Winning Words 4/16/09
“A culture that values and measures human worth by personal income and wealth instead of character, integrity and generosity…is a casino economy.” (Jim Wallis) I think that this is appropriate after many of us have spent time measuring our income and wealth for the IRS. Maybe we need to take some time to re-measure our wealth. Some of the richest people I’ve known were poor by the world’s standard. ;-) Jack

FROM S.H. IN MI: Last night I caught the tail end of an interview on PBS right before the
Lehrer News Hour. The discussion was on leadership and the one gentleman was talking about the situation where people producing American cars have lost the sense of producing the best car possible. That the Japanese and German, even with their plants in the United States, evidently have this pride in workmanship. I'm wondering if there is some sort of connection between people who think of themselves as having character, integrity and generosity and the products they make as also having character and integrity and even generosity--being reliable and sturdy and working for a long time, etc. I wonder why our culture has gotten so bogged down in thinking about people and the things we produce so much in terms of money? Is it a natural evolution of the state--a rising and falling, gaining and losing and gaining again human values? Something, no matter how much we struggle to stay on a higher plane, that is always bound to turn on a dime and sink again? Anyway, thank goodness for the Japanese and German to show us pride in workmanship can be done, even in our own country. Just trying to understand here and appreciating Jim Wallis

FROM M.L. IN ILLINOIS: remember george bailey?

FROM PR J.S. IN MI: A lot of pastors need to read that one....too many too concerned
about their incomes and not so concerned about their tasks.....

FROM MKH IN MI: We, Americans always seem to want for more, yet by the overwhelming rest of the world's standards even our poor are rich, we sure miss the boat don’t we?

FROM EMT SINGS IN MI: Ain't it the truth!

FROM GOOD DEBT JON: You probably meant “reconsider” verses “remeasure.” Remeasure could
only yield the same results (less momentary inflation and debasement) reconsidering would
be changing your perspective relative to another’s. JACK'S REPLY: Stet

FROM MOLINER C.F.: No reason you can't be rich and wealthy also. Nothing wrong with
having money. It's how you use it.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I once read about the poor in America. Poor in America is only having one tv. There are some truly homeless people of course. And they need our help. But, with the way things are going towards socialism...we may all need help. FROM JACK: The "S" word doesn't scare me. In the Church we've been trying to help the help-less ever since the time of Jesus.

FROM CJL IN OHIO: I thought that's what we were about when we preached- a different kind of wealth... FROM JACK: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth etc."

FROM F.M. IN WI: And some of the poorest I have met and known were some of the most charitable!