The Rich Get Richer

Most of us realize this, but a HEALTHY middle class population is an anchor of stability for any society.  If you end up with a few rich people on one end and a massive amount of poor people on the other end...the situation usually devolves into unrest, civil wars, revolutions or a combination of chaotic ingredients.

So this article today shouldn't really surprise us.

A Rise in Wealth for the Wealthy; Declines for the Lower 93%

During the first two years of the nation’s economic recovery, the mean net worth of households in the upper 7% of the wealth distribution rose by an estimated 28%, while the mean net worth of households in the lower 93% dropped by 4%, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of newly released Census Bureau data.

From 2009 to 2011, the mean wealth of the 8 million households in the more affluent group rose to an estimated $3,173,895 from an estimated $2,476,244, while the mean wealth of the 111 million households in the less affluent group fell to an estimated $133,817 from an estimated $139,896.

These wide variances were driven by the fact that the stock and bond market rallied during the 2009 to 2011 period while the housing market remained flat.

Affluent households typically have their assets concentrated in stocks and other financial holdings, while less affluent households typically have their wealth more heavily concentrated in the value of their home.

Here;  http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/04/23/a-rise-in-wealth-for-the-wealthydeclines-for-the-lower-93/

Yep!...it's true!  The stock market has been coming back in a big way...but that doesn't really help you if you are like most Americans who no longer have ANYTHING IN THE STOCK MARKET.

I just spoke to a friend who lives in the wealthiest suburb of Minneapolis and she said you can't believe the houses that are being bought for $millions and then BULLDOZED to build something different!  Really!  The world is starving and about to break out in war, famine, pestilence, violence and natural disasters...and all you can think to do is build yourself a BIGGER HOUSE!!

Certainly the American experience has to be nearing a breaking point.  For millions and millions of folks, the American dream is turning into an American nightmare.

I can't help but think what Jesus may ask of folks at the Great White Throne judgment (followers of Christ will NOT be participating in this event).  "So Mr. Smith, did you see all the earthquakes in the news?"

"Yep...I did see a bunch of them in the past 10 years."

"Did you see the famines, wars, disease, apostasy, perversion, love of many growing cold, the rise of Satanic religions, the watering down of the gospel, race rising against race, the poor getting VERY poor while the rich got richer....did you see all that stuff?"

"Yep....it did seem there was a period there of crazy stuff....but after a while it all just blended together as "gloomy" news...so we just turned it off."

"So what exactly did you do as you saw all this stuff happening?" asks Jesus.

"We spent the last three years bulldozing a $2 million dollar home and building a bigger and better one EXACTLY the way we wanted it!!"

"Depart from me....I don't know you."

How terrifying to hear those words!!

Lord, please help us to stay focused!  The cares of this world and the desire for riches appear to be clouding our mission.