Apprentice 2 Jesus

Greed is Good

The quote from the movie “Wall Street” is still echoing today. It’s how we are in this mess right now. It’s all of us.

From my own city, a story of greed hits a major ministry. A huge giver with big business interests gets involved with a major ministry helping drug addicts and alcoholics. His company then asks for a loan as an investment, promising HUGE returns in interest. The ministry looks it over and goes for it. They do indeed get nice returns for quite some time. Then, it starts to dry up. The payments get delayed. Now, the big donor is under federal investigation.

The big donor should have a lot to answer for because he probably pulled the wool over the ministry’s eyes. The ministry should have a lot to answer for as well. Maybe we don’t call it “greed” that lets them think they can have huge returns on a loan, but it sure isn’t wisdom. When it all seems too good to be true…

Ministries need to learn to hold back their excitement. They also need to quit looking for only the “heavy hitters,” ESPECIALLY “heavy hitters” who want to promise a return on investment! If “heavy hitters” want to GIVE the money to them, that’s probably well and good. But when it gets to the slick talking part…look out.

Look, we all want to have HUGE returns on investment. We all want guarantees. The current economy has us shaken, and too many people are ready to put their cash in a coffee can and bury it in the back yard. We are a nation of extremes. It makes me want to say, “KNOCK IT OFF!”

Investing is good. Greed is not. Invest for the long term. Stay within your risk tolerance. Know what you are investing in. Diversify.

Get away from debt and stay away.

Give to the Lord. Don’t look for a loan to your church. Just give it. Don’t look for a “return on your investment.” Just give it.

We need wisdom and prudence in our culture again. And that includes the church.