Article originally posted here by Denver Institute for Faith & Work

by Ryan Tafilowski

My favorite gift last Christmas was a pack of thermal socks. It’s funny how things change. I can still remember how I felt as a child upon opening a “present” from my grandmother comprised of a sweater and socks. Ten-year-old boys are not known for their self-awareness, so it’s a good thing my sweet old grandmother wasn’t there when I opened it. Looking back, I was angry, sure, but there was a lot more going on: a cocktail of resentment, embarrassment, and disappointment. But the dominant emotion, I now realize, was confusion. Why would anyone give socks and sweaters as a gift?

You may remember an iconic scene from A Christmas Story, where a humiliated Ralphie reluctantly models a pink bunny suit gifted to him by Aunt Clara. He’s clearly traumatized by the event; he’s ridiculed by his brother and all but disowned by his father. “You’ll only wear it when Aunt Clara visits,” his mother assures him. 

No Strings Attached?

Aside from the petulant entitlement of suburban kids, what do Ralphie and I have in common? We both had fundamentally misunderstood the nature of gift. It’s not our fault, exactly. Western societies like ours have been conditioned to define “gift” very differently than did ancient cultures, including the cultures inhabited by Jesus and Paul. Jacques Derrida, one of the major players in the postmodern philosophy known as deconstruction, argued that, by definition, a gift must come with no strings attached:

For there to be a gift, there must be no reciprocity, return, exchange, countergift, or debt. If the other gives me back or owes me or has to give me back what I give him or her, there will not have been a gift, whether this restitution is immediate or whether it is programmed by a complex calculation of a long-term deferral or difference.[1]

That likely sounds natural enough to us, but here’s the problem: from the perspective of the biblical writers, it’s exactly backwards.

As the Bible understands them, gifts do come with strings attached. That’s the whole point. The Greek word for “gift” is charis, which, as it happens, is also the word for “grace.” But that doesn’t mean that grace is free. Now, I can hear Protestant alarm bells ringing, so let me clarify. When the Apostle Paul says “it is by charis that you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:8), he does mean that God has done something for us that we could not have done for ourselves and that we couldn’t possibly earn. God’s grace is superabundant in the sheer magnitude of the gift, Jesus Christ himself (the gift whom Paul describes as “inexpressible” in 2 Corinthians 9:15); it is singular in that it is extended to us solely out of divine love and at divine initiative; it is incongruous in that it is offered to undeserving recipients who cannot — and are not required to — meet a standard of worthiness in order to receive it; and it is unconditioned in that God gives it to us without regard for our status or virtue.[2]

When the New Testament uses the language of “gift,” it means all this and much more; but one thing that it absolutely does not mean is “something I can do whatever I want with.” In the biblical imagination, gift-giving both presupposes and creates an enduring relationship of mutuality in which the giving party expects a reciprocal, although not necessarily proportionate, return from the receiving party. Gifts create obligations in the most basic sense of that word: ties that bind two people together.

To put it simply, God does not give us gifts primarily for our own personal enjoyment or to do with whatever we please; he gives us gifts with the expectation that we’ll use them for his purposes. My grandmother expects me to wear my Christmas socks, just as Aunt Clara expects Ralphie to wear his bunny suit. The gift is as much about the giver as it is about the recipient. The entire notion of gift is only intelligible within the context of a world where God has already decided not only to share his life with his creatures, but also to deputize them in the governance of the world he made, which is the very story Genesis 1-2 is telling. In the context of this story, gifts are something for which human beings are accountable.

A Lesson in Kingdom Economics

Jesus often expressed this same idea through his parables. The stories Jesus told have many recurring characters — the shepherd, the farmer, the merchant — but some of his most challenging teachings center on the oikonomos, the steward (e.g., Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 12:42-48; Luke 16:1-8). The oikonomos was a servant or a slave entrusted with the administration of a master’s oikos (household), the root of our English word “economy.” (And if you’ve ever wondered why high schools used to offer courses in “home economics,” this is why.) The oikonomos was almost always a slave, but this was a position of immense influence and agency. When we think of a steward, we shouldn’t imagine a butler or a waiter; we should be thinking of someone like Joseph, who had been fully authorized to manage the affairs of Potiphar’s estate (Genesis 39:1-6). A steward was a powerful person, but only insofar as they exercised the power of the master. At the end of the day, the master could always ask for an accounting of what had been done with his wealth.

