One of the biggest stories to occupy the news media in the past 12 months has been the U.S. economy. Slumping housing markets, foreclosures, rising unemployment and much more continues to make people nervous about the impact of a possible recession in the near future. And now today’s news brings the report that “Growing numbers of middle-class Americans say they are not better off than they were five years ago.”
In other words, an economy that throws people’s lives into chaos, like the mortgage mess is doing, doesn’t have to be one that’s slumping into another “Great Depression”; though a recession could conceivably be around the corner. Rather, a sufficient cause for economic trouble seems to be that our personal financial growth chart isn’t advancing ever upward. Just the failure of enough people to make economic progress is enough to put a wrench into the works of our capitalistic system.
We have a consumer-driven society, one that needs a continually expanding supply of jobs for the ever-growing work force, providing an increasing amount of capital for investment and purchasing power, that keeps a steady demand for products that keep people working and earning more money to spend on more products – Whew! It’s not enough to just “maintain”, and keep a “steady as you go” pace. In this system, failing to grow is the same as shrinking.
And, unfortunately for the moral and spiritual health of our nation, much of the consumer growth rate is dependent on goods and services that are far beyond the ordinary and wholesome things we all need for a healthy life. Much of our economy is built on a segment of the market that deals in extravagant luxury, which, from a biblical viewpoint, looks a lot like greed and avarice. And another large portion is devoted to pleasures and sensual experiences that, sooner or later, bring corruption to the soul and much harm to the innocent people caught up in the effects of destructive and addictive behaviors.
I’ve often wondered what would happen if an instantaneous spiritual revival swept over our country. Suppose every American went to bed tonight and woke up tomorrow a devoted, “pure-in-heart” Christian. Immediately, large sections of our consumer economy would be shut down as there would be no market for goods and services of questionable moral value. Millions of people would be out of work, rather than participate in immoral businesses. Thousands of stores would soon close or lay off workers because they couldn’t sell even everyday products to people who couldn’t afford them. It would make the Great Depression look like a mild downturn in holiday shopping.
Everyone would heed the Scriptural instruction to “be content with food and covering.” No one would be buying new products just to “upgrade” if their present model was “good enough.” No one would worry about impressing their neighbors, keeping up with the Joneses, or trying to attract the opposite sex by having just the right “whatever.” We’d have to totally reinvent the economic structure of the nation, building one on goodness, justice and virtue, instead of consumerism and materialism.
In the world as it is, even sincere Christians need discipline and restraint to resist being swept up in the consumer momentum. It’s hard enough being content, with our human nature wired to an attraction toward whatever is new and different. Much more so when the advertisers are constantly telling you you’re falling way behind if you haven’t “updated” your lifestyle in a few years. It’s enough to make you feel guilty and even a bit unpatriotic about putting your tax rebate into savings instead of spending it. (Just kidding)
Economic stagnation may be a problem for the material well-being of the nation as a whole, but spiritual stagnation is a far worse problem for the well-being of the soul. And, according to Jesus, we can't serve God and money at the same time. For those who allow themselves to be drawn into the lure of materialistic pursuit, the warning of Paul is still accurate, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Thank God for the reality that Christians can truly be growing in the ways that count, even if our material and physical reality is not. Heavenly treasure won’t help me in respect to the Joneses, but it pays eternal dividends way better than Berkshire Hathaway!
No comments:
Post a Comment