Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

I keep hearing about “FAIRNESS” during the election campaign. It seems that many Christians are even falling into this trap.  Where in the Bible does it talk about fairness? The Bible does talk about treating your neighbor as yourself.  But when I read the Bible it talks about rewarding those who work hard and helping those in need.  Nowhere do I see “redistribution of wealth.”  

In Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV) it says:

Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

 ”Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

” ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Now we can’t earn God’s favor but God does reward those who work hard. I have had the privilege at serving at some very wealthy churches.  One church in particular had more millionaires then I’ll ever be around again.  The people there were so transformed by Jesus Christ that they were extremely generous with their money. But they chose to give to the church, missionaries, Campus Crusade, Youth For Christ, Young Life, etc…

Those who want “FAIRNESS” would “TAKE” the money away from these generous people and give it away without giving them any say so. Is that fair?  Life isn’t fair.  I’ve never made a lot of money.  I’ve never been near a 6 figure salary.  I have family members who make lots of money and they give abundantly to Christian organizations. But the “Redistribution” folks would like to “TAKE” their hard earned money and give it away.  Shouldn’t it be the person who makes the money’s job to decide how to spend it?  

From my observation believers who have been blessed with wealth are more generous than others. They just want a say so in where it goes.  If The “REDISTRIBUTION” folks have their way it will take away all incentives to work hard and give.  Why would a person want to make that extra sale if they know the government is going to have it anyway?  Why work an extra hour when you know the government is going to “TAKE” their money? That seems less “FAIR” than allowing people to show their generosity. 

I’m amazed at followers of Jesus who are buying into this philosophy.  From my study of Scripture it isn’t supported by the Bible. Life isn’t “FAIR” but God is good.

What do you think?

[From Fortune]

What business are you in?” Peter Drucker famously asked his clients. The wisest of all management thinkers knew that fundamental question was most important. If we could ask his question of the entire Fortune 500 today, the answer would be especially important because it isn’t what it used to be.

The implications of the change are considerable for all of America’s big companies and for the country. Here’s the change in a nutshell: Until recent years the Fortune 500 was in the business of solving people’s problems. Now, increasingly, it’s in the business of solving the world’s problems.

Ford  is promoting - not better things for better living, but “Better World.”

Wal-Mart is saying, “Change a light. Change the world,” to promote the environmental advantages of fluorescent bulbs.

Exxon Mobil is “Taking on the world’s toughest energy challenges.”

GE says it’s helping “solve some of the world’s toughest problems.”

Starbucks  buys “fair trade coffee

What’s going on? A major part of the explanation is that we’re an incredibly rich society. One must never minimize the plight of the poor, but the reality is that on the whole we live amid greater abundance than any nation has ever known, and that changes people’s priorities. We can worry more about helping the world to the extent we can worry less about helping ourselves.

Read about it here.

[From me]

When I saw the headline it caught my attention.  As I read the article it hit me that corporations are attempting to do what the church should be doing.  Corporations are no longer just trying to make a profit they are trying to change the world.  Isn’t that the job of the church?

Didn’t hospitals, orphanages, and other social agencies used to be run and funded by churches?  Not anymore.   What are a few churches known as today?  In the eyes of unbelievers they are seen as “freeloaders” because they don’t pay property taxes.  Sometimes churches go asking for donations when in my opinion it should be the other way around.

I pray our church gets to the point if we weren’t around there would be a void.  If Fortune 500 corporations are getting “religion” isn’t it time that churches became known for changing communities, cities, nations and the world?

What do you think?