Perhaps now we’re in a position to explore one of Jesus’s most famous — and most infamously misunderstood — teachings: the so-called Parable of the Talents, in which three stewards are entrusted with varying degrees of venture capital by the master of the house (Matthew 25:14-30). This story has been subject to a particular kind of abuse in the Faith and Work movement: Jesus, so this interpretation goes, wants us to be “five-talent people” who go out, do great things for God, and maximize return on investment (sometimes understood explicitly in monetary terms). But if we read the parable carefully, we’ll notice that the sheer volume of return isn’t really the point at all. The two “good and faithful” servants — one of whom made another five talents while the other made a return of only two — receive identical commendations from the master: “You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”

But what of the third oikonomos, the one whom the master upbraids as “wicked and lazy”? What is the master so fired up about? After all, the third servant didn’t lose the initial investment. The problem with the third oikonomos is that he wasn’t an oikonomos at all: charged with investing his talent, he buries it in the ground instead. One gets the sense that the master would have preferred that the steward risk the talent and lose it in some precarious venture rather than simply bury it. Why is the master disappointed? Because it wasn’t really about the money in the first place. It was about the relationship. The master gifts the steward as a gesture of trust and partnership — just as God gifts humans in Genesis 1 and 2 — with the expectation that the steward will use these lavish gifts to contribute to the flourishing of the world. But the wicked and slothful servant is not up to the challenge of a fully human life. In the words of Frederick Buechner, he “plays it safe with his life, living as carefully as he can without really living at all.”[3]

Stewards of Varied Grace

“As each has received a gift,” says Peter, “use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10). Notice how fluently Peter speaks the language the divine economy — gift, stewardship, grace. Each of us has something singular to offer to the household of God, a unique way in which we’ve been graced so that we can turn around and grace the world.

Notice, too, a point that is perfectly obvious and yet perfectly easy to overlook: gifts are meant to be used. Aunt Clara wants you to wear the bunny suit. And that’s because it was never really about the bunny suit; it was about the delight the giver takes in the recipient, the trust placed in the receiver of the gift, and the relationship that binds giver and receiver together. When it comes to Kingdom Economics, the only currency that matters in the end is grace and the only return that matters in the end is love: “All things in this world are gifts of God, presented to us so that we can know God more easily and make a return of love more readily.”[4]

For free resources on faith, business, calling and investing, visit denverinstitute.org.

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[1] Jacques Derrida, Given Time, vol. 1: Counterfeit Money, trans. Peggy Kamuf (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1992), 12. Emphasis in the original.

[2] See here John M. G. Barclay, Paul and the Gift (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2015), especially 70–75 and 565–67.

[3] See Frederick Buechner, “The Gates of Pain,” in A Crazy, Holy Grace: The Healing Power of Pain and Memory (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017).[4] Ignatius Loyola, “The First Principle and Foundation,” in David Fleming, SJ, Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius: A Literal Translation and a Contemporary Reading, 2nd ed. (Brighton, MA: Institute of Jesuit Sources, 1978).

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Article originally posted here by Bill High

by Bill High

What percentage of your income do you give away? And does it matter?

For many Christians, the concept of giving starts (and often ends) with a tithe. Church members are often instructed, or perhaps encouraged, to tithe. That’s been the standard for years in the church—give 10% of your income. Of course, it’s a standard that relatively few givers adhere to. More on that later.

For those who take the tithe seriously, you’ll often hear the question of whether that 10% should be of one’s gross income or net income.

You might be surprised at what you find about the tithe in the Bible.

The first time we see a tithe paid is when Abram gives 10% of the spoils of battle to the priest Melchizedek in Genesis 14.18-20. But the idea of a tithe continues to be fleshed out as Moses gives the law to the nation of Israel.

