where is your trust?

Received an email about the importance of my vote to preserve "In God we Trust" on our u.s currency. Something about how as Christians we need to stand up to this kind of persecution. I had almost forgotten that our money included this statement so I pulled out a good old dollar bill ( I used to know what twenties looked like, then I got married) and sure enough there is was.

two thought crossed my mind almost simultaneously.

1. With all Jesus had to say about the love of money being a root of evil, the difficulties of the rich entering heaven, and the inability to love both God and mammon, I'm wondering if even Jesus thinks thats a great idea? Isn't it a bit ironic that the one thing that we as Americans trust more than anything else would contain a statement about how we trust God?

American christians spend more on dog food then is given to the local church and we wonder why our message is rendered ineffective? Here is a quote from Ghandi, " I like your Christ, I do not like your christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. The materialism of affluent christian countries, appears to contradict the claims of Jesus Christ that it's not possible to worship both God and mammon at the same time" OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


2. I guess I understand what the email was trying to say, but the removal of "In God we trust" off of our currency does not constitute persecution. Neither does the removal of manger scenes in public at christmas or the lack of prayer in schools. I'm not saying these things have no importance, but ask the christians in China what persecution looks like. Pick up Foxes book of Martyrs and have a look at what it really means to take a stand for Jesus. I am becoming more and more convinced that persecution in America may be the only thing that separates those who go to church to ease their conscience, and those who are truly sold out to Jesus.