Money, Money, Money... OOPS!

As we read Luke 12:27, Jesus gives us the example of the lilies of the field and when they are in bloom, they are beautiful and if God cares so much about the flowers of this world think how much he cares about us who are made in His image. God’s word is so contrary to the world that we live in as every newspaper, television broadcast, radio show or internet headline tell us to worry, worry, worry and worry some more. There is only one reason that the mass media does this, it sells their advertising sponsors soap, insurance, beer, diet pills etc... Because we are like sheep and easily scared into living a fearful life, these people have figured out the perfect formula for getting and keeping our attention. As we move forward to verse 31, we are told by God, that if we make the kingdom of God our first priority in this life, we will be given all that we need from day to day.

The only problem that we have with this fact is, our definition of what we need and what God says that we need is usually different. I think that I need a house, job, a certain amount of money per month, three square meals per day, the NFL on Sunday and someone to mow my lawn and maintain my pool. God, on the other hand, may want me to go and work with an orphanage in a foreign country and have none of the above. His promise is that He gives me what I need to make the kingdom of God my first priority in life and to live my life for Him.

I once heard a sermon that used the example of the eagle to illustrate how God works to free us and do His work. The momma eagle will start to dismantle the nest a little bit each day when she realizes that her young are ready to go out into the world. Faced with the destruction of the only cozy home that they have ever known, the young bird makes the leap for independence as the last of the nest is torn apart by the mother.

There is another example that I heard one time, regarding the relationship between a shepherd and his flock. It seems that if a lamb keeps wandering off and away from the flock, the shepherd will sometimes break the leg of that lamb, causing it to be more dependent on the shepherd for it’s safety. I have always been interested in this kind of Shepherd reference because God calls us His flock and tells us He is our shepherd.

There will be those of you who will read this and scoff at that sentiment, thinking to yourself, “no one takes care of me, but me”. There is nothing wrong with self reliance, but in the world that we live in now, too many people have worked their whole life accumulating in an earthly retirement plan or investment program and wake up in the morning to find that it’s value has declined drastically.

What you can count on is the advertiser’s spokesperson to be right there telling you how bad everything is and that you have no hope. God tells us to read His word, work for His kingdom and have hope, because He is in charge.

I found this newspaper article and it kind of sums up this part of Luke regarding the subject matter that we are talking about.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – As financial workers suffer through tumultuous times on Wall Street, some are turning to an old source of solace: religion.

Religious leaders said attendance was up at lunchtime meetings in New York's financial district last week, with many more people in business attire than usual.

That is hardly surprising, said Reverend Mark Bozzuti-Jones of Trinity Church Wall Street, given that people don't know if their employers will survive from one day to the next.

"The economic financial crisis is a reminder that we cannot put our faith in riches, that we cannot put our faith in money," Bozzuti-Jones said in his sermon at lunchtime on Friday, which he devoted to coping with the financial crisis.

A handful of men in suits and ties and women in business attire were among dozens of people at the Episcopal church, which was hit by debris from the World Trade Center collapse on September 11, 2001.

The church, which normally attracts tourists and a few financial workers, experienced an upturn in visitors this week, Bozzuti-Jones said. In the past few days he had requests for help to pay rent from those who had lost their jobs.

"People are just sitting there, praying or crying and definitely exhausted. There has definitely been an increase in the number of people who have come in," he said in his office after the service.

The church was putting on special workshops and seminars over the next few weeks including "Coping with stress in an uncertain time" and "Navigating career transitions."

Just a few blocks away, St. Peter's Church has seen "a slight uptick in attendance among people in suits," said Father Peter Madigan. St. Peter's, a Catholic church, displays a cross found in the rubble of September 11.

"In the past couple of days there was high anxiety and trepidation," Madigan said. "The situation we are faced with today by economic standards is very much unknown, uncharted territory and faith helps us deal with those situations."

The Wall Street Synagogue is opening its doors nightly starting this week to accommodate Wall Street people. But rather than a rush of people last week, Rabbi Meyer Hager said he has noticed a change in his regular worshippers.

"I can see it on the faces of certain people who come here who are regular people -- some work for AIG and other large banking houses -- I can see the expression of strained concern," he said.

He noted that the synagogue was founded in 1929, the year of the Wall Street crash.

A mosque located in the financial district about a mile from Wall Street did not return a call seeking comment.

Lou Janicek, who works as a financial adviser on Wall Street, said he had not considered attending a religious service, but said Wall Street would benefit if people applied the same morals they learned in church to the workplace.

"What you do at work matters as much as whether you regularly attend church or the synagogue or whatever," said Janicek, who was brought up as a Christian. "If you are an accountant or you find yourself in an unethical situation, you can't just stand by and let it happen -- then you have another Enron.