The Market Is Down Again... How Long Will It Keep On Dropping?

As each day’s negative action gets reported, all the market watchers are wondering why they have that turn in their stomach when it keeps on dropping. For elderly people, it may have something to do with their retirement funds and whether they can remain independent. For baby boomers, it could mean working longer than expected and trying to rebuild a savings plan that has been shattered by market losses. For other people, it could mean that they are out of a job that seemed so good just a few years ago, and it raises questions as to whether investing in stocks will ever be a good idea.

The new administration in Washington seems to be running in many directions and not very focused on any single issue. The pundits, including long time guru’s like Warren Buffet promise that this is just another hurdle our country needs to get across and good times will return. But if you are losing your job, or losing clients faster than you are replacing them, this downturn is starting to hurt. It won’t be long that a series of country and western songs will be emanating out of Nashville that will chronicle this episode of economic turmoil. Instead of “my baby left me and took the dog along” the lyrics will be more like “my money done left me, and even the dog don’t want me no more”.

As responsible humans, we tend to personalize these events and play the blame game. What if I had just done this or that, and why didn’t I think to be more conservative? Peter felt that way when he pretended to not know Jesus three times in a matter of an hour. In fact, Jesus even told Peter ahead of time that he was going to do just that! But Peter did it anyway. So how did Peter recover from what must have been the worst bear market of the New Testament? He followed Jesus plea and instructions. Jesus told him to “feed my lambs”; “feed my sheep”; and “follow me”. That just might still work in 2009, just as it did for Peter when he walked next to Christ on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Are you doing all you can to feed those in need, and to follow in Christ’s footsteps as he has called you to do?

Isaiah 54:14-15 (RSV) “In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you.”

Monday Morning Message Sent 3/9/09

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