October Focus - Stewardship

The Love of Money

Americans have an obsessive love affair with money.

Some other dispassionate observer of our culture might prefer to describe our association with money as a destructive, religious compulsion. She might say the way people's lives become locked on the pursuit of money — so much so that it defines perception, value and behavior — can only be described as a religious fixation.

Point taken. Nevertheless, the sexual metaphor is much more apt for this generation. Sex, unlike religion, is closer to the contemporary American experience.

People understand sex. Some (many? most?) may not truly understand sex of course. They may not possess the wisdom to appreciate how sexuality contributes to a whole and meaningful life. But most do understand sex in the sense that by the time they have graduated from high school they have experienced numerous obsessive love affairs — if not in the flesh, than at least vicariously in movies and on T.V.

People understand sex. Religion continues to baffle and confuse.

What characterizes America's love affair with money? First, it's violent, though not violent in crime/war kind of way. It is like the violence at play in love.

Like love, most of the violence generated by people's relationship with money is unintentional. It often goes unnoticed as in the case of the obsessive love affair. The consciousness of an abandoned lover awakens only after the chain of bad choices has done its damage. Only too late does the wreckage of disordered love become apparent.

Love's intent is to be life giving and wholesome. But love is dangerous. Without the guidance of wisdom learned over generations of human experience, love is destructive.

Love and money are both dangerous for much the same reason. They are dangerous because they are powerful.

A divorce attorney was asked recently whether he found his job emotionally difficult.

“No, not really. I am basically a mercenary. You pay me and I will get you out of your marriage with as much money as I can get you.”

When asked if he ever consoled a grieving spouse who was struggling through a difficult divorce he replied,

“Nah. At three hundred dollars an hour, I'm a expensive shrink.”

A pause in the conversation ensues. He fills the silence with a professional observation.

“Let me tell you something: The upper-middle class life style is a drug. The money is like heroin. A woman came into my office the other day and said, ‘I never see my husband anymore. He works all the time. He always travels. I think he may be having an affair. What can I get in a divorce settlement?'

“I told the woman, ‘Let me make it easy for you. Why not sell the house in the hills. Go buy a nice little house in the suburbs. Put the kids in a public school. Drop the country club membership. Join the local ‘Y.' Sell the car and buy yourself a nice Taurus or a Camry.' This gal, her jaw dropped. She stared back at me in disbelief. I had spoken the unthinkable. She got up and walk right out of my office. I never saw her again. I'm telling you it's a drug.”

Money doesn't have to be a drug. Nor does love have to be destructive. But we cannot prevent both love and money from being powerful.

One shrinks back from naming the social wreckage that is a consequence of money-obsession. The choices seem reasonable and the destructive consequences are remote. They leave ample room for justification and denial.

One is tempted to suggest that the degradation of the environment, broken children and broken marriages, the loss of genuine community, and the devaluation of time may be consequences of money obsession. But naming these remote consequences too easily falls under the criticism of bright, capable people who live under the influence of money's power.

Because money is powerful money is dangerous. But money's danger need not lead to destructive consequences. Money, like love, can be a great good when disciplined by wisdom.

Perhaps, from time to time, it is worth the risk of harvesting the disdain of bright, capable people by asking the question: What role does money play in life? When does one's relationship with money become disordered? What are the signs that one has yielded to money's seductive allure? How does one live with money in a way that unleashes its power for good?

October is stewardship month. It is time to ask the money question. Join us.

Monthly Focus Archive

2006:

Easter Focus: New Covenant
Lenten Focus: A Covenantal Response to Poverty
February Focus: Moving Forward

2005:

December Focus: Longing
November Focus: The Gift of Years
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Foundations
Summer Focus: The Book of Acts
Easter Focus: Tapestry
Lenten Focus: Rule of Life
January Focus: The Next Wave

2004:

December Focus: Surprising Grace
November Focus: Free Indeed
October Focus: Money Madness
September Focus: The Outrageous Promise
Summer Focus: Into the Fullness
June Focus: Thick Faith
Easter Focus: All Things New
Lent Focus: A Hungry World
February Focus: Commitment
January Focus: Unity

2003:

December Focus: Hope
November Focus: Worship
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Seasons of Faith
Summer Focus: The Gospel of John
May Focus: Faith
April Focus: Resurrection
March Focus: Truth
February Focus: Covenant Groups
January Focus: Sabbath

2002:

December Focus: Shut Up and Sing
November Focus: Spiritual Gifts
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Intentional Faith