The country was rocked again these past two
weeks by financial turmoil, and since it seems to happen
so frequently these past few years, I can't decide what
I am more tired of experiencing; the ups and downs of
our national economy or the incessant blame game which
accompanies these wild swings. After the market plunged
600 points this past week, the blame game renewed itself
in earnest, with the president blaming congress and
vice-versa. Who you blame probably depends largely on
your preexisting political leanings. But as I have
reflected upon things over the past week, I believe I
have a new culprit. Me. And you. And all of us who
have voted in this country. If we are upset about the
debts of Washington we should not be the least bit
surprised these debts exist considering we Americans who
voted for these leaders have run up considerable debts
of our own over the past 500 years. In 1966, household
debt, per the federal reserve, was 74% of household
income. Debt includes both personal debt, and a
mortgage. But get this, by 2007 household debt was 165%
of the household income. This was before the crash. So
is it any surprise that a large group of people who are
fiscally irresponsible elected a bunch of people who are
fiscally irresponsible? Who is at fault again?
And what does this have to do with God? A lot,
actually. Our values have been so shaped by the
accumulation of wealth and goods, that our political
drives have been skewed in that direction as well. We
want the biggest military, the best roads, the most
magnificent schools, the best health care, secure
retirement, and so on and so on. The list of desires
the American people expect their government to provide
is nearly endless. And why not? At home we
want the largest house, the best vacations, the greatest
television, the fastest computers etc... And if we
have to mortgage our future to get them, then so what?
And where, in all this orgy of personal and national
spending is God? That's right. Nowhere. Neither at the
personal level nor the national level have many of us
been able to say enough. I have enough. We have
enough. The recognition that life is more than the
endless accumulation and consumption of goods requires,
in our culture, an act of faith, and few of us have been
able to exercise faith in this way.
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Few of us have thought about placing our treasure in heaven. Why
put it there when I could have it in my living room or defending my
national interests? And so, as we have continued our futile quest
for more; we have strayed from the God who teaches us that service
to God, not accumulation and consumption, is the key to life. And
serving God completely, with passion, energy, enthusiasm and
imagination, does not require more debt. On the contrary, it offers
grace.
Prayer: Holy God, help me to place you at the center of
my life, and to worship you with my life. Help me to understand
that more stuff will not make me happy, and help me to seek leaders
who reflect my faith in you. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
[Phillip Blackburn, First Presbyterian Church] |
