The Cross of Gold

In the election of 1896 Democratic candidate, William Jennings Bryan traveled tirelessly on the campaign trail. He work feverishly, day and night, fighting for the farmer and the blue collar worker. He delivered a famous speech, saying "I will not crucify mankind on a cross of gold." It won acclaim across the country and was hailed as a defining moment for the Democrats and Populists who wanted to create inflation by coining silver and doing away with the gold standard. Frank Lloyd Baum even included a depiction of Bryan as the lion in his pro-populist, allegorical tale, The Wizard of Oz. An economic downturn before the election combined with corporate manipulation led to Bryan's ultimate defeat. Big business won another victory and laissez-faire politicians maintained the gold standard for a little while longer.

The nation was growing rapidly in the late 1800s. This nation, built upon the gold standard, began experiencing a lack of available currency. The population was growing, but the money in circulation was not. That is why many advocated for the coinage of silver. But captains of industry held fast to the gold standard. They argued that a currency backed by gold would prevent inflation. They maintained that gold would prevent detrimental fluctuations in prices, which may benefit the farmer in the short run, but would ultimately harm the economy through easy credit and overspeculation in the long run. This happened in the 1920s.

No one will contest that gold is a valuable resource. Most think of it merely as an aesthetic element, used to gild the halls of old buildings or as precious jewelry. But from an economic perspective gold equals stability. A gold standard ensures economic consistency and steadfastness (at least in theory).

It helps being a history teacher. You may laugh, but having just finished grading AP essays on this very topic, I couldn't help but conjure up images of late 19th century political cartoons while reading Scripture this morning.

Consider the following:
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9

Our faith is much more precious than gold. Think about that. Throughout the history of the world wars have been fought, lands have been discovered and conquered, people have been taken advantage of, sold, raped, killed, and political rivalries have arisen over the attainment of this one resource. And our faith is more precious than that! We should be seeking the refinement of our faith more intensely than England sought colonies. We should be petitioning for genuineness harder than Bryan campaigned for the presidency. To use Bryan's own analogy, we should be laying our plans, our quest for autonomy and self-sufficiency at the feet of the cross of gold.

At our church conference this weekend, Paul Tripp talked a lot about struggles and about the refinement that comes from them. I was reminded of many of the truths I learned throughout the past seven years. Essentially, "struggle is part of the plan." I thought back to my freshman honor's course when Tripp said that "it is not a denial of faith to say 'I'm struggling.' It is a denial of Scripture to say 'I'm not.'" Without this understanding, I don't know how I'd be able to function.

As Tripp reminded us, pain and suffering in themselves are purposeless. It is God that infuses struggle with purpose. Too often, I think, we pray to ask God to remove our trials. But 1 Peter 1.6 tells us to rejoice in them. James 1 says that trials produce steadfastness - like the economic theory behind the gold standard. I've tried to stop praying for God to end struggle. Sometimes I do, when I feel I can't take it anymore - but sometimes it's good to say to God "keep me here until I learn."

And that's what God will do. Two summers ago I prayed for God to end struggle. And he taught me patience. When one medical test came back positive, another came back negative. More tests. More waiting. They were the most agonizing months of my life. My plans for a teaching career in Virginia were suspended in mid-air and finally God brought me to a place where I could put my plans, my autonomy, my ambitions at the foot of the cross.

And just look what He did. He cultivated in me a deeper richer, faith. In the struggles of today I can look back at the struggles of yesterday and know that He is here now, just as He was then. And that is more precious than all the gold in our nations treasury.