Savings and Loans

(Mat.18)

In Matthew 18 the story is told of a man who was released from debtor’s prison.  His wife and children were also thrown into jail.  The amount he owed was staggering.   He had no possible way of making restitution.  Through the kindness of a king, he and his family were pardoned.  What did he do?  No sooner was he discharged when he came across a man who owed him a paltry and a pittance.  He grabbed the debtor by the throat and demanded “Pay me what you owe me.”  When the benevolent Monarch heard of this wretched behavior, it was just too much, even for Grace to bear.  He was delivered to the Tormentors (the IRS-no doubt). 

Watch as this story is acted out again and again in the coming year.  Bear Stearns, bought for almost ten cents on the dollar was delivered from the slave auction by the charitable benevolence of the Federal Reserve and monetary magicians living deep in the bowels of Washington DC.  The rescue of this behemoth was a reprieve for untold number bankers, gamblers and lovers of mammon.   J.P. Morgan, flush with Billions in Government guaranteed equity raised the buying price when the “well heeled” howled at the fire sale prices.  Many who have been given ‘breathing room’ by government intervention will now go out and grab some poor schlep by the throat and cry “pay me what thou owest.”  Little has changed since the days of the parables.

When saving grace actually saves, it makes a soul gracious.  Those who think they owe God a pittance are the worst offenders of all.  These Elites and Exclusives have so juggled their books and off-shored their consciences, that it has given them a false balance.  Those who count themselves as the spiritual ‘privileged class’ and the religious aristocracy are quick to put their boot  on the neck of those who "owe" them,  while never stopping to realize that Salvation’s debt of gratitude is so large that it is never paid down, written off, or forgotten.                              -id