"My father told me that (Robert) Lehman demanded-and received-assurance before deals were struck that the best interests of all those investing in companies underwritten by Lehman Bros. were thoroughly considered. if there were any doubt whatsoever about the soundness of the investment, he would walk away, regardless of the potential profits." Walt Gardner, writing in the September 25, 2008 edition of USA Today, is describing his father's experience in the early days of Lehman Bros.. Morris Gardner worked for the company for fifty years, retiring in 1968 as comptroller.
If Lehman Bros., and the other failing financial institutions, had continued to follow that ethic, much current and future suffering would have been averted. How have we fallen so far, from a culture of caring for everyone’s best interest to a culture of caring only for our own? "Greed is, for lack of a better word, good", Gordon Gekko, famously said in the movie, Wall Street. He was pretty convincing. But we are now seeing the limits to that philosophy of self-interest.
The Bible says to give, and it will be given to you, Love others as you love yourself. Look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.
We would live in a far different culture if everyone did business like Mr. Lehman, who must have had some familiarity with these Judeo-Christian ethics, rather than Mr. Gekko.
Jesus, as we endure the fallout from our culture of greed, please give us ears to hear your words of caring for each other.