Our national economic crisis is overwhelming because of its magnitude. It boggles our minds. How could our present circumstances come to this point?
The pundits will find causes to blame and finger pointing will continue for a long time.
The underlying contributer to our problem is nothing other than greed. It is the cancer that has now metastasized and threatens our nation’s economic existence.
The very nature of greed is self-serving. It has no limit because it is insatiable.
Money is its means; control is its ally; insensitivity is its mantra; and selfishness is its focus. The all consuming interest of greed is its own preservation.
Greed is void of love, it is not open to compromise, and it is destructive of the common good. Because greed is parasitic, it has no existence in and of itself.
It has no visionary outlook, only the inward glances of self interest.
To counter the effect of greed, we need to be honest with ourselves and call it for what it is. Greed is demonic. Its very core is void of justice, goodwill, care or love. From society’s standpoint, untrammeled greed is wrong.
Only after we recognize its nature, can we begin to counter greed’s grasp.
The struggle with greed never ends. It cannot be eliminated or destroyed. It can only be contained. That which erodes greed is justice, acceptance, understanding, goodwill, love and honest work.
From a Christian perspective, greed is the epitome of the age-old problem known as sin. It is the manifestation of a sinfulness that plagues us all.
So the big question remains, how do we cope with such a problem?
As citizens in the world, we are called upon to exercise justice in all of our actions. On the other hand, as believers, we are called upon to go one step further. We are to be caring, loving, gracious and kind. These are the attributes that come through the Holy Spirit’s prodding. God’s presence in his spirit is the source of our motivation.
Society can counter greed’s grasp, but it can not eliminate it. Accountability, justice, sensitivity and genuine concern for others provides the dialectical tension that holds greed in check.
As a society, we can not allow greed to be our motivator. If we do, we will continue to see the destructiveness of our actions. Our present financial mess is a good case in point. Only when we allow God’s Spirit to motivate us will we be able to effectively navigate the maze of greed’s many avenues.
Dr. David P. Nelson is interim pastor at Grace Lutheran Church.