Home > Blogs > Post Content
|
|
Throughout my career as a social worker, I have worked with a number of youths whose only concern seemed to be the bling-bling. Bling-bling to them was the material possessions one accumulates during his or her journey through life. But their preoccupation with the bling-bling has been disconcerting to me. Not because they were in hot pursuit of it, but because they don't understand that everything we do under the sun will one day be meaningless. The material wealth that we human beings accumulate during our lifetimes will be insignificant once we're buried six feet under the ground. The only thing that we will take with us is our moral integrity, which, in this sense, is defined as Christian faith, obedience and service. When you consider the current state of our world, though, one has to wonder if the Body of Christ has taken its eye off the prize. After Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, disciples likes Peter and Paul did everything they could to encourage others to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Once this conversion was made, the disciples and their converts sold their possessions so that the kingdom of God could be advanced here on Earth. What I gleam from the experiences of the first Christians is a sense of purpose. They knew that they were placed on this planet to bring glory to God. Bringing glory to God should be our purpose as well, but it's not. We Blacks, haunted by the legacy of past slavery and ongoing oppression, have been trying for centuries to gain equal footing with white Americans. This attempt to keep up with the Joneses is a natural occurrence, resulting from the fact that all human beings have an innate drive to thrive, but should it be at the expense of moral integrity? What do you think? Is moral integrity more important than material wealth? I look forward to reading your responses. Be blessed, family, and continue to be blessings.
Posted By: J. A. Faulkerson
Thursday, August 7th 2008 at 8:00AM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
|
 |
Great question!
Sadly, this is not a topic that folks with paper like to discuss in public. In a nutshell...WE LIE!
Here's what I mean: A few weeks back my nephew created/ made-up this story to try to get me to give him money for summer school. Yup, my own flesh & blood tried to con/ hustle me. And he is far from the first...
Rather than get mad or call him out in public...I "pulled his coat tail" (hustler language:) I told my 15 year old nephew that I didn't wake up one day with all the material stuff that I have now. As well, I made him aware that you don't aquire the toys, paper and good life without breaking few eggs.
If you've got paper...you've got dirt. Jesus said that the coins belonged to Ceasar....not God. So anyone with paper has done some work with/for Ceasar. Once we get the paper we want to tell the kids to remain crystal clean. Or worse, we tell the next brother trying to come-up that we have lived this highly moral life to get here. However when everyone in the room has paper...we talk about the dirt we had to do to get in the room.
THINK ABOUT THIS:
If you know there is someone on your job who is more in need of a raise and/or better qualified than you...but you take a pay raise ahead of that person...that is immoral!
Is you pass by a poor/homeless mother on your way to pay your cell phone bill....and don't give her a dime of that money...that is immoral!
Let's no forget...Jesus told the rich man that for him to enter heaven he needed to give away "ALL HIS WORLDLY POSSESSIONS"...not most... ALL.
Let's be careful what we tell the next generation. We owe them truth...The good, the bad and the ugly.
Thoughts?
Thursday, August 7th 2008 at 11:07AM
Dr. Ahmad Glover
|
 |
Good question. Moral integrity is way more important than material wealth. Its all about balance. The Bible speaks about being stewards over what God has given us; I would like to refer to the parable of the talents.
Matthew 25:14-30
14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth
God doesn’t just give us resources to sit on…He wants us to be fruitful and multiply. The problem comes when we allow the material blessings that God allows us to have, become our main focus and we put those things before him.
1 Timothy 6:9-11
9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness
I think that one of the reasons why our youth are so concerned or motivated to get, get, get, is because no one has taken the time to teach them, that along with getting paid, it is equally important to have character, and if I may add get an education. Some of us, (youth) want to skip over college and go straight to “making paper”, which is out of order. The more knowledge we attain, the more finances will come…people will pay you for what you know and how well you can apply your knowledge to the job.
Don’t get me wrong…money is a good thing in my book. But I know how to get it and keep…. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
Smile
CAD
Thursday, August 7th 2008 at 12:46PM
Chasity DeLoney
|
 |
Mark 8:36-- For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
My favorite quotes on the subject:
"Integrity is the most valuable and respected quality of leadership. Always keep your word." -Jim Rohn
"With integrity you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt. With fear and guilt removed you are free to be and do your best." -Zig Ziglar
"Many a man's reputation would not know his character if they met on the street." -Elbert Hubbard
"Circumstances do not make a man, they reveal him." - Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
"I don't think I could stand having all the money in the world (or even a lot of money) if I obtained and/or attained it in a manner that should make it difficult for me to look myself in the mirror." -Dee Gray
Integrity wins it-- hands down.
Blessings...
Thursday, August 7th 2008 at 2:26PM
Dee Gray
|
 |
Integrity.
Thursday, August 7th 2008 at 3:32PM
g smallwood
|
|
|
Roderick, I respectfully disagree. And I won't use scripture to say why because I've already made my point there.
I can only speak for myself here. You said:
"You chase the rich godlooking guy and scream at his concert or ball games but do you if a great looking guy walks by? What are lobbyist? I could go on and on but for what? I see the tag price on most that I encounter because they usually have a red tag attached denoting they are on sale!"
You may be right there. But that neither describes me nor a great number of people I know. Sure, money is good. Really. It's great. We need money to survive. I disagree, however, that I need it to the point of having to steal it, sell myself for it or hustle anybody to get it. I'm sure it's because I have a conscience and I care about how I attain the things I have.
And again, I can't speak for everybody...just me. And in my house, the best things in life aren't THINGS. I don't have a whole lot of STUFF, but most days, I still feel like the richest woman in the world.
Blessings...
Thursday, August 7th 2008 at 7:21PM
Dee Gray
|
|
|
Chasity, I concur wholeheartedly.
Blessings...
Thursday, August 7th 2008 at 7:23PM
Dee Gray
|
|
I second Chasity comment. She hit it right on the nail.
Etana.
Thursday, August 7th 2008 at 7:44PM
Etana Busara
|
Blogs Home
|
|
|
