But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

Tuesday March 19, 2013

But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

1 Timothy 6:9, NLT

Several years ago, I read an interesting column by economist Louis Rukeyser, reporting the findings of an often-surprising poll conducted by the respected Opinion Research Corporation of Princeton, New Jersey. One of the questions in the poll asked whether Americans are greedier now than they were in the 1970s. 71% were sure they were. But when asked whether they personally are greedier than in the 70s, nearly 64% answered "no," almost a total reversal. Rukeyser explains, "There's more here than just routine self-denial. 'Greed'--such an easy target for politicians and bureaucrats who can't stand a free and prosperous economy--is always the other fellow's emotion. You and I, on the other hand, are just trying to achieve a little financial security for ourselves and our families, against all the unfair odds imposed by those greedy 'others.'" I found the same phenomenon when I was raising money for my work in a parachurch ministry. People would engage in what I call "poor talk." In other words, they would compare themselves to people who had more money, more possessions, or a bigger houses and describe themselves as "poor." Other people were rich. I would listen to otherwise wonderful, Christian adults explain why they couldn’t make a financial contribution because of their economic woes. I see the same tendency in myself. Solidly entrenched in the American middle class, I watch with envy the lifestyles of the rich and famous in my community or even my church. And I find it easy to excuse my lack of generosity; after all, I'm not greedy or rich--I'm poor! In reality, just about everyone reading this is very wealthy by the standards of most of the world. Consider people living in the barrios of Mexico City, on the garbage dump in Manila, or in the parched wastelands of Ethiopia. And make no mistake--God will hold us responsible for how we used our wealth. The Bible talks a lot about money: for example, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Tim. 6:10); and "You cannot serve God and money" (Matt. 6:24). Take another look at your checkbook--it will reveal your values. Where does your money go? And think of your feelings when enticed by the latest car, appliance, or other adult toy. Let's see our resources the way God sees them and begin to use our wealth to help others.