Thanks Jim! Emphasized by the recent Oxfam Report indicating that in 2016 the wealthiest 1% will own more than the rest of us. Listen to Fox News and youre persuaded it is the cost of prosperity. But even the Head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde disagrees, saying the growing inequality between rich and poor is the greatest economic threat the world faces. No doubt this topic of growing economic disparity will be near the top of the agenda when the rich and influential meet this week in Davos at the World Economic Forum. Regrettably all that proves is we are specialists when it comes to talk but paralyzed when it comes to action. In part because we are relying on the wrong people to get us there. Rock stars and politicians alone cant lead us to economic equality, anymore than they could when the looming issue was civil rights. They are sitting on the wrong side of the table to be anything but conflicted. Think of Jesus prescription to the 1% he confronted in his day: Sell everything you own and distribute the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me. Luke 18:22 The rich young ruler Jesus was talking to was too conflicted to follow through on the remedy. As are most of us. We cant get there from here. The divine prescription requires divine help. The help of a Spirit immune to the dictates of greed. Thats why when John the Baptist took up the subject of wealth redistribution, he took aim at the middle class - those who had 2 coats but not likely 3; the despised tax collector rather than the revered entrepreneur; the rank and file street cop, rather than the head honchos of law and order. Not that he didnt challenge Herod as well, its just that he understood that repentance was easier for common folk than a king. Challenging a king can cost one his head. We have been bamboozled into thinking economic inequality is inevitable like ecological decline. It isnt. We who have 2 coats can give to those having none, just as we can consume less to improve the health of our planet. But it will take our having a friendlier disposition to wealth re-distribution. Not just the sharing of excess clothing, but the sharing of excess incomes so that he who has much doesnt have too much and he having little not too little.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 01:25:36 +0000
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