One of the favorite television commercials of many of us, for the past few years, has been John Houseman's commercials for a banking investment firm. You remember his famous words in that commercial. In a beautiful British accent he would say, "We make money the old fashioned way. We earn it." Houseman expresses the deeply held belief of many people that what resources one has should be earned. Expecting to get something for nothing is wrong. Gains that come too easily or too quickly or as the result of taking advantage of the benevolence of the government or some other means of attaining wealth are unacceptable.

George Brushaber, musing on this television advertisement, once wrote, "I think John Houseman, gold watch chain encircling his vested girth, perfectly fits the image of God as th…