I like to have a print magazine to flip through at the breakfast table. Recently, I've been enjoying the Common Good magazine. I was really interested in an article on 102 Ideas for a Flourishing Economy so I thought I would share some of my musings.
One principle shared in the article was "real economic success is about how much value you create, not how much money you make." This is a principle that I know is true, but is also frustrating at times. Value isn't always rewarded. There will always be people who work the system for their own gain and make more money while contributing less value. There will be others disadvantaged by the system who work hard to add value, but never seem to catch up in terms of dollars. Then there are artists who are stuck in a strange place. Artists add value and meaning to all kinds of things, yet are seldom rewarded in money to the same degree they are serving the community.
One way we can create value is through our homes. This could be practical and add direct monetary value (keeping up with repairs, additions, upgrades, etc.), but others might be more aesthetic or add intrinsic value without adding direct monetary value (stylistic choices, flower gardens, tearing down a poorly built addition which reduces your square footage, etc.) I have invested a lot of time and money in my house. There is some monetary advantage in what I've done, but it is sometimes frustrating to realize that someone else could have purchased my home, added no true value to it, and have rented it out for more monetary profit than I will achieve by adding value to it as a home. However, for me, I would rather have the value of a beautiful, quality home than the monetary profit. Speaking of home ownership, this is not only good for the individual for building equity, establishing credit, etc. It is also good for the wider economy!
Another point the article brought up that really interested me was the idea of sacrificial hiring in addition to sacrificial giving. Many Americans give to charitable causes and Christians in particular are known for giving money for the greater good. What if we thought of hiring people for small jobs (housecleaning, yardwork, music lessons, artwork, car washes, etc.) as a kind of giving? Yes, we do get something in return for our money, but our money is going to benefit those around us, particularly those who need it (people on a lower income, local entrepreneurs, etc.) If we sacrificially hire someone, it may make the difference so that they don't reach the point of needing sacrificial giving.
The first time I started thinking this way was in Mexico. Though I still gave directly to my church and to charitable causes, I realized it was more dignifying to buy a trinket or snack from a street vendor than to offer them a hand out later if their business didn't make it. Though I noticed it more in Mexico because of the sharp contrast of economic status, the principle is true in any context. This is something individuals, churches, and businesses should consider. Offering jobs to locals (particularly those in need) will benefit everyone.
Though the Christian will not expect perfection through manmade means, we can still work toward the ideal, bringing the Kingdom of Heaven a little bit closer to earth. We can try to ensure that the means of making money and the means of adding value work together. Each of us should be good stewards of the resources and opportunities God has given us, not just for our own gain, but for the community around us.
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