Wicked, Lazy Servant: Managing Your Money for God

Note: The Essay Collection is composed of a series of formal writings done over the past couple of years for a variety of different courses. The third is the beginning of what I wrote for my Corporate Finances. Used resources will be noted at the end for further information.
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Throughout this section of reading, the most important topics all revolve around one main principle: managing your money efficiently. When looking over concepts like investing in stock and learning to build your capital, nothing is more relevant. There is a reason that the book includes several equations and charts. Investment is not a thoughtless process. It requires time, energy, and devotion. If you do not know what you are doing, you can either end up not taking any sort of risk or utilizing your resources poorly. This matters regardless of your reasoning for investing because the positive and negatives are the same without considering the motives. Both Christians and non-Christians have some reason to care about properly investing. In prior papers, I compared the Christian and secular viewpoints of different finance principles and hope to do the same here.

Before, I discussed the concept of money being something that does not necessarily belong to us, but that God has given us to use in his name and for his glory. Therefore, when deciding what to do with your finances, at least for Christians, it is important to keep this in mind when considering the many options available. Faith and finances are not a separate thing. They are especially important given how many times wealth and money are mentioned in the Bible. One author from the Jubilee Center, Paul Mills, recognizes what an important concept this is and breaks it apart in his article entitled “Investing as a Christian: Reaping Where You Have Not Sown”. He starts off by returning to the fundamentals of stewardship. This is something I have talked about in the past and is relevant once more when specifically talking about investments. Even when investing to seek a growth in capital, we must consider doing it in a way that honors our duty to the stewardship of resources.

While he breaks down many of the different things the Bible has to say about money management, a specific section of Mills’ work stuck out to me the most: The Cultivation of Relationships. I believe this to be the important link between Christianity and the financial world and another concept too often forgotten. The article reads, “Scripture is unequivocal in preaching the subjugation of wealth to the cultivation of loving relationships. Not only does it teach the ever-present duty of supporting one’s dependents but Jesus specifically urges the use of this world’s wealth to develop friendships, since the good done to others will be the only return on investment that will ultimately last (Luke 16:9)” (Mills). A fundamental part of the Christian faith is the connection between its members. As it says in the Biblical narrative “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31). It is straightforward in saying, there is no commandment greater. If we have our hearts and minds aligned in these purposed, then our thoughts are guided towards proper money management and investment. Our investments should be relationally-centered in the long-run, which spurs on connections and ultimately a successful fulfillment of the Christian call to investment.

After discussing the principle of relationships in investment and the direct command in the Bible, I want to specifically look at something a little more indirect, specifically one of the parables of Jesus’ ministry. Matthew 25, verses 14-28, tells the story of a master who gave three of his servants. One of them received five, another two, and the last one. Each doubled their return, including the servant who got one bag, meaning he only had what he had gotten to begin with. Recently, given my focus on the management side of the business, I took a course on leadership in change. Because of this, my opinion on this concept might be a little different. But, I firmly believe that the reasoning behind the equal amount of proportional success and rate of return is rooted in the competence of the master. He gave the biggest portion of the gold to the servant who had proven to be the most trustworthy and the least to the one with the least potential. I think the reasoning behind this is that he was a person who was attuned to the ability of his workers. Due to this line of thinking, I would say that I believe the master knew what level of investment they would each make. Since Jesus uses the parables to make a point, he likely included this as a way to show the difference in the investment of his followers. Going back to the relational aspect, Matthew 25, if running under the assumption that the master truly knew his servants, God again emphasizes the place our relationships and faith have in the business world.

As we continue down the line of thought for business managers, this passage leaves a big impression, one that I already talked about. Not only does it have a commentary on how to relate in the people underneath you, but also the general principle of investing and putting your money to work. While a realistic set of numbers isn’t applied, the concept is there. The more you are willing to invest, instead of hoarding away your money, the higher the rate of return. Of course, there is a risk attached to this, but in the context of our parable, we are only going to focus on the generic positive. Another thing to consider is again the relationship between the master and his servants. It is his duty to properly manage the people underneath them. I talked about it above but would like to reiterate that the relational aspect is emphasized. Human capital is another resource God has given managers to utilize. Leaders need to see their human capital as actual people, get to genuinely know them, and treat them in a way that honors both God and them. Again, the passage does elude to this kind of relationship. If the master had given the untrustworthy servant the five bags of gold, he would have been less wise and gained less than the loss of just one the one bag. And the parable would have not been as successful in sharing its message.

