Greed and the Economic Crisis

I really appreciated NPR bringing up the subject of greed a few weeks ago when the 'crisis' was still fresh and new. not just of the Wall-Steet CEOs, of the rich owners, but even of us, regular everyday people, who go out and spend what we don't have or desire things, well, too much and to our own risk. This is somethingI don't hear many of us church-goers speaking of. Yet materialism and greed is a huge stumbling block, not just to us, but to others outside our faith and it shows. Perhaps we don't want to feel guilty. After all it feels better not to. This makes me think of our pre-school minister, coming up to us in a big class and addressing the need for more teachers for the pre-school, nursery age. She asked the usual if anybody felt called to lead and serve this way, if it was placed on their heart, or if we felt guilty "I can work with that!" she said. I think God can to. I don't think God is not wanting us to enjoy gifts, that sometimes come in the form of material posession (money), but we can't be ruled by them (can't serve God and Money). If our life revolves around the acquiring of a home, a posession, the ability to have more money, then yes, we are being ruled by it. Here is something Max Lucado wrote about these events that was put on our church bulletin:

You Have Our Attention Lord (oct. 08)
Our friends lost their houseThe co-worker lost her jobThe couple next door lost their retirementIt seems that everyone is losing their footingThis scares us. This bailout with billions.These rumblings of depression.These headlines: ominous, thunderous -“Going Broke!” “Going Down!” “Going Under!” “What's Next?”What is next?We’re listening. And we’re admitting: You were right.

You told us this would happen.You shot straight about loving stuff and worshipping money.Greed will break your heart, You warned.Money will love you and leave you.Don’t put your hope in riches that are so uncertain.You were right. Money is a fickle lover and we just got dumped.We were wrong to spend what we didn’t have.

Wrong to neglect prayer and ignore the poor.Wrong to think we ever earned a dime. We didn’t. You gave it. And now, tell us Father, are You taking it?We’re listening. And we’re praying.Could you make something good out of this mess?Of course You can. You always have.

You led slaves out of slavery,Built temples out of ruins,Turned stormy waves into a glassy pond and water into sweet wine.This disorder awaits your order. So do we.

My "voting" guide for this election

Actually this isn't my 'voting' guide, but my life guide! I do believe it is so much more important for the Kingdom of Heaven, to whom I give all my allegiance, how I act outside of the voting booth. That is where my values and beliefs are truly tested and that is where I can actually make an immediate and concrete difference in the lives of others. This is taken from Matthew 25:

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'