It is only April of 2015 and already the race for the 2016
Presidential election is gearing up. Elections have a tendency to bring out the
worst in people (much like Internet comment sections) but this year promises to
be worse than most as it is without an incumbent candidate. Everyone is fair
game. During election season (which seem to be continual) a lot of judgements
and accusations get thrown around. This is really just a product of our sinful
nature but it becomes particularly evident during campaigns.
With the economic disparity currently seen in the United
States some of the most vitriolic accusations seen are those against the rich and
those against the poor.
It is very easy to blame the rich for the plight of the
poor. It is easy to attribute the financial gain of others to exploitation or some moral failing. After
all, we’ve seen vivid examples of just this sort of thing in the news.
Corporate CEO’s benefitting from golden parachutes while duping investors out
of millions. Millionaire athletes shirking tax bills. Add to that the very
basic human emotion of jealousy which causes us to desire the wealth and
security these individuals possess. However, when we take a step back, the
black and white struggle against the 1% becomes much hazier. How much money
does it take for one to become “rich”? If we’re honest with ourselves, we
always strive for just a little more; just a little more and our lives would be
secure. When we realize that when we
look at the “rich” we are not looking at our neighbor’s yard but rather
gradients of a sprawling field, it becomes much more difficult to cast stones.
It is also very easy to blame the poor for causing their own
problems. This is a common accusation during campaign stops. Listen to any
debate on welfare or social services and you can usually trace the flicker of
self-righteousness. America, it is said, is built upon the notion of pulling
oneself up by the bootstraps (sorry Andrew Carnegie) through hard work and
perseverance and we’ve all seen and read examples that give us inspiring
stories of men and women whose empires were built upon sweat and guile. How
easy is it then to look at the poor and disenfranchised with judgment that they
lack or choose (through irresponsible decision-making) to build a capable life
for themselves? These accusations are less often spoken but undercurrents in
speeches and conversations. However, just as the concept of the “wealthy” is a
spectrum, so is the concept of “poor”. Beyond that, we must force ourselves to
sympathize with the situations of others and see the larger forces and
incidents that create poverty. When we do this, we are faced not with a
sycophantic mass but individual people and families struggling to build their
own lives.
We are often quick to fall into either of these two camps,
but I want to challenge us to ask 3 questions of ourselves before we cast
judgement:
1. Are you making wise financial decisions
with your money? While it is easy
to crucify the rich for exorbitant purchases and indulgences, it is much harder
to ask the question: “how am I spending my money?” Are you indulging on
unnecessary items? Are they justified? It is easy to say that the poor make
poor financial decisions, but it is much harder to ask: “am I frivolous with my
money?”
2. Are you being generous with the money you
have? Wealth or poverty is no justification for selfishness. If we decry
others for their financial impropriety then we must also look upon ourselves
and assess our own charity. Jesus’ parable of the talents gives us a model for
how we are to steward our gifts (monetary or otherwise) whether we are wealthy
or poor.
3. Is the amount of money you have an
impediment to gratitude? The root of our judgmental attitudes toward the
finances of others is ingratitude toward the One who provided them. When we
covet the wealth of others we disrespect the Lord who gave to us more than we
deserve. When we mismanage that which we have been given we fail to steward
that which has been entrusted to us. Jesus gives two examples that highlight
this principle. Jesus discouraged the rich young man who came to follow Him but
was unable to relinquish that which his heart most desired --- his wealth, for
the sake of the Kingdom. It was his love of money which attempted to co-reign
with Christ in his life. This cannot be. Nothing (least of all money) can share
kingship with Christ in our lives. In contrast, Jesus brought to the attention
of his disciples an impoverished widow who gave a small coin to the temple
coffers. She, Jesus attested, gave out of her poverty rather than excess. Her
generosity was rooted in her faithfulness. Both of these examples show us that
wealth (or lack of it) is never to rule over our lives. Both jealousy and
judgement are destroyed by gratitude.
So as we embark on this political season, let us consider
first our own hearts before lashing out (especially on Facebook and Twitter)
from unhealthy motives.
