No one
can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the
other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You
can't serve both God and Mammon.” ~Matthew 6:24
INTRODUCTION
Webster's dictionary defines 'Mammon' as: 1) the false god of riches and
avarice. 2) riches regarded as an object of worship and greedy pursuit;
wealth as an evil, more or less personified.
Mammon was
personified as a false god in the New Testament. The term is often used
to refer to excessive materialism or greed as a negative influence. In
our last editorial ("The Divided States of
America") I said, "Our rampant materialism has moved us away from
the thankfulness and appreciation of the basic necessities of life...."
With the recent volatility in our economy, it now seems that our trust
in the material things of life in America is seriously being shaken.
THE SHAKING OF NATIONS
Even though we now have a global economy, the
re
ality is, if Wall Street sneezes, the rest of the world still gets a cold!
The not-so-mighty dollar is still the standard of world currency,
although many believe that's its use-by date will soon expire, being
replaced by the Euro or the Chinese Yuan.
The value of all this 'paper' is based solely on
perception. This is perpetuated largely by the 24-hour news networks. In
turn, that has recently produced a hysteria that has stimulated some of
the lowest motives of human nature, such as fear, greed and envy, which
are running rife in these times.
NO FINANCIAL ARMAGEDDON
Despite all the dire predictions of a financial
'Armageddon,' James Galbraith, a University of Texas economist calls the
possibility of another Great Depression "overheated rhetoric" because
the federal government plays a far larger role in the economy than it
did during the 1920s and 1930s, both in terms of government spending and
regulation. For instance, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation began
insuring bank deposits in 1934 to protect depositors from bank failures.
"When the private economy collapsed, that was the whole economy,"
Galbraith said. "The banking system entirely collapsed in the 1930s.
That's not going to happen." (Source:
Mary Ellen Podmolik & Mike Hughlett - Chicago Tribune)
'I SOLD MY SOUL....'
In some contemporized media, Mammon is depicted as a handsome
gentleman, suave and sophisticated, often seen making attractive deals
with humans for their souls. I can't imagine that Mammon does not have
an office on Wall Street! But I'm sure you will find he also has a presence
on Main Street! Either way, recent events have highlighted our greedy
pursuit of Mammon to the point that our lust for the material things of
life is highlighted so much that it cannot be ignored; it has become the
elephant in the room!
Will we continue to trust in a false god or will
we truly obey the scriptural admonition of Matthew 6:19-20, “Don’t store
up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can
break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven,
where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in
and steal them"?
CAUTIOUS, NOT HYSTERICAL
Prudence is the exercise of sound judgment in
practical affairs. It is a balance between unnecessary risk and over
cautiousness. On one end there is recklessness, often as a result of
panic and hysteria; on the other, there is cowardice. These two extremes
are vices, but somewhere in between can be found the cardinal virtue of
prudence.
Prudence is a most excellent companion in any
season, feast or famine. It will help you keep your heart in the right
place, "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
~Matthew 6:21 #
