Your Gold and Silver Have Corroded

Today's news continues with the world-wide financial crisis and now I hear that after Wednesday's NY Stock Exchange closing the mega insurance company AIG got another infusion of money from the US Treasury, to the tune of $39 billion. Those are the guys who had the $400,000 meeting days after receiving the $89 billion from the US Treasury I wrote about in a previous blog.

The book of James warns the fat-cat-city-types who get obscene bonuses: such as pop stars, football stars, Wall Street stars, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stars, and even AIG stars could be judged, especially if their wealth comes from exploiting others.

Riches are relative when compared with many in the world, to have clean water, food, clothes, a home, education, and access to medical care is to be very rich indeed. There’s nothing wrong with being rich. It's how we get the wealth and what we do with it that matters.

The Book of James gives us two warnings:

1. It won’t last. If we build our lives on material things we have a great shock coming when those things pass away.
   
2. James warns that if our wealth comes from the exploitation of others we will face the judgement of God.

James 5:1-3

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.

What do you think?

Are we as a nation paying the price for something that has been going on under our noses and we have said nothing? We have even participated in it. All was well as our home values skyrocketed year after year. We took advantage of those teaser mortgage rates and loans.; you know the no money down, low interest rate, no proof of employment kind. Things were so good we even bought houses and flipped them to make a quick buck.

It is interesting to note that Americans giving has stayed the same over the years and our personal debt has soared. As the Rev. Wright (Retired Pastor of the United Church of Christ Chicago) has been quoted as saying, "The chickens have come home to roost!"

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Would we dare fast and pray as believers to save our nation?