Selling America's Soul On The
Installment Plan
by Tom Wacaster
by Tom Wacaster
Post
World War I America was marked by a rapid availability of mass produced
commodities. Along with this rapid increase in durable goods came the means of
purchasing those goods. The 20th century America dream was the acquisition and
consumption of the rising tide of commodities. Our nation bought into the lie
that a man's life DOES consist of the abundance of the things which he might
possess. With the increase in available goods came new and novel ways to
purchase those goods. The birth of the Automobile Installment Finance Company
in 1919 provided the foundation for the transformation from cash purchasing to
buying on credit. During the 1920s, businesses increasingly utilized
advertising as a method not only to sell their products, but also as a means to
convince the American public to buy on installments. Both the quantity and the
quality of advertisements which mentioned installment plans rose significantly
during this period, particularly in local publications. By 1929, these
advertisements reflected the general acceptance of installment buying as a way
to finance consumption and demonstrated that this shift in attitudes had
reached its completion. Revolving credit accounts were popular in the 1940's
and 50's, and this eventually gave way to the credit card craze that hit our
society in the 1960's. As the price of goods (and especially automobiles) rose,
new and novel ways to finance the purchase developed. One popular finance
scheme is small monthly payments with a huge balloon payment at the end of the
installment period. Purchasing an automobile has become quick, easy, and
painless - at least until the time comes for the "note" to be paid in
full, and the purchaser is faced with a huge payment for something that is now
old and worn out.
But you know what? General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford were not the first to come up with the installment plan and a closing balloon payment. As old, and as successful as installment purchases plus closing balloon payments might be, there is one who came up with that idea long ago. You know of whom I speak. He is known as the devil, Satan, Lucifer, the dragon, and the accuser of God's people. He has convinced the unwitting and simple minded to sell their soul on the installment plan. It is quick, easy, and painless. The Devil is a master deceiver. He knows that if the true cost of sin were immediately realized that there would be few takers. So, he convinces you to purchase in small increments. "Just a little! One bite; that's all." "What will one drink hurt?" "What harm is there in just one compromise? one little lie? one missed assembly?" But Satan does not tell you about the "balloon payment" that comes due when the installment period runs out. For some that installment period is short; for others it stretches out over several years. But for all it comes due in a fraction of time when compared with eternity. The tragedy is that few realize that they are selling their souls out for a mess of pottage that is worthless when compared to the true and eternal values of godliness. Ahab was one who sold out. "And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee, because thou hast sold thyself to do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah" (1 Kings 21:20).
Our country is run amuck in sin. We have saturated ourselves with sex, drowned ourselves in whiskey, deadened our senses with drugs, and indulged ourselves in material pleasures. What began as a mild indulgence has given way to flood gates that have been thrown wide open. In the movie industry it began with Rhet Butler telling Mrs. Scarlet that he really did not care what she did after he was gone - of course he peppered his remarks with one word - only one word - that shocked the sensitivity of our nation. Now the airways are filled with filthy language the likes of which would make Clark Gable blush. The movie industry is not the only one that has been infected in small increments. What began as prohibition repealed has led to a nation that is drowning itself in liquor. The sexual revolution of the 1960 introduced us to the multi-billion dollar industry of pornography. Atlantic City and New Orleans eventually gave way to legalized gambling and now our nation thinks the way to prosperity is through the lottery. The list goes on, but I think you get the point.
How did we ever arrive at this point in our moral decline? What has happened? The fact is, it did not start with a giant leap into immorality. It came in small increments that gradually gave way to greater steps and eventually giant leaps. Concerned citizens and politicians are now asking, "What has happened to our society?" We seem to know that something is wrong, horribly wrong, but we don't seem to know how we got where we are, and unfortunately neither does it appear that our leaders know how to turn the tide that threatens to drown the Western world in ungodliness and immorality.
