Economic Responsibility

The nation of America is now enslaved to a debt that is possibly beyond what we can ever repay in our lifetime.  We have presumed on God’s blessings and are expecting Him to continue to provide for us, even to the point of our spending the provisions of future generations.  What does God say about our economic responsibility as Christians?

I cannot help but think of the passage in Luke 12:13-21.  The Lord Jesus told a parable to a man who was asking the Lord to help him get what he thought should be his share of the family inheritance.  The first thing Jesus says to him is to “beware and be on guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consists of his possessions.”

We believe that when we have an abundance of wealth that it belongs to us to use as we please.  But God says this is not true.  Job had great wealth, but God allowed Satan to remove it.  Still Job says, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  Job knew that all the wealth and provision he had been given was from God and God was certainly free to take it away from him whenever He chose.

We have lost sight of who really owns what we call OUR possessions.  We think we own our houses and lands, but those who in the last few years have lost their homes found out very quickly that they did not really own them.  The banks who lend homeowners money to purchase homes have the idea that they own these homes and lands, but they really don’t.  Back in 1992 our home was struck by lightning three times within twenty minutes.   We quickly realized that everything we thought we had was God’s to give and to remove from us in a few minute’s time. 

Our nation believes that the land on which this country sits belongs to America, but another foreign nation can come in and take it away at a moment’s notice.  When we forget that God is our protector and keeps our enemies at bay for us, we also fail to realize that He can remove His protection and that we are left to the possible violation of our lands by any foreign power.  Our destruction comes from within because of our own refusal to humble ourselves before a Holy God and repent of our pride and self-conceit, but God may use other nations to bring us to our knees, as He used other nations to humble the Israelites.  America is especially arrogant to think that even though God humbled His chosen nation, He would never do that to us.

In Luke 12:13-21, we find in Jesus’ parable that a certain rich man had wonderfully productive land.  He was trying to figure out how to store away his wealth for the future.  He decided to tear down his barns and built larger ones and then he would have an easy future of eating, drinking and being happy.  He thought he would have no worries for the rest of his life.  God, however, calls this man a fool.  That very night the man would die and all that he thought he possessed would belong to others.  God says this is the future for anyone who is not rich toward God.  He goes on to say in verse 30 that the nations of the world eagerly seek things that we spend much time worrying over – food, clothing, houses, many possessions.  God knows we need clothing, food and a place to live.  But do we really need a 6000 square-foot house with three garages and 4 bathrooms?  Do we really need 3 walk-in closets full of clothes?  Do we really need as much food as we hoard away?

God says that we are to seek first His kingdom, and then all the things that we need will be provided for us.  He also warns us that where our treasure is, there our heart is as well.

Greed is the curse of this nation.  Everyone thinks they have a right to have whatever someone else has.  The entire system of advertising is built on greed, trying to convince us that we need whatever they have to offer.  Not only do we think we need it, but we think we deserve it, even if we have to steal it from someone else.  The direction in which our nation is taking us is to a place of equality for all – take from the rich to give to the poor.  We have an idea that our government is the modern Robin Hood, who is out to provide for us even those things that we are not promised by God.  God also says in His word that a person who does not work does not eat.  Yet, our nation has now developed a policy of taking from the rich and giving to those who refuse to work.  The government of our nation is acting like the rich man who was presuming on a future that he did not have.  It is borrowing from nations that may come in one day and say, “Pay up or we take over.” Then whose things will all this be?