The Heart of the Matter

I'm currently reading God and Politics, edited by Gary Scott Smith, to begin an understanding of the major views of how Christians should engage politics and hopefully come to a conclusion myself.  One thing that has always bugged me about these types of disagreements, and here I mean all arguments about particulars of the faith, is that they don't start in the right place.  

Where should they start?  I think one of the answers is found in James 2:8-13.  This exposition of Jesus' teaching concerning the law (Matt 22:37-40, Matt 5:43-48) is not reductionist.  The command to 'Love your neighbor as yourself' is not a simplified summary of the law deduced after the fact, but the very foundation the law comes from.  The law can be summarized in this statement, because that statement is the law.  That's why if you break part of the law, you've broken the whole law.

So, our discussions need to start with 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind' and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  Do our actions and thoughts and positions stem from these commandments?  If not, we are out of line with what God wants for us.  I'm not saying this will make our discussions easy, but to start anywhere else is at best, incomplete, and at worst, false Christianity.

Soli Deo Gloria

Debt

I read Dave Ramsey's "Straight Talk About Debt" article in the Jan/Feb 09 issue of Relevant over the weekend.  Understand that I am not a Dave Ramsey cheerleader.  However, his message about eliminating debt is good stuff.  The line that really stung me in this article is in the section titled "Our Culture."  Ramsey is talking about imitating people you want to be like.  So if you want to be rich, imitate rich people.  He notes, "I have met with thousands of millionaires in my years as a financial counselor, and I've never met one who said he made it all with Discover Card bonus points."  Ouch.  I've been suckered.  I totally bought into the idea that I'd fund my dream vacation house with bonus cash I accrue with my plastic.  And what happened?  I overbought, carried a balance, and now the card company is making money off me.  Stop for a second and think about how much money you currently pay in interest on your debt.  Think about what good could be done in your community with that dough.  Ramsey quotes a figure of $962 billion in US consumer revolving debt as of May 08.  Let's assume an average APR of 5% on that debt, which we all know is low.  That's $48.1 billion.  How much did Pastor Tyler say it would take to bring clean water to the continent of Africa?  $11 billion?  I'm just saying...

What's the real issue here?  Its pride.  We buy stuff with credit because we "need" it now.  We worked hard, we deserve it.  But aren't we called to be good stewards of what God has given us?  Look, I'm not saying credit cards are evil and I'm not saying get out of debt to make yourself rich.  I am saying that we all need to take a really close look at how we spend our money.  If we spend more money than we have, and then extra money on top of that in service on that debt,  is that really honoring God with our finances?  Maybe it means driving a used car.  Or buying less house.  Maybe renting instead of buying (more on the "buying a house is always a better financial move than renting" fallacy another day).  Perhaps you keep your phone an extra year.  Maybe you get a second job.  Staying out of debt will require discipline and sacrifice.  It will not be easy.  But we are not called to easy (Luke 9:22-26).  For my part, until further notice, no more credit card purchases.

Soli Deo Gloria