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"Hunkering
Down" in 2003
You really have to say it with a Bush-style
Texas drawl to get the full effect: Hunkering Down... that seems
to be the mood for the country for the coming year. In virtually
every area of our society we are in a post 9/11 crisis that threatens and
undermines all of our assumptions about what life in our country is supposed
to be like. Life is going to take on a decidedly hard edge in the
foreseeable future.
A review of news stories for the past year
is dominated by one word: scandal. In telecommunications, energy, banking,
securities, politics - and even the Catholic Church - this became the focus
for so much of the nation's attention. Trent Lott, Cardinal Bernard Law,
Martha Stewart, Michael Jackson (ok, he's just getting weirder), Bernie
Ebbers, Jack Welch, Kenneth Lay and "the Perp Walk" became household words
during this past year, all in very bad ways. Time Magazine's Persons
of the Year for 2002 (December 30, 2002/January 6, 2003) are "The Whistleblowers"
who risked their lives and livelihood to report the fundamental problems
they found while employed at WorldCom, Enron and the FBI. The articles
make for fascinating and frightening reading, giving us insight into the
hubris, abuses of power and wealth, and corporate greed, and the culture
that these attitudes spawned in our nation. Some have actually blamed
these people for the problems they confronted. It's almost unbelievable.
Yet, the need for their difficult choices and hardship is a symptom and
outgrowth of something far worse, something that we aren't finished struggling
with.
I'm afraid that an unintended consequence
of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 - I say unintended because I don't think
the terrorists were that bright - was that many things in our nation's
culture and economy that were built on shaky ground, or worse, on lies,
fabrications, cover-ups and greed - even the ones that worked pretty well
for a while, have begun to crumble. One may say that it is deservedly
so, but the problem that many not-so-culpable businesses, and scores of
innocent people, will suffer. The "ripple effect" will work its way
through our economy and many, many lives will change as the economy constricts.
Airlines, travel, retail, and non-profits - all are struggling or failing.
Easy money, easy to find jobs and easy lifestyles are going to become a
lot scarcer. Anxiety, however, is not scarce.
If all this seems too negative, I'm sorry,
but that isn't really the intent. I think it's all a precursor to
significant change. Will that change be for the better? Or
will it be more of the same? Many don't see much hope for positive
movement. The above-mentioned Time article on the FBI shake-up noted
that all of the people in charge when so many things were overlooked were
promoted or even put in charge! Some shake-up! Bad attitudes are
slow enough to change without putting the people who developed them in
control.
Most people doubt that any of the white-collar criminals will serve any
significant jail time for their crimes, even though the results of their
actions and attitudes caused billions in losses. And while Cardinal
Law was forced to resign, many do not yet see the kind of cultural change
in the Catholic Church required to rectify the mishandling of abusive priests
and their victims.
Almost worse than no change at all is the
alternative of becoming a whistle blowing society, where everything turns
sour, where the disgruntled and unhappy of the world become the heroes,
modeled after a bad Russian spy movie that has KGB agents and informants
lurking around every corner, waiting to turn in a friend, relative or co-worker
to gain favor. Ok, so I've been watching too many old James Bond
movies (Sean Connery IS the best Bond, by the way), but my concern is that
we don't' have to be that way. We can CHOOSE to simply do what's
right, to be the best we can be where we are, to live faithfully, honestly,
caringly, AND JOYFULLY.
As God's people, even while living in this
broken world, we can still find hope and joy in "going back to the fundamentals,"
as they say. By putting our natural (and sinful) tendencies toward
self-centeredness aside, and by caring for others, no matter what our position
in life, we can find peace. Look for the good in people. You
may not always find it, but you might just help bring it out of them.
Don't be naive, but be real. Be honest, faithful, loving, forgiving, compassionate
- even just be kind - and you will open doors to experiencing fullness
of life that you did not know were there. And do this as a child
of God, bought with the price of God's Son's life given for you.
Do it in response to God's love and acceptance of you. Your life
will become a catalyst for good and positive and joyful change for all
around you. Whistle blowers and scandal-mongers will be put out of
business, or at least, have to take a long holiday.
In other difficult times, the Apostle Paul
wrote,
4Rjoice in the Lord
always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your
gentleness be known to everyone. 6The Lord is
near. Do not worry about anything, but in
everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, beloved,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is
pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9Keep on doing the things that you have learned and
received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9 (NRSV)
Blessings in Christ for the New Year,
Pastor Larry
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