“The love of money is the root of all evil.”  So said Jesus. I think he knew what he was talking about.

As I read about and consider many pressing issues of our times, I live with a fear that much of what drives the actions and beliefs of people has its roots in the allure of money. In the world of extreme wealth, I wonder if considerations of personal gain don’t surpass considerations of loyalties to faith, country, environment, or employees. When I think of the global reach of our military and its many deployments and bases throughout the world, and hear the language of “protecting our national interests,” I wonder how the economic interests of global companies must be tempted to hide the underlying interest of money behind any other camouflage, including patriotic rationales. In an area that’s not currently a military threat but a global threat, how else do we explain the ongoing skepticism about global warming when 98% of the scientific community documents this dire threat to global life? Who’s really driving the spins of disinformation and why? Follow the money!

When we come to terms with any issue, it makes sense to me to ask the question, “What role might ‘the love of money’ be playing in the debate and actions around this issue?” With this in mind, it’s not hard to understand how Berny Madoff could have bilked so many out of over 50 billion dollars in a ponzi scheme. And its easy to understand what motivated so many to invest their money with him, in spite of his mathematically impossible performance year after year – their love of money left them vulnerable to being hoodwinked.  And in a related world, we are not surprised that Wall Street needs the government to curb exhorbitant salaries and bonuses, and tries the lame reasoning that these salaries and bonuses are needed to keep the best talent. “BooHoo,” I say, let them find other places that are foolish enough to splurge with stockholders money. There’s plenty of good talent out there, willing to work for a reasonably wealthy salary. (I laud Marty Sabo, former MN Congrfessman [and Lutheran] for introducing year after year a bill that would limit top executive pay to 25 times the salary of the lowest annual employee salary in their company.) On and on the stories go.

So what do we do? Well, keep in mind Jesus’ teaching for starters. Then we practice the wisdom of our faith that calls us to generosity. The concept of tithing is a gift for us, helping us serve one master that’s not money and who actually cares about us deeply. Generosity is a compassionate and spiritual act. It is a source of joy – a kind of joy that cannot come from the love of money. And finally, it may serve us well to wonder, on any given issue of public concern – local or global – “How might the love of money underlie the visible pronouncements and actions that we are witnessing?” It doesn’t hurt to wonder and ask. It may help stay aligned with our faith.