It has been almost a month since my last entry. A lot has happened since then. We have had two presidential conventions, two hurricanes, financial institutional crises, and falling gas prices - well, until last Wednesday when gas started to go up even while oil prices continued to fall.
Having watched both political conventions and the aftermath of both, I have had a lot of thoughts running around my head about politics in general and our presidential candidates specifically. It is probably best to leave those thoughts in my head but suffice it to say, I'm not happy with either candidate and their approach to campaigning and I have grown tired of the news media and their blatant hypocrisy and misrepresentation of the facts. Now I'll move on.
Sunday was our stewardship campaign kickoff at my church. I preached on the subject of stewardship. I've never done a sermon on the subject in conjunction with a financial campaign so I was a little apprehensive going in to it. I did a lot of reading and studying on stewardship, wanting to approach it from a more "holistic" view. So I talked more about stewardship in the context of all that we have been given from God to care for, distribute and enjoy. My hope was that I would be able to challenge my listeners to a deeper understanding and commitment of all that we have in this life and view ourselves as caretakers of God's blessings. I don't know if I succeeded in that or not.
However, I had a couple of people say to me afterwards that it was a good message on money and one visitor who said that they looked forward to hearing me preach on something other than money. Interesting, I only mentioned money twice in my message, the first time explaining that stewardship isn't just about money, and the second time as part of a list of a number of things that God has given us to care for! However, this response actually confirmed something for me.
In the process of my reading and listening to a few sermons on stewardship, I began to get a growing sense that our problem with the issue of stewardship, whether it be with our stewardship of our money or the stewardship of the earth, is greed - our growing desire to have and to own and to think of "me" first in connection to all the things that I "have" in my "possession." To paraphrase Donna Summer, I "work hard for the money," therefore, I'm not so willing to let go of the things that I have worked so hard for to make my life easier, more complete, and more satisfying.
I've watched with interest, and with some worry, the demise of Lehman Brothers, the amazingly rapid sell of Merrill Lynch, the propping up of Fanny May and Freddie Mac, and the growing uncertainty in the market about other financial institutions. And I wonder what is behind it all. What is behind the housing collapse? What caused Enron to go under and the dot coms of the 90's to implode?
Greed.
What causes a person to max out their credit card and then open a new credit card account (the average American has seven!) ?
Greed.
Why does a church goer spend $100 dollars a week on eating out but can only put in two or three percent of their paycheck in the offering every payperiod because they don't have any money left?
Greed.
Why do people in power, whether a leader in a company or a member of the government, begin to take kickbacks, twist the truth, add earmarks to bills, or behave in a morally inappropriate way?
Greed.
Let's be honest - America, "the most powerful country in the world," is also the richest, the most in debt, and the most wasteful. We exemplify greed. Our culture, with Wallstreet, Madison Ave., and Hollywood, is built on the concept of having and getting more.
Please understand me, I'm not against earning a living, working your way to the top, or enjoying the things that are available in this world. But I have found myself beginning to see, in myself certainly, that much of the way I approach living in this world comes out of some form of greed, the desire to have and to have more, first for me and then, whatever is left over, to God and to others. That seems to be a rather mixed up understanding of how we are to live as Christ Followers, doesn't it?
I think we Christians need to rethink about a few thing in our lives as it pertains to our finances and material possesions but also, just as much, in reference to our use of time, talants, power, opportunities and God's creation. I think that greed may play a larger part in who we are than we ever realized or are willing to admit.
Now I'm just wondering if I should take the risk and preach about this on Sunday!?
Having watched both political conventions and the aftermath of both, I have had a lot of thoughts running around my head about politics in general and our presidential candidates specifically. It is probably best to leave those thoughts in my head but suffice it to say, I'm not happy with either candidate and their approach to campaigning and I have grown tired of the news media and their blatant hypocrisy and misrepresentation of the facts. Now I'll move on.
Sunday was our stewardship campaign kickoff at my church. I preached on the subject of stewardship. I've never done a sermon on the subject in conjunction with a financial campaign so I was a little apprehensive going in to it. I did a lot of reading and studying on stewardship, wanting to approach it from a more "holistic" view. So I talked more about stewardship in the context of all that we have been given from God to care for, distribute and enjoy. My hope was that I would be able to challenge my listeners to a deeper understanding and commitment of all that we have in this life and view ourselves as caretakers of God's blessings. I don't know if I succeeded in that or not.
However, I had a couple of people say to me afterwards that it was a good message on money and one visitor who said that they looked forward to hearing me preach on something other than money. Interesting, I only mentioned money twice in my message, the first time explaining that stewardship isn't just about money, and the second time as part of a list of a number of things that God has given us to care for! However, this response actually confirmed something for me.
In the process of my reading and listening to a few sermons on stewardship, I began to get a growing sense that our problem with the issue of stewardship, whether it be with our stewardship of our money or the stewardship of the earth, is greed - our growing desire to have and to own and to think of "me" first in connection to all the things that I "have" in my "possession." To paraphrase Donna Summer, I "work hard for the money," therefore, I'm not so willing to let go of the things that I have worked so hard for to make my life easier, more complete, and more satisfying.
I've watched with interest, and with some worry, the demise of Lehman Brothers, the amazingly rapid sell of Merrill Lynch, the propping up of Fanny May and Freddie Mac, and the growing uncertainty in the market about other financial institutions. And I wonder what is behind it all. What is behind the housing collapse? What caused Enron to go under and the dot coms of the 90's to implode?
Greed.
What causes a person to max out their credit card and then open a new credit card account (the average American has seven!) ?
Greed.
Why does a church goer spend $100 dollars a week on eating out but can only put in two or three percent of their paycheck in the offering every payperiod because they don't have any money left?
Greed.
Why do people in power, whether a leader in a company or a member of the government, begin to take kickbacks, twist the truth, add earmarks to bills, or behave in a morally inappropriate way?
Greed.
Let's be honest - America, "the most powerful country in the world," is also the richest, the most in debt, and the most wasteful. We exemplify greed. Our culture, with Wallstreet, Madison Ave., and Hollywood, is built on the concept of having and getting more.
Please understand me, I'm not against earning a living, working your way to the top, or enjoying the things that are available in this world. But I have found myself beginning to see, in myself certainly, that much of the way I approach living in this world comes out of some form of greed, the desire to have and to have more, first for me and then, whatever is left over, to God and to others. That seems to be a rather mixed up understanding of how we are to live as Christ Followers, doesn't it?
I think we Christians need to rethink about a few thing in our lives as it pertains to our finances and material possesions but also, just as much, in reference to our use of time, talants, power, opportunities and God's creation. I think that greed may play a larger part in who we are than we ever realized or are willing to admit.
Now I'm just wondering if I should take the risk and preach about this on Sunday!?
1 comment:
Gosh, I can't believe I am just now getting around to reading your blog. It was such a busy week I didn't have a chance to do my "round."
I think you should preach it. That's been weighing on my mind a lot too. I noticed how with all the lines snaking around intersections waiting to pump gas the parking lots at Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and a host of restaurants were PACKED!
I was talking with someone who was talking about how greedy the oil companies were and how they are charging too much. Then in the next sentence he was telling me how the gas station he went to asked everyone to limit their purchase to 10 gallons, yet he filled up his SUV because he NEEDED IT. Ironic how he can so easily spot greed in others, but didn't realize that by not sharing with others he was being just as greedy (and enabling the greed he identified).
Of couse, this reply urging you to preach this tomorrow is probably too late to do any good. After all I can't imagine a preacher who would still be working on his sermon at 8 pm on a Saturday night (nervous cough).
Take care buddy,
Ray
Post a Comment