I love the musical Fiddler on the Roof. I’ve even fantasized about playing the role of Tevye. Of course I am no actor and I’m not much of a singer, either. I had a couple of minor parts in high school plays. I sang a solo at a funeral once. But I’m not a soloist. I’m not the kind of person who would be selected to play the lead in a musical.

It is all right, however, because the play is about a man whose fantasies don’t become realities, either. The play begins with Tevye praying, "Oh, Lord, you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course, it's no shame to be poor. But it's no great honor either! So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?” And then he sings about how he imagines it would be to be a rich man. He wouldn’t have to work hard. He’d build a big house with dozens of rooms and long staircases. He’d fill his yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks all squawking as noisily as they can. Of course Tevye doesn’t become a rich man. His wife never gets to scream at servants day and night and she never gets a proper double chin. Important men never come to fawn on him and ask his advice. He never gets the time to discuss the holy books with the learned men several hours every day. At the end of the play, Tevye and Golde not only are not rich, they are also homeless, heading out to find a new place to live.

I’ve occasionally indulged in fantasies of wealth. Mine haven’t been quite like Tevye’s. I never really wanted to not work. I had a job that I love and I imagined that I would continue to serve even if I had enough money to purchase a new car and pay off the mortgage and take trips around the world. Sometimes I will see a piece of land for sale and I’ll comment to whoever might be listening that if I were wealthy I would buy it just to keep it from being developed. Or perhaps I would turn it into a park and donate it to the city or county.

Just like the fantasy of singing the lead in a musical, I really don’t have what it takes to become a rich person. I don’t want to do what it takes to become rich. I haven’t shown a propensity for accumulation of wealth. I’ve spent money on frivolous things. I’ve given away money without any possibility of return.

Mind you, by world standards, I am wealthy. I have a very comfortable place to live while over 28,000 people experience homelessness in the state where I live. I have enjoyed food security all of my life while 7.2 million children in our country are unsure of where their next meal will come from. Our pantry and freezer are full. I’m not sure how long we could go with the food we have on hand, but we’d have plenty of meals before we really had to go to the grocery store. And yet, I’ll probably go grocery shopping today or tomorrow to stock up on fresh food and a few other items and I have plenty of money in my account to shop for the food I need. We have not just one, but two reliable vehicles that are road worthy with good tires ready to go where we want to go. I am able to donate to my church and to other causes that are important to me.

And I am rich in love. In Fiddler on the Roof, Golde and Tevye finally come to saying that they love each other after 25 years. The song, “Do You Love Me?” is sung after Tevye announces that he is giving his permission for their daughter to marry a very poor man who has nothing. To convince his wife he says, "He's a good man, Golde. I like him. And what's more important, Hodel likes him. Hodel loves him. So what can we do? It's a new world... A new world. Love. Golde..."

But I have known that I love my wife for more than 50 years and we are still as much in love as we were when we began. It hasn’t always been easy. I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve known forgiveness and I’ve never doubted that I am loved. When it came time for our children to marry, I didn’t question the genuineness of their love and we have watched that love grow and blossom.

I am rich in grandchildren. I used to occasionally indulge in fantasy about being a grandfather, but I was not able to imagine how truly wonderful it is to have time to read stories, teach lessons, ride bikes, and explore the world with grandchildren. And I get to share that joy with the best grandmother in the world.

I am no politician. I have allowed myself to fantasize that my preferred candidates would win elections each time I have voted. More often than not, my fantasies have not come true. Instead of winning elections, I have seen political leaders who are genuinely called to public service discover new avenues of serving. The amazing work of the Carter Center for world peace, providing treatment for disease, working for mental health, and building hope in communities is just one example.

This morning the political picture in our country is not what I had hoped to see. I find some comfort in my Christian faith, knowing that Jesus stood up to empire as he ministered with marginalized people. Service in Jesus’ name is not about winning or even about changing the dynamics of wealth and power. Jesus often quoted Isaiah, the prophet who stood up to wealth and power and called the faithful to turn away from idolatry and toward God.

I indulge in fantasy, but I live in reality. And in reality there is much work to be done for justice and peace. The struggle continues.