It’s the Economy, Stupid!

We are witnessing a serious downturn in the United States economy right now and it is going to make life interesting and challenging for a while. Why is this happening and what do we, as Christians, do about it?

This economic problem is not a sudden thing. It has been building for quite some time. Matters that factor in include the lack of a gold standard for our currency, corporate greed, lack of integrity in the leaders of corporations, government and the private sector, government that doesn’t know how to control itself trying to pretend that it can control the economy. People taking their focus off of God and putting their hope in money and things only build on the problem.

Why are we having this problem and what is the solution?

I’m only going to focus on one aspect of the problem because if we get this issue back in the proper place, everything else will be resolved.

Love of Money
The biggest problem is greed. People have taken their focus off of loving and serving God and trusting in Him and have chosen to put their trust in their money and possessions. Until we get God back on the throne, we will flounder, blunder and watch our wealth disappear.

Paul wrote to a young preacher Timothy. In his letter he reminded Timothy of the danger of focusing too much on money. I Timothy 6:6-10 says: But godliness with contentment is great gain. For 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 men 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. [1]

Everyone seems to think that having more money and being able to control it will solve all of their problems. Therefore, they focus on getting more money instead of serving people. Granted, it is a lot easier to buy food, shelter and clothing with money than without it. The problem is that money can be taken away faster than it can be acquired. People who are rich have realized, like people who are poor, that happiness isn’t in having money or things. Happiness is the peace we have knowing that we are forgiven and have eternal life with Jesus Christ. You can’t find enough money to buy that kind of peace.

Proverbs 11:28 says – Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

Proverbs 23:5 reminds us – Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Again and again, the Bible reinforces what any observant person can now see. Money and wealth can’t be trusted. It can be taken away faster than it can be gained. It can take as long to build as the World Trade Center and then be taken away as fast as the World Trade Center on 9-11. If we hope in our money and possessions, what are we going to have when a hurricane, earthquake, fire, flood or other tragedy takes them all away?

In Mark 8:36-38, Jesus said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Surviving a Crisis
So what do we do while the economy is going through all of this turmoil?
Christians who are focused on God and their relationship with Jesus Christ will stay calm, continue working, keep their spending within their income and survive with peace and security. People who lose their focus will panic and experience great grief as they watch their “god” of money disappear before their eyes.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had proclaimed in Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But 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.”

Let’s focus on His admonition and find our peace and hope in who He is in us instead of the money.

[1]All Scriptures are from The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Mk 8:36-38). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.