I do not have opportunity to watch a lot of television, but one program that I have truly enjoyed over the four or five years of its existence is "DOC." It is the story of a country grown boy that finds himself practicing medicine in New York after his graduation from med school. A close associate of Doc Cassidy is Nate, a policeman of outstanding moral qualities and true character. On this particular occasion Nate was tempted to lie in order to protect a fellow policeman who was pilfering money from drug busts. But Nate would not give in, and in the end honesty and integrity won out over greed and covetousness. At the end of each weekly segment Doc Cassidy writes to his mentor back in Wyoming via email. His comments speak volumes: "Even in the little things, do what is right, cause a soul is seldom sold in one great auction. Instead it is bartered away in a thousand tiny trades, a little bit at a time." Sage advice for a sinful nation that is selling its soul on the installment plan.
But you know what? General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford were not the first to come up with the installment plan and a closing balloon payment. As old, and as successful as installment purchases plus closing balloon payments might be, there is one who came up with that idea long ago. You know of whom I speak. He is known as the devil, Satan, Lucifer, the dragon, and the accuser of God's people. He has convinced the unwitting and simple minded to sell their soul on the installment plan. It is quick, easy, and painless. The Devil is a master deceiver. He knows that if the true cost of sin were immediately realized that there would be few takers. So, he convinces you to purchase in small increments. "Just a little! One bite; that's all." "What will one drink hurt?" "What harm is there in just one compromise? one little lie? one missed assembly?" But Satan does not tell you about the "balloon payment" that comes due when the installment period runs out. For some that installment period is short; for others it stretches out over several years. But for all it comes due in a fraction of time when compared with eternity. The tragedy is that few realize that they are selling their souls out for a mess of pottage that is worthless when compared to the true and eternal values of godliness. Ahab was one who sold out. "And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee, because thou hast sold thyself to do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah" (1 Kings 21:20).
Our country is run amuck in sin. We have saturated ourselves with sex, drowned ourselves in whiskey, deadened our senses with drugs, and indulged ourselves in material pleasures. What began as a mild indulgence has given way to flood gates that have been thrown wide open. In the movie industry it began with Rhet Butler telling Mrs. Scarlet that he really did not care what she did after he was gone - of course he peppered his remarks with one word - only one word - that shocked the sensitivity of our nation. Now the airways are filled with filthy language the likes of which would make Clark Gable blush. The movie industry is not the only one that has been infected in small increments. What began as prohibition repealed has led to a nation that is drowning itself in liquor. The sexual revolution of the 1960 introduced us to the multi-billion dollar industry of pornography. Atlantic City and New Orleans eventually gave way to legalized gambling and now our nation thinks the way to prosperity is through the lottery. The list goes on, but I think you get the point.
How did we ever arrive at this point in our moral decline? What has happened? The fact is, it did not start with a giant leap into immorality. It came in small increments that gradually gave way to greater steps and eventually giant leaps. Concerned citizens and politicians are now asking, "What has happened to our society?" We seem to know that something is wrong, horribly wrong, but we don't seem to know how we got where we are, and unfortunately neither does it appear that our leaders know how to turn the tide that threatens to drown the Western world in ungodliness and immorality.
I do not have opportunity to watch a lot of television, but one program that I have truly enjoyed over the four or five years of its existence is "DOC." It is the story of a country grown boy that finds himself practicing medicine in New York after his graduation from med school. A close associate of Doc Cassidy is Nate, a policeman of outstanding moral qualities and true character. On this particular occasion Nate was tempted to lie in order to protect a fellow policeman who was pilfering money from drug busts. But Nate would not give in, and in the end honesty and integrity won out over greed and covetousness. At the end of each weekly segment Doc Cassidy writes to his mentor back in Wyoming via email. His comments speak volumes: "Even in the little things, do what is right, cause a soul is seldom sold in one great auction. Instead it is bartered away in a thousand tiny trades, a little bit at a time." Sage advice for a sinful nation that is selling its soul on the installment plan.
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