President Barack Obama and his supporters have been on a recent media blitz in which they consistently articulate one prevailing theme: pass legislation to authorize exorbitant amounts of spending to stimulate the economy or risk a “catastrophe.” We have been inundated recently with reports about how depressed the economy is and how the only solution is for the federal government to spend our way out of the recession—if that sounds counterintuitive to common sense then you are probably on the right track and are thinking biblically.  

 

Despite the best efforts of the media to cast this current economic downturn as a crisis about greedy Wall Street executives, the reality is something far more staggering. While it is true that our situation has been brought on by mass greed, it is disingenuous to blame the entirety of our current situation on a few greedy executives. The fundamental flaw in the American economy today is the fact that the overwhelming majority live beyond their means. Credit has been extended to those who had no ability or inclination to repay what they borrowed. Too many people were not content with what they had, nor did they bother to wait until they had the resources to pay. So yes, we are just as much to blame as those on Wall Street. With that said, more reckless spending by Americans or our elected officials is no way to solve any problem—it is only a guarantee of eventual financial ruin.

 

It might sound a bit simplistic to say, but the reality is that the lesson everyone should learn from this financial emergency is to be good stewards of the resources God has given us, whether great or small. If that means renting a house a while longer while saving money, driving the same car a few more months, or foregoing the annual vacation then so be it. We Americans have been inculcated with the mentality that we are entitled to the biggest and the best—no matter what it is—without having to wait on the Lord. The reality is that God has already blessed each of us immeasurably. The fact that you are now reading this blog is testimony to the Lord’s general grace in that you have life, shelter, a computer, and vision with which to read. The list would be endless if we named our blessings one by one. I would encourage you to commit to heart the following verses that speak to this very issue:  

 

 

 

The time to begin anew is now. Commit yourself to being grateful for what the Lord has already given you, especially in the small things, and you will be surprised how happy you will become. Glean the lessons from this current crisis and learn from them. It is never too late to be grateful for what God has given us, because we have already been given something far more precious than untold riches—we have a Savior that will never leave us nor forsake us.