Our country faces many challenges in the years ahead. Most of us worry about the economy. Our fears over losing jobs are trumped by those for our children’s futures. Will they find jobs? Will their standard of living take a dramatic downturn from ours? Will the country lose its leadership role in the world?
When concerns about money, survival, and fairness come into conversation, remembering just a few of the proverbs can light the way that will help us to regain our equilibrium and standing. What they offer is little more than common sense, but in this day and time, even that is in short supply.
Proverbs 16: 8—“It is better to be poor and godly than rich and dishonest.”
Somehow, someway, things got turned around. Being rich is the most important thing to folks. The richer individuals become, the more money they want, and all too many of them are willing to get riches by hook or by crook. Yes, we all want to live comfortably, but many people have no desire to be filthy rich. For them, riches become cumbersome and weigh them down. Freedom comes with less money and a median income.
Ben Franklin tried to reinforce this proverb when he said, “He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.” He knew how corrupting money could be and warned folks of his day. Right now, we don’t have anyone to preach the message that riches too often lead to dishonesty. We must be careful how our fortunes are gained.
Proverbs 16: 11—“The Lord demands fairness in every business deal; he sets the standards.”
A quick glance at the newspapers gives plenty of examples of unfair business practices. Mortgage messes led to historically high numbers of foreclosures. Investment companies gambled with investors’ moneys on garbage bonds and schemes, and as a result, millions of people lost huge hunks of their savings. Some delayed retirement and returned to the work world, even though they’d faithfully saved for years to build a comfortable nest egg. How fair are these actions?
The lack of straight shooting can be found in everyday transactions. How about gas prices for instance? Prices move like rollercoasters on an almost daily basis. Most often, that means increases. Companies jacked up prices almost twenty cents over a recent weekend. The gas in the tanks in the ground didn’t cost them these new prices. So, oil companies took in windfall profits not due them.
Proverbs 16:19—“It is better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.”
Hmm. At the end of 2008, the US economy was almost in the tank. Panic spread as people lost jobs, savings, and homes. The return of the Great Depression seemed to be upon us. Yes, this country was on shaky ground, and fear overtook us.
All the while, other places, such as banks that lost billions, investment firms that fired employees and shut their doors, and major corporations handed out millions of dollars in bonuses. That confused and angered many of us as we tried to comprehend a system that rewards the top executives with enormous checks when so many Americans were hurting. Just the other night, new reports surfaced about how banks and investment companies were lamenting the cut of top bonuses to a mere $300,000 average. Is it just me, or does that seem wrong?
We’ve lost our rudder for living. Perhaps a visit to the common sense proverbs can help us find a guide for right living. If not, then the rich will gain while the middle class loses ground until its members become more like endured servants. We need to make sure that doesn't happen. It might be up to us to re-define what is right and wrong and equitable by reviewing the proverbs from ages past.
1 comment:
What week do you want to come preach?
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