Where the Wartime Stock Market Is, There Your Heart Will Be Also
Putin’s war on Ukraine has thrown the world into economic crisis. How should Christians lament the financial fallout?
War is upon the world. But videos of tanks, airplanes, and explosions are not all that fill social media timelines.
Many are worried about the stock market. Brokerage accounts, 401(k)s, and 529 plans have endured the twists and turns of a roller coaster these past two years—the pandemic, ensuing inflation, and geopolitical unrest have been relentless.
Last week, while the opening bell reverberated down Wall Street, and the clank of Russian tanks silenced the streets of Kyiv, some on Twitter concerned themselves with a falling market and a falling country.
Discussions followed in 280 characters or less, prompting a friend of mine to ask if it is right to feel anger when online concern centers on the stock market while lives are being lost. Unsurprisingly, as with most ethical issues, I believe the answer to that question is both yes and no.
In an episode of BBC’s Sherlock, the no-nonsense detective trips a smoke alarm, causing his suspect to glance at a hidden safe containing precious intel. When our world is on fire, what we first look toward reveals what our hearts desire most.
Ukraine is on fire, and the duet of greed and worry resound their cacophony throughout the world. These are poor reasons to focus on the market. The Christian life is one of overweighting eternal treasure and underweighting earthly gain, but crises like this confront us with the serpent’s slithering proposition: You can be like God and have it all. Earn all you can, and panic if you don’t.
The war in Ukraine provides an opportunity to repent—to forsake our greed and worry and embrace the spiritual practice of lament. It is not enough to try to stop our lustful aspirations for riches or our dogged fear of uncertainty. We need …