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Economics and Spirituality
"If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it." This is the comic wisdom of Jonathan Winters. In a time of economic stress being felt at so many levels of our culture, it is good to laugh and good to remember that we have a role in the change we desire.
Eyes and ears keep turning to the candidates for President listening for a hopeful word on the economy. We may have ignored the Wall Street indexes yet all of a sudden it seems that everyone knows if the market finished up or down. Many are fearful of opening up bills as they experience increasing costs of living. Too many have been laid off or had hours cut so they also are looking at decreased income. The whole culture seems to feel a depression whether or not we actually call this an economic depression.
We believed the commercials that we can have it now and have it our way. This is a world that has taught several generations a Wimpey economic philosophy - "I'll gladly pay you Wednesday for a hamburger on Tuesday." Now all of our Wednesdays have caught up to us! We still want our hamburger on Tuesday but there is no credit left. The ever-expanding credit limit has stretched as far as it can go. Now we have to face the facts that we simply can't have everything we want. Our consumerism has consumed us.
We cannot "wait" for our ship to come in! We cannot wait on Congress or a new President to create the wave that will bring us our "ship". We also must do something - as Winters says, we must swim out to it - go towards the financial freedom we long for. You and I must do what we can to be good stewards of what we do have. If we cannot manage what we do have, we will not be able to manage additional blessings. This is a time to truly sort out our wants and needs and establish priorities and goals. This is spiritual work!
Some of us need to admit that we have not been good stewards of our resources in the daily and monthly decisions quite apart from the events of global markets. This is our confession and repentance. Dive into the spiritual waters. Swim towards the calm waters of biblical teachings. Remember it's not money that is evil; rather it is the love of money. Desiring to have lots of financial resources and financial freedom is not bad. The question becomes what drives us. Do we seek financial gain more than we seek God? Which is more important? Where do our values lie? Are we looking for a ship of gold on the horizon, while God has already brought us a lifeboat?
This is a time to return to faith and biblical basics. Turn to God who can truly see the full picture. Pray and listen. Worship the One who is the provider of all that we need. Study scripture that has a lot to say about money and money management. Apply biblical financial wisdom to your life. This is jumping into the baptismal waters of faith and swimming towards life and freedom. With God's help we just might find ourselves walking on water!
The change and reform we want and need begins with us! Invest in your spirituality and watch the returns!
Matthew 6:20-21
Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
1 Timothy6:7-11
We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, Child of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
Rev. Colleen Darraugh, Contributor
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