The Economy: Crisis or Opportunity

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The headlines are filled with anxiety about the economy, as are many of our hearts. Those who have been able to save have watched their savings lose value; the ability to thrive in retirement has been threatened; those living on the edge have gotten closer to the precipice. What’s a Christian to do?

First, let’s remember that God is always with us. Second, let’s recall that God is always trying to teach us something. Now, God did not cause this economic crisis in order to teach us something. We (not just greedy fat cats on Wall Street), have been part of the problem. We who had some savings, pushed our investors to get the most bang for our bucks, no matter the risk. Some of us took personal risks and reached further than was prudent. Now that the crisis is here, what good might God bring out of it, and what might God be hoping we would learn?

1. We are not our 401(k)s. Our worth as human beings is not dependent on our financial worth. Jesus tells the story of the man who accumulated wealth in more and more barns, but then was called home to God with a “penniless” soul. When did we begin to define our security – as Christians – by our retirement accounts?

2. Nothing that really matters is threatened by this economic crisis. Make a list of what really matters

to you: your relationships with your spouse, children and family; your health and that of your family; purposeful work and ministry; your salvation at the hands of a loving God. None of it is dependent on the stock market or the value of your home.

3. Unbridled capitalism is prone to greed and misplaced values. Might this crisis be an opportunity

to question, once again, whether “more and more” is the key to happiness? Perhaps we need to learn how much is “enough” instead. According to the Bible, every society is to be judged by how it cares for the least fortunate among us, not by how big executive compensation can be for the few.

Just as the ancient Israelites had to wander in the desert for 40 years to learn their dependence on God alone, perhaps we must experience a financial desert in order to remember that God alone is our source of security. While the culture depends on governmental “homeland security,” are we not meant to find our “homeland” in heaven, and our “security” in a loving and merciful God?

Shouldn’t Christians be responding differently than others to this crisis? Wouldn’t it be a bold act of evangelism if people could look at Christians and wonder, “How can THEY be so calm in the midst of this crisis?” Wouldn’t the world want what we’ve got – a confidence in God that calms our anxiety and keeps us hopeful, positive, and productive in the midst of a crisis? Wouldn’t it be great if we were the ones to say, “This isn’t all bad! Let’s see what we can learn from this?”

Let me suggest three things that you and I might do in the midst of this crisis – as Christians:

1. Pray for those who are adversely affected by this crisis. There’s nothing like praying for someone else to get your mind off your own perceived troubles. Pray for those whose services will be cut in order to pay for the bailout. Pray for those whose limited and diminished incomes will cause them to make truly painful choices in how they live. Pray for those who will have to redefine themselves and their lives because they can no longer be defined by financial success.

2. Give. I know, this sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s SO important. There is nothing like giving money away to remind myself that I don’t really need all the money I have. When I write a check to my parish, or to a food bank, I remind myself how blessed I am. Especially when my own budget is tight. I remember that during the real estate bust of the late 80s, the diocese, at every level, made a commitment to the NH Community Loan Fund. It seemed crazy, but it not only gave hope (and money) to those providing housing to low income people, it reminded US that even in bad times, we were capable of reaching out to others. The same is true today – and even in the midst of this “meltdown,” we are among the most blessed people in the whole world.

3. Take a deep breath, several times a day, and remember that God is still God, that we are loved and cared for by that God, and that we are accompanied by God no matter what our personal journey or circumstances. And then tell the world.

I don’t believe there is any more oft-repeated phrase in Holy Scripture than “Be not afraid.” What a witness it would be, to the world, and for God, if we were able NOT to be afraid in the midst of this crisis. It would say in a loud and profound way, “We know something that the world does not know. We know that God is with us, that God is teaching us something we need to know in the midst of this crisis, and that at the end of the day, we are still the loved, redeemed and resurrected people of God, no matter what the economy does.”

Seeing this situation as an opportunity, rather than a crisis, may be the most profound witness we can make as Christians to a hurting world.

Be an evangelist. Be not afraid.

+Gene

Your brother in Christ,

New Hampshire