In fact, there are three tithes:

1. The Levitical Tithe (Number 18.21-24), which was a tithe to help support the priests;

2. The Tithe of the Feasts (Deuteronomy 14.22-27), which was an annual tithe recognizing God’s blessing; and

3. The Tithe for the Poor (Deuteronomy 14.28-29), which was a tithe for the poor every three years.

If you add all those up, the percentage would be 23.33% a year. Do you know anyone who tithes at 23.33% per year?

Offerings on top of tithes

But wait, there’s more. What’s amazing is that on top of the tithes, there were also voluntary offerings that were part of worship in the tabernacle (and later, the temple). There were at least five different offerings, including the Burnt Offering, the Grain Offering, the Peace Offering, the Purification Offering, and the Reparation Offering. These were voluntary offerings and represented personal sacrifice and worship all at the same time.

Some of those offerings required, for instance, the sacrifice of a firstborn lamb. And let’s face it, if you were a shepherd that would not have been easy to do. But those offerings were designed to be the reflection of gratitude and of dependence on God.

Let me pause. I’m not trying to drive to a result here. I’m merely raising questions. You likely know that most Americans, Christian or not, don’t give 10% of their income. On average, most Americans give something just north of 2% of their income each year.

Despite the 10% standard taught in the church, the government actually allows a far more generous standard. You can actually deduct up to 60% of your income each year. Of that 60%, you can actually deduct up to 30% of your income using noncash assets.

In the New Testament, Jesus didn’t offer such formulas. He told the rich young ruler to sell all that he had and give it to the poor. Zacchaeus, after repenting, told Jesus that he’d make restitution and give half. By his own example, Jesus, wherever he went, whatever he did, always seemed to be giving, healing, teaching. His message: give as you’ve been blessed.

I’ve heard it said that your checkbook register, even your electronic one, is a reflection of what you value. How we spend our money and time are true reflections of what we consider most valuable.

So I’m not opposed to the idea of giving as a percentage of income, as it allows us some opportunity for accountability in this area of our lives.

How do you measure your own generosity?

Article originally posted here by Eventide

by Shaun Morgan

A truly successful nation—whose wealth is measured by the praises of its citizens—ought to be the byproduct of individuals who freely take on the responsibility to love all of their neighbors equally in every aspect of their lives. Indeed, an inseparable and reciprocal relationship exists between one’s own interest and the interest of the broader society. 

Find out more about how America’s founding fathers and Adam Smith understood the need for individual moral responsibility to undergird a free society:

by Chuck Bentley

While in Beaver Creek, Colorado meeting with hotel staff and management, and other vendors making plans for what we hope will be our annual global event in July of 2021, I had some time for reflection.  It has been a sobering experience. In some ways, I feel like I am touring a beautiful, multi-billion-dollar resort destination that is under siege and threat to become an invisible disaster area. While everyone is going about the typical routines of the hospitality industry while following COVID 19 protocol–masks required, social distancing, vigilance about disinfection procedures, etc.–there are less visible signs that everything is not normal or okay.

Hotel management says they are operating without 200 staff members that have been laid off. Everyone is multi-tasking. Their upcoming winter season, their make-or-break financial season when vacationers come from around the world for winter skiing, is dependent upon how many migrant workers can get a J-1 visa to fill the voids in their crews or how many people will venture to get on a plane to travel if the virus is not contained. They worry about what happens if cash flow has crippled their ability to even open. This massive 190-room resort and spa is a part of a group that owns 14 similar properties. They are all on notice that cash flow is a threat to their jobs and future right now.

While Ann and I are pushing forward with planning for that longed-for day when COVID 19 is behind us, we get a call that our son’s girlfriend has suddenly had her collegiate plans upended. A fellow student, who she had proximity to, tested positive with the virus. Although the student is asymptomatic, now an entire group of students must be tested and possibly banned from on-campus participation for the remaining semester, even though they only arrived and moved in a week ago. These are crazy times.

All this has given me a chance to think more deeply about where we are and what headwinds we are facing.

