The AIG Blowup

This past week I have heard (as I am certain many of you have) all sorts of elected officials ranting and raving about the bonus packages to be handed out to AIG employees. When I first heard the news I have to say that my reaction was one of disbelief followed by some outrage.

What stopped my outrage were quotes I heard from people threatening those who were to get the bonus payments. One man wanted the AIG employee and all of his/her family strangled with piano wire. Another simply wanted them all executed in the parking lot of AIG.

WWJD? The Bible calls for us to have compassion on those who are hurting and in need. Does this include someone getting a huge bonus for attempting to "defuse the bomb that they created"? No, they don't deserve compassion for that reason but for the fact that the reaction to this news is so out of character for our society. We are seeing the loss of Christ's message to the world these days because of economic concerns.

So many people, even those who attend church regularly, have no faith in the power of the Trinity. The threat to our way of life - to our homes - our cars - our plans - is overshadowing our relationship with the Savior. For those who have no relationship with the Savior now is the time for them to hear and accept it. For those who have one but are not acting like it now is the time to return to the WORD to seek comfort and guidance.

It is going to get worse. When I was growing up I didn't even know that a trillion was a number. Now we hear it so often it means nothing. We can no more understand a trillion dollars than we can fully comprehend what Heaven is really going to look like. But we cannot lose sight of our Heavenly rewards while fearing the loss of our earthly rewards.

It is going to get worse. The term being mentioned often by economists is hyperinflation. The price of nearly everything we need or want is going to skyrocket because of the path our leadership has chosen. The AIG debacle will be small potatoes in the coming year unless we find a way to inject the love of Jesus back into our economy. God understands a trillion. He knows that many pebbles personally. He knows that many hairs on the heads of His followers.

Jesus would not threaten the AIG employees. He would remind us to pray for this situation. The world has become reactive. Jesus was and always will be proactive. The world is mad because someone is getting something for doing the wrong thing. Jesus wants to call those who are angry to remind them that there is a retirement plan that requires no monetary input. Jesus wants to call those who are angry to turn all that over to Him and to point their lives toward eternity instead of wallowing in the short term of this world.

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus calls us to let all those who are angry know that they can, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.". We need to get the word about the WORD out into the world so that they can let go of the anger and trust in God, like it says on our coins.

Wilk

Without One Plea

As we begin Lent a familiar tune has been stuck in my head - Just As I Am. We need to be focusing on the fact that the LORD accepts us as is. He doesn’t expect us to beg for mercy. He accepts us “without one plea”. He paid the price in His own blood for all of our shortcomings. You know that. You have heard that all your life but have you ever put yourself in His place?

Think back to social situations in which you felt completely out of place. Some years ago we took the girls on vacation and stayed in a Bed & Breakfast in Louisiana. One of the claims for this place was that breakfast was served by candlelight using fine china. All the recipes were supposed to have come from an 1815 cookbook. The setting was beautiful and the food was wonderful. Interestingly, though, the only memory my daughters have of the experience is one of being afraid they would break a dish. They felt like they didn’t belong there.

We have all had similar experiences. The feeling that everyone is looking at you because you don’t belong here is almost overwhelming. You do not feel welcome Just As I Am. Yet, there is one place where we don’t really belong but we are welcome. There is one place where we have not earned the right to stand and be welcomed. There is one place we can never be good enough, nor smart enough, nor brave enough, nor rich or poor enough. We can’t dress well enough or talk well enough to deserve His Love. Christ accepts us in spite of what we are. He will welcome us into His Kingdom and introduce us as “heirs and co-heirs” for all to hear. No one will look down on us on that day.

What we need to focus on during Lent is the acceptance of me and you Just As I Am and quit worrying about breaking the china. It’s unbreakably held together by His Love for me and for you!