Trust Fund Kid

My husband is a fan of the 1980's film "Wall Street." Every few years he digs it up and we watch it again. He always pauses at the scene where they discuss the "zero sum game," and argues that they've misapplied the term. I always laugh at the sight of Michael Douglas walking along the beach with his enormous cell phone, which seems like dinosaur technology compared to the small, thin, minicomputers we carry in our pockets these days.

Other than the familiar songs that play in the background, the popular fashion trends of the '80's , and the landmarks of New York - the world we see on our screen during that movie can seem like pure fantasy. I've been a mother for 10 years and a small business owner for two. As for my husband, he went into the family business, in part, because he wasn't comfortable with corporate politics. Cut throat manipulation and seduction to the financial dark side is not a part of our daily lives. Yet, this world exists - as is evidenced by Enron, Berrie Madoff and other corporate giants that have toppled like dominos of late. They were all rendered perilously nearsighted by the false light of the Golden Rule of business - that he with the most gold rules. So they did all within their power, including lying, cheating and stealing, to get more.

This phenomenon is hardly new. It's been around, no doubt, since the dawn of mankind. And this greed is not just found in the rich, but also in the poor. Indeed, it is a trait common to us all on some level. Certainly most of us feel that if we had more money we'd be better off. We do well to ask, "why?" even though we know the answer. Money provides power, freedom, indulgence, security and fearlessness in proportion to its amount. Lack of money renders one helpless, imprisoned to debt, lacking in necessity, insecure and fearful. So we strive toward the promise of wealth and we measure a persons worth according to their bank accounts.

Money itself is inanimate and thus neither good nor evil. Money in the society of mankind, however, is a mirror to reflect the human heart - which can be demonstrably good or evil. Money in the hands of a good heart can provide water wells in Africa, clothing to the naked and medicine to the sick. Money in the hands of a corrupt heart has quite the opposite effect. As Scripture says

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs," (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV)

I am intrigued by this passage. It appears the issue at stake is not one of money or lack there of, but one of love. Jesus once taught that "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also," (Luke 12:34, NIV). Invoking the imagery of the heart, Jesus means to convey that our loyalty, affection and love will be tied to what we treasure. Thus, if we treasure money then we will do anything for it. There is the danger. In a willingness to serve and amass wealth as a treasure, many in Paul's day "wandered from the faith." Does this mean they stopped loving the Lord? Maybe. Certainly they replaced Him as number 1 priority, but perhaps were still true believers. If that is the case, their "wandering from the faith" implies that the actions stemming from their loyalty to money did not reflect the heart of Christ. Did they lie, cheat, steal and oppress? Did they gauge prices for necessities? Did they create and sell a false product? Did they swindle? Did they grow arrogant and unfeeling in their accumulation of comforts? Did they consider themselves better than the homeless addict whom they despised? Did they ignore the poor for whom Christ died? Did they hide money from their spouse, or neglect their family in pursuit of more? Is this how they wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many griefs? Perhaps.

We all have to live with money and deal with the tug of war it wages in the soul. I will confess that I have experience a degree of ambition over the years. I've experienced the fear of potentially losing everything I've worked for. I have fantasized about winning the lottery more than once and can tell you exactly how I'd spend every dime. I have had a few daydreams about how nice it would be to be a "trust fund" kid with a hefty inheritance to live off of the rest of my days. On such occasions I am eternally grateful for the Shepherd who redirects my thoughts and keeps me from wandering off the path of faith with His eternal word - which reminds me that I am a "trust fund" kid - I am His. My focus must be on loving Him to the exclusion of all else. He has a treasure reserved for me in heaven, and a hefty inheritance allotted to me on earth in due time. It is my trust in Him that reminds me of the treasure that cannot be stolen, corrupted or rusted. It is my love for Him that provokes a desire to be like He was in this world: not selfish, proud, materialistic and fearful; but gentle, meek and generous and trusting. He said once to a crowd of seekers,

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36, KJV).

The choice is clear. We can pursue the treasure of the world and potentially lose our soul in the process, or we can pursue Christ in His love, self-sacrifice, and meekness - keep our souls eternally - and inherit the whole earth too! For as He taught us in Matthew 5:5,

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."

Seems like He's making an offer we'd be fools to refuse.