The Pandemic. One word: Confusing. Confusing science, mixed data, and fragmented leadership have created uncertainty as to how or when it will end. This is taking its toll. The CDC reported that only about 6% of the deaths are “from COVID” and 94% are “with COVID.” This finding, which suggests that the virus in combination with underlying health problems increases the risk of death, only serves to make it more difficult to know our actual risk. Not only do markets not like uncertainty, neither do people! Fatigue and resistance to submit to protective measures are growing as it continues to derail our lives and livelihoods.  Dr. Facui forecasts that we are going to have to deal with this for another 12 months.

The Real Economy. One word: Fragile. Forget the highflying technology beneficiaries of the forced migration to an online existence for a moment. Hard asset industries such as hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and the airline industry are under extreme pressure. The airlines, somewhat of the backbone of our global commerce, cannot survive intact much longer without a return of business and international travelers. Throw in higher education, trucking, manufacturing, and construction…  and the risks are enormous. Possibly there will be mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations, or more government intervention that bolster the stronger players, but I see the risk of big chunks of the present economic iceberg breaking off and melting away which creates an unemployment crisis and a vicious cycle of economic destruction. We are close to a depression, which so far has been held back by fiscal and monetary policy.

The Political Environment. One word: Volatile. It takes very little imagination to see that this election could be the most contentious political event in modern times. This Reuters headline makes it clear that money managers agree with me: “US Election Priced as Worst Event Risk in US VIX Futures History.” When I study the history of currency collapses, I find three common denominators that must converge: out of control spending, unmanageable deficits, and political instability. In other words, when the world loses confidence in the leadership of those issuing the currency, the fiat money loses its value quickly. Could we be heading there? Is the “good faith and credit of the USA” on the line? Are both parties forced into a cycle of attempting to bail out a wounded economy with more and more fiat money? Will we face political gridlock or worse? No one knows, but we are undeniably entering a volatile period at a critical time.

Finding Certainty in Uncertain Times

My sense is we are possibly in the eye of a perfect storm and God’s wisdom and intervention are crucial to weathering the storms ahead. That is why I am writing this to you. Individual leaders are God’s agents during a crisis, and we need to be like the men of Issachar who understand the times and know what to do.

The Pandemic:  Don’t panic should it continue far longer than we expect. That is what the unbelievers will do. Be calm, steadfast in faith. Live in the present. Shed the regret of the past and the anxiety producing fear of the future. I am reminded of the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift.”

The Real Economy: There will be casualties and there will be survivors. God told Joshua to be “strong and courageous” when nearly  the entire leadership of Israel thought he was crazy.  The word “strong” addressed his need for emotional strength and determination while the word “courageous” addressed his need to take action in spite of his fear. God’s two word plan was to start marching, one foot in front of the other, towards the Promised Land although it was  known to be filled with giants. For you, that may mean, “Persevere and be opportunistic”. While we are in a fragile position, we are also resilient.  Bring good news when others see only doom and gloom.

The Political Environment: Many outside the United States struggle to understand some of our dynamics, how we have the candidates we have today  or why we see this as such a high stakes election. While it is important, remember, it is in God’s hands. He raises up leaders and He deposes them. Regardless of the outcome, be a peacemaker. Hold fast to your convictions but be kind and winsome to your opponents. Criticism, complaining and condemnation only divide. Joseph and Daniel both rose to the highest ranks of influence as exiles in a hostile land and served faithfully  under corrupt kings. God used them mightily to save and preserve His people.

That is the work to be done in a perfect storm.

Article originally posted here by The Christian Post

by Luke Bolton

In a previous article, I discussed three inappropriate goals for avoiding “sin stocks.” There I argued that using a moral screen on your investments is not able to remove guilt, keep money from going to bad companies, or avoid profits that are tainted by sin.

After hearing that some might wonder, “If avoiding sin stocks can’t do those things, why bother to avoid sin stocks at all?” Is there any reason not to invest in companies that profit from activity related to abortion, tobacco, alcohol, or pornography?

