In the early 1950’s there was a quote that became quite popular – “What’s good for General Motors is good for America.” Except, as is often the case, it turns out that wasn’t quite how the actual quote went. The speaker was Charles Erwin, president of GM at the time and the occasion was his confirmation hearing when he was nominated as Secretary of Defense by President Dwight Eisenhower. What he actually said there was, “for years I thought what was good for our country was good for General Motors, and vice versa.”
Now, I have little argument with the first half of his statement – if our country is flourishing then, yes, that’s going to be good for General Motors or most any company. But his “vice versa” is the part that got remembered and there is so much wrong with that arrangement of the words. If General Motors or any other large corporation flourishes that will be good for their shareholders, and possibly for their employees, but it could equally be an economic and environmental disaster for many others and for the earth itself. It is not an equal trade-off.
In later years very few remembered his actual words, while the mis-quote became a standard part of the American lexicon for the ‘50’s. So, why am I nattering on about General Motors in my Sunday message? I’ve brought that forward today because this famous saying is in some ways still the prevailing attitude for much of the United States and the rest of the industrialized world, but even more importantly because it is the very antithesis of the quote I do want to talk about here.
This one comes from Wendell Berry, who is a writer often listed as an “essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer.” He is, indeed, every one of these things, but I love the fact that when asked to describe himself, he lists “farmer” first. He’s also one of my personal heroes. This quote from my hang-onto-for-someday file comes from one of his books of essays, The Long-Legged House. It reads like this:
“We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.”
The idea that the earth might exist as something more than an object from which big corporations can pull endless money – that creation has value in and of itself – value other than monetary -- is the opposite of the rampant corporatism of the 50’s, and the 80’s, and today, for that matter. Likewise, the idea that our good is the only good that matters is being exposed more and more for the falsehood it is.
Now it might seem at first hearing that the choice between a physical earth and a corporation is purely a business decision. Or maybe a political one. But when we remind ourselves (which we seem to need to do quite often) that creation includes humankind – when we put actual human lives into the equation – suddenly the value of creation appears to increase – or, at least, we surely hope it does.
We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us.
In order to pull this off we will first need to learn and accept that the rest of the world, outside our own little bubble, has value. Other countries, other beliefs, other creatures, other cultures – they all matter and we have no right to damage them just to support our ways of living. Some third world country on the other side of the planet should not be decimated just because it is discovered to have supplies of an obscure mineral that companies here use to produce our next electronic gadget.
In searching to see what, if anything, scripture might have to offer us on this question I almost immediately found that Jesus makes it abundantly clear that this is an issue of the human soul, and therefore, a moral and ethical issue. Matthew 23:4, for instance, in speaking about those who are in powerful positions, reads: They tie onto people's backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren't willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads.
But it is in another teaching from Jesus that we learn that this uneven distribution of power and wealth – and caring -- is not only a sin but a grievous and harmful failing that harms every one of us. This reading comes from Luke’s gospel, chapter 12, verses 22-32. It’s a little long because I chose The Message version today because it does the best job of making Jesus’ point clear, and The Message tends to be a little wordy – but good.
Jesus spoke with his disciples. “Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.
Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?
“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
This is such a rich reading. So much wisdom – and love -- in its three paragraphs. While we here may be worrying about wealth and power, God cares about wildflowers and birds – and people. People – you and me – who are missing so much of what truly matters – the beauty and the grace that surround us.
While we worry about what we eat, we’re missing the gift of trusting God. While we worry about what we’ll wear and how we’ll look compared to others we’re missing the incredible beauty with which God clothes even the most seemingly insignificant things around us. And I’m pretty certain God would very much like us to notice.
If we have been wrong about what is truly important – and we have consistently been wrong about a great many things -- then, again, in Berry’s words, “we must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.”
And we will be blessed in the learning.
Amen.
Now, I have little argument with the first half of his statement – if our country is flourishing then, yes, that’s going to be good for General Motors or most any company. But his “vice versa” is the part that got remembered and there is so much wrong with that arrangement of the words. If General Motors or any other large corporation flourishes that will be good for their shareholders, and possibly for their employees, but it could equally be an economic and environmental disaster for many others and for the earth itself. It is not an equal trade-off.
In later years very few remembered his actual words, while the mis-quote became a standard part of the American lexicon for the ‘50’s. So, why am I nattering on about General Motors in my Sunday message? I’ve brought that forward today because this famous saying is in some ways still the prevailing attitude for much of the United States and the rest of the industrialized world, but even more importantly because it is the very antithesis of the quote I do want to talk about here.
This one comes from Wendell Berry, who is a writer often listed as an “essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer.” He is, indeed, every one of these things, but I love the fact that when asked to describe himself, he lists “farmer” first. He’s also one of my personal heroes. This quote from my hang-onto-for-someday file comes from one of his books of essays, The Long-Legged House. It reads like this:
“We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.”
The idea that the earth might exist as something more than an object from which big corporations can pull endless money – that creation has value in and of itself – value other than monetary -- is the opposite of the rampant corporatism of the 50’s, and the 80’s, and today, for that matter. Likewise, the idea that our good is the only good that matters is being exposed more and more for the falsehood it is.
Now it might seem at first hearing that the choice between a physical earth and a corporation is purely a business decision. Or maybe a political one. But when we remind ourselves (which we seem to need to do quite often) that creation includes humankind – when we put actual human lives into the equation – suddenly the value of creation appears to increase – or, at least, we surely hope it does.
We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us.
In order to pull this off we will first need to learn and accept that the rest of the world, outside our own little bubble, has value. Other countries, other beliefs, other creatures, other cultures – they all matter and we have no right to damage them just to support our ways of living. Some third world country on the other side of the planet should not be decimated just because it is discovered to have supplies of an obscure mineral that companies here use to produce our next electronic gadget.
In searching to see what, if anything, scripture might have to offer us on this question I almost immediately found that Jesus makes it abundantly clear that this is an issue of the human soul, and therefore, a moral and ethical issue. Matthew 23:4, for instance, in speaking about those who are in powerful positions, reads: They tie onto people's backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren't willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads.
But it is in another teaching from Jesus that we learn that this uneven distribution of power and wealth – and caring -- is not only a sin but a grievous and harmful failing that harms every one of us. This reading comes from Luke’s gospel, chapter 12, verses 22-32. It’s a little long because I chose The Message version today because it does the best job of making Jesus’ point clear, and The Message tends to be a little wordy – but good.
Jesus spoke with his disciples. “Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.
Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?
“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
This is such a rich reading. So much wisdom – and love -- in its three paragraphs. While we here may be worrying about wealth and power, God cares about wildflowers and birds – and people. People – you and me – who are missing so much of what truly matters – the beauty and the grace that surround us.
While we worry about what we eat, we’re missing the gift of trusting God. While we worry about what we’ll wear and how we’ll look compared to others we’re missing the incredible beauty with which God clothes even the most seemingly insignificant things around us. And I’m pretty certain God would very much like us to notice.
If we have been wrong about what is truly important – and we have consistently been wrong about a great many things -- then, again, in Berry’s words, “we must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.”
And we will be blessed in the learning.
Amen.
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