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As we watch the global economy, we are often dismayed or shocked. We are not dismayed or shocked at the fact of disaster—we live in a fallen world, and we know that disasters happen from time to time. But we are watching a slow-motion, self-inflicted, suicidal disaster. God has struck our leaders with a judicial blindness.
And this makes us wonder how we should live, what we can do. If we have been forgiven, chosen by Him in love before the world was made, what should we be doing? What does wisdom at the individual level look like?
There are a number of things you can and should do—organize your affairs, pay down your debt, and so on. But these really are common grace activities that you can read about elsewhere. I urge you to acquaint yourselves with the state of our financial crisis, and not to believe any financial promises that any politician makes. Conduct your affairs with prudence. That’s all good.
But there is another set of preparations I would urge you to think about. As you arrange your affairs, think about setting aside some money for loving your brothers. If we hit genuine hard times, we will be called to love each other and that will take resources. Our church has a deacons’ fund to help those in need; why not start a similar fund family by family?
I do not want to be (or to sound) alarmist here because hard money conservatives have been catching the last train out for my entire adult life. You can only cry wolf so many times. But, as in the story, there really are wolves out there. Being prepared for them is not the same thing as having a paranoid belief in them. |