An Analogy to Spiritual Growth

If we just focus on avoiding sin stocks, the limitations of the approach stand out. It cannot stop bad businesses or ensure our purity of heart. But on the other hand, neither can most of the other good deeds we do.

For example, listening to a Christian podcast on our commute isn’t going to change the world. Fasting and prayer over lunchbreak cannot wash away our sin. Going to church does not assure we will be saved. But small decisions like these really matter. God can use them to change us.

Believers have always wrestled with how to live a holy life in the context of a fallen world. Of course, the answer is simple in principle: We must follow Christ. But the application is different for each one of us: What is Christ calling me to do in my situation today?

Even though investing is a matter of Christian liberty, this doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want without reference to God. As with all our decisions, investing should be a matter of seeking God, consulting wise counselors, considering biblical principles, and trusting God to guide our steps.

Aiming for Better Goals

Perhaps the biggest challenge around using morally screened investments is keeping one’s eyes on appropriate, biblical goals. Some people like to focus on avoiding tainted money, as seen in comments about “zero tolerance” or “not one penny” from impure sources. But as I argued, this does not account for what Scripture teaches about money and builds on assumptions about the transferrable morality of money.

If this is not a good reason to avoid “sin stocks,” what might be a better reason? I spoke with my friend Doug Hanson who has considered many of the implications of being a Christian investor. He suggested the following as better goals for using screened investments:

Motive #1 – To increase our focus on Christ. While screening investments is not the only way to do this, it can be a way to invite Christ more fully into our lives. People often overlook their investments when it comes to spiritual growth and worship. But honoring the Lord with our wealth (Prov. 3:9) implies that we should invite Christ into every part of our financial lives, including investing.

Motive #2 – To increase our faithful influence on others. A faith-integrated approach to investing, including avoiding “sin stocks,” can open doors to express our faith to others. This can move the topic of investing from being mundane, to something spiritually oriented in our conversations. If family or friends hear that we are making God’s will a priority even in our investments, this may influence them to think about God’s will for their lives.

Motive #3 – To increase our trust in the Lord. Taking the step to screen investments can be done with a heart that says, “Lord, I’m giving all I have to you, including my investments.” While this is not the only way to trust God, it can remind us not to be anxious but to pray with gratefulness instead (Phil. 4:6). Viewing our investments as belonging to the Lord can help us remember that our heavenly Father will meet our needs regardless of investment performance (Matt. 6:30-33).

Motive #4 – To increase our personal resolve against sin. Sometimes taking a step in one area has a positive trickle-down effect on other areas of life. For example, choosing not to invest in companies that profit from pornography can reinforce our decision to stay away from pornography in our media choices. For those who know the devastating effect of alcohol abuse, avoiding alcohol investments can bolster their resolve to stay away from the misuse of alcohol in their life.

In addition to these motives, Doug reminds us not to view investment screening as the “holy grail” of godly living. Rather, we should see it as another tool to encourage people to live for Christ.

Closing Reflections

With so much potential good associated with moral screening, why bother to mention that it cannot keep money from bad companies or avoid ill-gotten gain in the biblical sense?

First, financial professionals are bound to avoid making exaggerated or misleading claims about investments. Second, as believers, we must also be careful how we use the Bible. It isn’t enough to just quote verses that seem to support our favorite investing ideas. Certainly, the Bible offers principles that can guide our investing. But like all biblical principles, these require interpretation, historical context, and thoughtful application.

It would be easier if we could say, “Honoring God means investing according to this rule.” Instead, we must return to where we began. Following Christ is the key. Seeking to do His will and hearing “well done” is what we must all strive for. As we follow Christ’s call, we will inevitably express that in a variety of ways.

If you believe the Lord is calling you to avoid investing in certain kinds of businesses, do so for the glory of God and for the increase of your joy. And as you do, remember that others are also seeking to honor Christ by using other strategies that may not involve investment screening.

Perhaps we can put our investing strategies in their place by noting the words of C. S. Lewis on a topic of much greater significance than mere investing. “When you have reached your own room, be kind to those who have chosen different doors and to those who are still in the hall.”