Greed and Fear

People will never change, according to Morgan Housel.  In his book, Same As Ever, he illustrates over and over that people are primarily driven by greed and fear.  They never change.  But, I am a Christian.  “I can change,” I think.  “I have been changed,” I demand.  These answer come without much thought.  Is it true, that we are changed?

Today, we are reading about Haggai. He enters the story some 60 years after the Israelites were released from Babylon.  Remember Babylon?  The city was known for its debauchery.  Under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians fought and “besieged Jerusalem.” “Nebuchadnezzar carried away all the treasures from the Lord’s Temple and the royal palace. He stripped away all the gold objects that King Solomon of Israel had placed in the Temple. King Nebuchadnezzar took all of Jerusalem captive, including all the commanders and the best of the soldiers, craftsmen, and artisans—10,000 in all. Only the poorest people were left in the land.”  (2 Kings 24:10-14). But, they would not be there forever.  The book of Ezra begins the next chapter, where King Cyress allows the Israelites to return to Jerusalem.  Specifically, he released them to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord.  Behind the scenes, God was stirring the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. Ezra 1:5.  So they went.  But, they did not rebuild the temple.  Haggai has something to say about it.

Here’s what happened.  The Jews returned to Jerusalem so that they could rebuild the Temple, but the city was in ruins.  If they were going to do this work, they needed places to live.  God graciously gave them the gift of time.  And they took it.  They built lavish houses, planted bountiful fields, feasted together, and dressed themselves exquisitely (Haggai 1:4-6).  Now, 60ish years later, God reminds them that he would like his temple rebuilt.  “Not yet,” the people respond.  The time has not yet come (Haggai 1:2).  The people were greedy.  Some things never change.  Housel is right that people will always be greedy.  What about fear?

Rebuilding God’s temple was monumental work.  How could they ever build this temple the way Solomon did?  It would take forever! Plus, he was the wealthiest man that ever lived, and these were tough times for the Jews.  Remember, that they had been enslaved and their land destroyed? These reminders created fear for the Israelites. Fear told them they were unworthy. Fear said they are not capable.  But it was not true.  God stepped in.  He asked them to be strong.  Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not (Haggai 2:4-6).  Looks like Housel is right.  Well, partly right.

The Israelites made a choice.  They were able to defer their greed and overcome their fears through the power of the Lord.  Without God, we remain with our current thinking, we are not transformed by His power, and we are forever subject to our humanity of greed and fear.