Restoration...Greed Is the News of the Day

Confidence is a strong suit for any nation. As the global markets watch company after company implode due to fraud and larceny, the value of the dollar sinks on international currency markets.

In the parable of the unjust steward Jesus said, "The sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light" (Luke 16:8And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
See All...). Looking at some of the recent spectacular business failures in the American economy reminds me of this biblical story of a businessman who let his brilliant talent become tarnished by greed and power.

Last November it was Enron, the Houston, Texas, based energy company, which collapsed almost overnight when accounting fraud overestimated profits by $600 million. The stock drastically dropped in value, thousands lost jobs and millions of dollars were lost by investors both large and small.

Arthur Andersen, Enron's auditor, lost business and credibility when it was revealed that documents were shredded to cover up major bookkeeping mistakes. Andersen was one of America's largest and most respected firms. Its fall is part of a mounting credibility gap spreading over much of corporate America.

In late June WorldCom, the second-largest long-distance company in the United States admitted that the company had claimed regular operating expenses as capital expenses over five consecutive quarters in 2001 and 2002. This allowed the heavily indebted company to overstate earnings by $3.8 billion, artificially inflating the company's value. The U.S. Justice Department will launch a criminal investigation against WorldCom, and the company is laying off 17,000, or 28 percent of its staff.

Confidence is a strong suit for any nation. As the global markets watch company after company implode due to fraud and larceny, the value of the dollar sinks on international currency markets. Recent weeks have seen gains against the dollar by other currencies, notably the euro. A weakened dollar could negatively impact the European and Asian economies resulting in shifts of influence and power. Nothing can be taken for granted in today's rapidly shifting world.

Which leads to a strong warning for American business leaders. Don't give in to the selfish pulls of personal ambition and vanity. Don't look only at the bottom line of profit or stock value as the measure of success. Thousands of people have staked their futures on your decisions. It is not only those around the boardroom table to whom you answer. You answer as well to those around the kitchen table. Build your company around values and principle, which will enable it to last decades and beyond. Build with future generations in mind.

The book of James makes one specific indictment of the rich who mishandle wealth. "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and sliver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you" (James 5:1-6 [1] Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
[2] Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
[3] Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
[4] Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
[5] Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
[6] Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

See All...).

I have an idea as a summer seminar for business leaders. Study the parable of the unjust steward and other passages that deal with money (Luke 16:1-13 [1] And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
[2] And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
[3] Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
[4] I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
[5] So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
[6] And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
[7] Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
[8] And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
[9] And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
[10] He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
[11] If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
[12] And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
[13] No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

See All...; 1 Timothy 6:6-19 [6] But godliness with contentment is great gain.
[7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
[8] And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
[9] But 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.
[10] For 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.
[11] But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
[12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
[13] I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
[14] That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our LORD Jesus Christ:
[15] Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
[16] Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
[17] Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
[18] That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
[19] Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

See All...). They offer a primer on priorities for those who handle the finances of companies. WNP