The Pitfall of Greed, The Value of Humility

In 1898, few people had ever heard the name James Cash Penney.  But by the 1920’s he had made his fortune and was already stepping away from nearly 200 stores to pursue new interests.  When the stock market crashed in 1929 his personal net worth shrank by a staggering 81%.  He even started taking money out of his life insurance so that he could pay his employees.  His health took a terrible turn, and it was in this dark, despairing moment of his life that he turned to God.  This experience forever changed him, and he lived another forty years, sharing his faith with customers and fellow business leaders. 

The first commandment is “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”  God has been trying to teach us this concept over and over again, as individuals, and as a Nation.  He’s trying to tell us that we cannot make it without Him.  He wants us to call upon Him in humility, and let go of our egotism and pride. 

One of the 7 Sins of the Heart is greed.  The greed of some of the top financial institution CEO’s is taking them down, and it’s a wonderful warning for those of us who need to sober up.  As Christians we need to pray for our Nation and that these individuals will be humbled, and find the truth in Christ.  We can also pray that God will help us learn from our mistakes and rise triumphant. 

By the time we put the Solid Foundation back together, we could meet the next Chuck Colson, Conrad Hilton, John Templeton, Sister Theresa, or Ronald Reagan.  Will the next great corporate witness emerge from our current economic crisis?