty, the giver of life for the murderer, the debtor died for those who were indebted. (See Mark 10:45) I have much debt, in real life and in the spiritual world, but when God sees me, he won't see that ridiculously long list of shameful deeds and painful mistakes, he will see his son, his Love, his gift, grace and mercy.
Crazy thing is, now instead of only feeling like I owe God, I feel inspired by him. It's like a gift back to me. Of course I owe him, but it's not the burden or the pressure like before. There is a certain freedom I have now to pursue my path and give my all everyday. There are struggles, there have been. I still stumble, I still make mistakes, but I have to remember to look beyond me and look to the one who paid the debt I couldn't. That would be great if I could do that with my student loans too, but I will take my eternal gift instead.
I guess that was something I couldn't learn in Monopoly, that when it really counts, someone can Love you so much that they have mercy on you to not give you what you deserve, but instead hand you a gift you could have never had any other way. Amen
