AIG Should Be Ashamed.....& Maybe We Should Be Too!

I'm sure I'm not the only one outraged at the news of AIG's plans to pay out big bonuses to their executives with the bailout money they received. In fact, so many people are upset that it's been the big headline in the news for several days now, and will likely be until a something is done about it. It's just infuriating to us to know that AIG chose not to use the money they received for it's intended purpose.

I can remember a time when I felt the same way on a much more personal level. A week after Shondi and I were married, we moved to Dallas, Texas to attend Criswell College. We had no money, thought $250 a month for rent was outrageous, and basically just "scraped by" while working our way through school with part time jobs that we didn't particularly enjoy.

One of my mentors as a teenager was a man in my home church affectionately known as "Uncle Ralph". I didn't understand at the time what a genius he was. He had two teenage daughters, and most of our youth group spent half of their lives at "Uncle Ralph's" house. Looking back now, I realize that he made his house the "hangout" all of those years so that he could keep a close eye on his daughters!

"Uncle Ralph" invested a lot time with me as a young teenager. We cut firewood together (again, now I see the genius - free labor), did projects around the church (more free labor!), and just hung out and watched football at his house (we brought the food!).

When Shondi and I got to Dallas, "Uncle Ralph" and his family started sending us a check for $50 a month to support us while we were in school. Now $50 a month doesn't sound like much today, but for the two of us in 1988 it was a lot of money. We always did a "date night" on whichever day of the month "Uncle Ralph's" check came. We didn't necessarily go somewhere fancy, but we always went out to eat.

One particular night will always stand out in my mind. "Uncle Ralph's" check had come, and we were going to a restaurant in Dallas called the "Blackeyed Pea". After we finished our meal and walked out into the parking lot, we were approached by a man who gave us a very convincing story about how his family was homeless and living in their station wagon. He pointed to a raggedy station wagon with a woman and several kids inside that seemed to validate the story. I looked at Shondi and got the "OK", and reached into my pocket to give him the money that was left from "Uncle Ralph's" gift to us. I think it was close to $30.

We got in our car and sat for a minute to take it all in. We felt so good to have been able to help a family in the same way that "Uncle Ralph's" family had been helping us. We watched as the family pulled out of the parking lot and drove away. We stopped several blocks away at a convenience store to pick up some milk on our way home. Several blocks later, we saw the unthinkable..... the guy that we had just given the money to was walking out of a package store while his family sat in the station wagon out front.

It was all I could do not to turn in to that parking lot and give that guy a piece of my mind (or more). We were furious... we could have used that money for so many other things, even our own needs, but this jerk swindled us and went to get drunk to celebrate! Our only consolation was that we both felt that we had given him the money because God lead us to do it.

I've since made it my responsibility to hear God in those kinds of situations and let God deal with the person who may choose to take advantage of me. I will admit that it's rare that God prompts me to give like I did that night in Dallas, it's more often a very specific need that He directs me to.

I could spend some time on this, but what's on my heart this morning is "How does God feel when He looks at how we are using what He gave to us?". I'm not just talking about money and possessions, although what we do with those things says a lot about who we are. I'm talking about the gift of salvation, the spiritual gifts and talent's he's given each of us, and the opportunities he's put before us to make a difference in this world.

I know that He's a loving God, but he's also a just God. I wonder if, at times, he feels about us like we feel about AIG? He's given us everything...life, salvation, talents and abilities, and opportunities to invest our lives in something eternal. I wonder if His heart feels like mine did that night in Dallas when the sacrificial gift I gave was used for something so contrary to what I gave it for?

I wonder if the very reason He is allowing our financial world to crumble is help us see the hypocrisy of our crying and whining about what everyone else is doing wrong, when we may doing the exact same thing with all that God has given to us? I just wonder....

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

Whatever It Takes,
Chip