What will happen when my great-great-great-grandchildren look back into history, into my life, and observe what I call stewardship? Suppose they take this look into history and cringe? Suppose they cringe like some people now cringe at their ancestors owning slaves? Suppose they look at my economic system and wonder how I could not see it for what it was, a systemic creation of greed and oppression.
What if my wise use of money when I look for a house that has good resale potential in a "good neighborhood" is really just another one of those things people do in their greed? What if it is invisible to me, but will some day become so obviously self-indulged? What if my nest egg, a wise financial move these days, is seen in days to come as an expression of my self-indulgence?
Let's suppose that greed is one day as repulsive as rape is today? When that day comes, how will history judge me? What if the balance of power becomes greed-negative rather than greed-affirmative? Will my great-great-great-grandchildren wonder if I am in Heaven?
What if greedy people become alienated, marginalized, attacked, and slandered? What if people legislate against greedy people? What if systems are created such that greedy people cannot have access to healthcare, government services, and are not allowed in church? What if people hid their children's eyes from the opulant life style of greedy people? Didn't want their children's teachers to be greedy? Greedy people cannot adopt children?
What if greed becomes the most despised sin in the world, especially the church?
It could happen.
7 comments:
That is one of those sins we don't talk much about in the church. Aren't we supposed to kick greedy people out of the church? But, who would be left?
Having lived in a third world country for seven years I was appalled by the richness of our culture when I first came back. That re-entry shock was a killer. It almost made me sick just to walk down the ailse at a Wal-mart. Poor people in the U.S. are for the most part richer than the majority of people in the world. That doesn't stop us from always wanting more.
Now that have been back in the country for 15 years...I have fallen into some of the same traps. God help us learn to be content with what we have!
Greedy people will never legislate against other greedy people. And there will always be greedy people in the legislature.
But, you have a great point....and it's worthy to consider. Thanks for stretching us.
DU
good one.......a much more grotesque sin than we make it i bet....another one, self pity.....
I'm convinced that greed and materialism might be the primary in-roads for the work of the Enemy in North America. Other cultures have dominant religions that worship other gods, animistic practices, demon oppression, and other manifestations of evil -- we have greed.
He's a sly one, isn't he?
Your post got me to thinking not just about re-examining my own life but also how I look at the lives of others. It's easy to sit back and judge our ancestors and their ownership of slaves or their participation in some evil system. Perhaps we need to be more gracoius and less self-righteous while at the same time pursuing righteousness in our own lives. Sobering thoughts.
That is one of those sins we don't talk much about in the church. Aren't we supposed to kick greedy people out of the church? But, who would be left?
Having lived in a third world country for seven years I was appalled by the richness of our culture when I first came back. That re-entry shock was a killer. It almost made me sick just to walk down the ailse at a Wal-mart. Poor people in the U.S. are for the most part richer than the majority of people in the world. That doesn't stop us from always wanting more.
Now that have been back in the country for 15 years...I have fallen into some of the same traps. God help us learn to be content with what we have!
good one.......a much more grotesque sin than we make it i bet....another one, self pity.....
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