For the Love of Money

Released in the HJC Bulletin on 12.20.09.

Two thousand years ago, the apostle Paul said, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” {NIV}, the “first step toward all kinds of sin....,” 1 Timothy 6:10a {TLB}. Thirty-five years ago, the ‘O Jays said: “For the love of money people will steal from their mother… rob their own brother… people will lie, they will cheat… people don’t care who they hurt or beat. Almighty dollar …does funny things to some people …can drive some people out of their minds.” Oh yeah, you think?

Ever heard people say, “Money does strange things to people? Money makes people act in some weird ways?” Ever heard that before? Here’s something I’ve never heard, and I bet you never have and never will. “Money has done some strange things to me. Money makes me act loony as a road-lizard.” Don’t you find this rather illuminating, that it’s always someone else who is greedy, money-loving, or materialistic? Not me. Never me, right? Money has never made me jealous of who someone is, envious of what they have or where they are; money has never caused me to act differently toward somebody, to treat them with deference or an undue amount of affection, become overly conscientious in their presence; money has never made me kiss up to a boss or stab someone in the back. Materialism and the lust for more has never seized my soul in an orgy of consumerist ecstasy during a half-price sale at my favorite clothing / sporting good / shoe / electronics / music / book / fill in the _____ store. Especially during Christmastime, which we were told as kids was supposed to be about the birth of Christ. Or have we missed that somewhere along the way? Aren’t the Holidays supposed to be Holy Days?

The birth of Jesus, God in human flesh, the King of all Creation submitting Himself to Creation, the Lord of Glory ‘away in a manger’ …this is the Reason for the Season. All we do to celebrate the Season is because of that, in view of that, captured in the glorious light of that single event. My concern, my fear even, is whether this will be the year we stop the ‘mad dash for more’ long enough to ask, “Whose birthday is this?” Really. Spirit of the Living God, whose birthday is this anyway? What would you have me do with that, about that? Everyone of us ought to be praying fervently, sincerely, earnestly, “Lord, light within me a firestorm of generosity and compassion for those who have not while I have so very much. Show me, teach me, train me, Jesus, in how to give generously— and even more important— how to live generously. In Your precious and powerful Name. Amen.”