Good morning again Guys;

There are several news stories recently that I want to reflect on this morning in the light of scripture.  The first is an ongoing story that has been running for about 3 months and the second is about a recent story out of Congress in Washington DC. 

The first news story regards the Occupy Movement which I am sure most of you are tired of hearing about, while the second regards members of Congress who are proposing to cut off Social Security payments to those who are “rich”.  These are rich people were required to contribute to the Social Security Program and promised a benefit at the time they retired.  By the way rich to some congressional members could be as low as $50,000, (not that any particular cut off point matters.

Both highlight a growing trend in this country that I believe is directly related to a lack of sound Biblical teaching and doctrine.  I say this because not only do I hear sympathetic comments to these agendas on the street but even in the Christian community.   So what the heck do these two news stories have in common?  Lead by voices as high as the President of the United States are people talking against the ‘rich’ or against the ‘middle class’ or against those ‘in poverty’ whatever definition you may use to define those groups. 

Here are a few scriptures that address the common theme in these stories; Covetousness

The last of the 10 Commandments found in Exodus chapter 20 is Covetousness.  Verse 17 says; “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Notice that it does not qualify in any way or give any exceptions.  It doesn’t say you shall not covet your neighbor’s house unless he is a Wall Street Executive or unless he is rich.  It doesn’t say do not covet his ox, (or Cadillac Escalade).

The Occupy Movement often is seen decrying excesses of the rich Wall Street executive.  I heard more than one protester say that the government should strip their wealth and give it to those that are less fortunate.  Ironically one of the big issues at the New York Occupy site was arguments of how to distribute funds collected and the disappearance of I-pads, laptops and expensive cell phones, often taken by homeless people and thieves who had less than the Occupy protestors.  I would think that they would recognize that the thieves were merely redistributing the wealth from Occupy protestors to the ‘poor’.  They just weren’t using the government as an intermediary to do the stealing.

Likewise politicians have a knack of using one group against another to gain power or re-election.  One of these tools is Envy.

“Look at how much this group has”

“They have more than they need”

“If we don’t take more from them we will need to take more from you”

We have bought into this for so long in this country that if you took 100% of the income of everyone in this country in 2012 we would still need to borrow more just to cover what we spend.  Obviously this cannot continue much longer.

By the way this works, on the global level too.  The United Nations would like to get a 5% tax.  But don’t worry; they only want to tax the top 10% of the rich in the world.  (Everyone in America, even those on government social service programs, is in the top 10% of the richest people in the world).

Covetousness and envy are synonymous.  Here are a few verses on envy.

Proverbs 14:30 NIV

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Proverbs 24:1 NIV

Do not envy wicked men; do not desire their company;

1 Timothy 6:3-9 talks about the love of money.  By the way it is the love of money not money itself that is the root of all evil.  3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

Verses 3-5 tell the outcome of teaching false doctrine, among these; quarrels, envy, strife, malicious talk and evil suspicions.  Does this sound like comments coming from Occupy participants?

Verses 6-8 tell of the blessings gained from contentment and the reality that all men are equal.

Verse 9 tells of the pitfalls that the rich can fall into. 

So what can you take with you today from all this?

• No matter what your station in life financially you need to find your contentment in where the Lord has placed you.
• We all come naked into the world and can take nothing with us when we go.
• Our financial situation can change. Job was rich and became financially devastated and was restored again. 
• Depending on where you are on the ladder there are rich people above you, but someone down below is looking up and saying about you, “look at that rich man”.
• In the American Republican form of government we are guaranteed equal opportunity to succeed – not equal results

So when you run into that envy thing in the world out there recognize it for what it is and share what you have learned today with those that haven’t learned it yet.

Regular Joe