Millions

  Rachel and I watched Millions the other night, the story of a young boy (Damian) in Britain who suddenly finds himself in possession of over 200,000 pounds that will soon be worthless.  He and his brother are racing against the clock to dispose of the money before it becomes worthless, and their attitudes toward doing so couldn't be more different.

  Damian is a bit of an odd character--he speaks with dead saints who appear only to him, and has a strong disposition toward helping the poor.  His brother, however, is soon obsessed with discovering how many toys the money can buy, and how much privilege it can gain him.  The stress begins there, and it only elevates as Damian witnesses the effect money has on others.

  It's a great movie, and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you do so.  It's a joy to watch, and seeing how the characters fall apart and come back together is an emotional rollercoaster where every twist and turn is more enjoyable than the last.

  As a Christian, I'm fascinated by the treatment of the money--Damian is caught up in the opportunity to give it all away, and he discovers that those to whom he wants to give it aren't always the innocent poor that he imagines them to be.  Just the same, his heart is pure, and he never seems to be tempted to invest the money in property or goods, like his brother.

  The money corrupts everyone else in the movie other than Damian.  They see it as an opportunity to better themselves, to secure their future, to grasp hold of what was not possible otherwise.  Damian argues for giving it away, but greed takes hold in the hearts of others and works so effectively.

  1 Timothy tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil, and Millions portrays what the love of money does to relationships, to the human heart.  When we view money as the best means to a good life, we can watch as that love will dominate our lives, affecting every one of our relationships.  Money soon becomes the lens through which we see.  When we view money as the most important thing, it crowds out everything else.

  Damian has a lesson to teach us, and Millions serves as a great vehicle for that lesson.  Perhaps the greatest riches of all is the wealth gained in using money as a way to show love to others.