One of the experiences I would like to have in life would be to teach economics for a semester in a secular college. The appointment would be temporary, and remuneration for services would be waived. The first class, following the usual amenities, would be devoted to Bible exposition, beginning with First Timothy, Chapter Six. The students would be asked to form theories about wealth. The person holding wealth tends to determine its meaning. Students would be given definition of wealth (riches) as that of the Apostle Paul. Rich in this meaning is not defined in legal tender, in property, in securities. The Apostle Paul asserted to Timothy that he find riches in God: Who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. (6:17) Wealth that is God approved is not found in money treasuries, but in application of any resource in God’s meaning. Wealth is not for accumulation to gain money/property but for joy in life. Joy is one of the major causes for the existence of man. Will monetary wealth provide genuine joy? It is for joy that wealth is to be earned and invested. It is the joy defined by God, not defined in the comfort of accumulation. All investment is not in means to gain interest. Scripture does not give priority to interest gathering. Interest becomes useful in guiding investment programming, but plows back into the corpus as a way of achieving the purpose of wealth. For those who do find worldly wealth that wealth ought to become a tool that helps build joy, and that is not joy to self-hoarding. Charge them to be rich in good deeds. (1Timothy 6:17-19)
Wealth that is approved is in the sum total of the good I do for others whether that is through money, time-share, caring, serving, or whatever. Divine books of the heavenly treasury do not appear like the human books showing account balances. Human books become evidence of whether or not they will be given credence in God’s evaluation, so we seek to follow that order for meaning and approval. It is the only wealth that can be taken with us on life closure. God determines divine/legal tender, and that is for the rich to find in their records of what has been devoted to sharing with others for benefit to relief (joy). This wealth is accounted not by accumulating but by giving. Time and wealth are spiritual debits and credits differing from the human order as God interprets the better functioning of wealth.
I remember the miseries of the Great Depression that openly began in 1929. Several downturns appeared in decades following. This is being written when the most significant recession since the 1930s has become a world event. Workers by the millions, during 2008-9, were terminated (my grandson) or laid off, or hours reduced (my son). Retirement reserves have vanished (my own). Homeowners have had to walk away from mortgages. Stocks plunged to new lows. Corporations, icons in the world, sought government bailouts. Nearly everything was dramatically affected by the economic collapse. Two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul noted that wealth is uncertain. Today he would not change a word of his counsel to Timothy, the body of Christians, or the body politic. The Bible offers a great deal of advice on the management of economies, personal and corporate. During this period a challenge in the Wall Street Journal, presented by a Jewish gentleman, noted solutions in Old Testament terms for sensible economics. He had a strong argument that would smother greed and lift the hearts of the poor.
One of my first assignments to my mythical class would be to have the students analyze the article and suggest its value today, about 3500 years after Moses, under God, offered the ideas. If Biblical standards were followed in the economies of the world, there would be careful planning, generous laws to help one another, limited or no debt, proper balance of work and recreation, and adequate provision for all. God has an equalizing social agenda without a union/management/government conflict, or unneeded suffering. Loss of effectiveness in society, a repeated loss every few decades, is found partly in the distortion of values, the greed and excesses of man, and the disregard for basic needs of life concern for all citizens. For God, decline is unnecessary. Ideally Wall Street is for investment service not for high profits. Persons investing seek to care for needs in declining years, but also to seek good for others. No nation can compete in the world of business and modernity without a Wall Street or similar substitute. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020