An article from the theology of work talks about this very principle by discussing the difference between each individual. They discuss less of the aspect of the manager, but rather more of the servant by saying, “Like the three servants, we do not have gifts of the same degree. The return God expects of us is commensurate with the gifts we have been given. The servant who received one talent was not condemned for failing to reach the five-talent goal; he was condemned because he did nothing with what he was given” (TOW Project). Every person was created for a specific reason and given gifts to further the kingdom of God. Disregarding and not using these gifts is not only detrimental to ourselves but the overarching goal God has put into place. Those who do their duty will see more success over time. Both sides of this business relationship are given their own responsibility. The master, or employer, is to know his people in order to better lead and manage them. Those who work under or follow that leader need to be aware of using their talents in response to the tasks given by the leaders. These two parties play off of each other in order to maximize the relationship, the business, and any potential investments. This is applicable in the general business world, but I would say is more specifically grounded in those who follow a Biblical model of business. It also speaks on the concept of a trust within a business between employers and employees, but I won’t go too much into that now.

The last thing I want to touch on is the concept of budgeting as discussed in the book. Given this is not one of my strong suits at the moment for a variety of reasons, saving, investing, and budgeting really stuck out. I was inspired to consider the long-term benefits and consequences of long-term and large-scale money management. Since this unit, I have begun investing with the help of easy investment apps. Overall, the chapter discusses what parts go into considering capital budgeting. The entire concept is incredibly helpful for making sure a company utilizes and plans the use of its resources wisely. By using several different methods, managers can determine how their decisions can affect the company by considering what the outcomes and opportunity costs will be of said choices. As a follow-up to my reading, I sought out further information on corporate budgeting which led to something written by the Harvard Business School. It was the title which really stuck out to me: “Why Budgeting Kills Your Company”. How is it that something so vital could be a harm to the company? Inside the text, it discusses continuous action planning can be more beneficial than setting a yearly budget limits the companies options if something changes within the market (Gary). This can help to abolish many restraints and potentially decrease costs. However, seeing it in actions would probably create a better picture of potential risks. I can see the benefit of both sides and hope to look more into this as I prepare to eventually own and management own business.

References

Cagle, C. (2018, January 22). 5 Lies Christians Tell About Money. The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved from https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/5-lies-christans-tell-money/

Darling, D. (2014, January 1). 7 Financial Facts All Christians Should Know. Lifeway Christian Resources. Retrieved from https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/financial-facts-all-christians-should-know

Francis, K. (n.d.). The Importance of Funding for Business. Chron. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-funding-business-59.html

Store Up Your Treasure: Secular and Christian Views of Financial Wealth

Note: The Essay Collection is composed of a series of formal writings done over the past couple of years for a variety of different courses. This is the second of Corporate Finances material. Resources will be noted at the end.
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This past section of the book was far more content heavy than the first section, as it focused on a lot of the mathematical equations involved in cash flows and interest rates. Most of it was equations and less on generic principles like the first part. Although, there were several things discussed in my last paper that are still applicable here. The biggest thing to touch on is how the importance of monetary wealth plays an integral role in the world of finances. As mentioned in my prior writing, without any sort of resources or finances, there would be no real way a corporation could stand. I want to focus more on the place of a love of money in business for Christians and Non-Christians alike. While the last paper touched on the subject, this will go deeper than before and connect it in relation to the real place of its importance in the two separate ways of thinking.

            Without a doubt, money is one of the most important resources in the world today. The created system of paper and coin money has given an assigned value pretty much everything existent in the physical world. Because of the belief that God has a hand in everything, He is the driving force for the creation of an economic system. It is where the corruption of people comes into play that we see this system become abused and misused. But, when being used properly, people and businesses alike flourish. Therefore, the beauty of the created system is not found in the physical aspect of it, but rather the unseen and metaphysical portion. This is the part that we as Christian are to recognize and set our sights on.

            The Bible itself directly speaks on economy and monetary wealth many times throughout the text. One of the times in which it mentions the concept above reads, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19, New International Version). This goes back to that principle of focusing not on the bills within your hand or the number in the bank account. Everything that we value physically is but a passing thing. Like Matthew says, these things are only temporary. They can easily be destroyed and worn, or stolen by others. Christians are called to the higher train of thought that does not concern them with the momentary. They are called to seek out the eternal. This means that while the physical finances hold value on earth and in business, they are not to be the focus of what is held dear. Later on, we will come back to this principle when discussing what John Wesley has to say on the matter. For now, I want to move into the common Christian view and the Biblical view of finances today.

            It seems that everyone has something different to say on the subject. Several of the articles I found touch on the misconceptions of money, giving readers the biblical ‘myths’. Others seek to simply break apart the actuality of the message God has for Christians in sharing the ‘facts on money’ as told by the Bible. Regardless of which one you prefer to look at, the real fact of the matter is that money is important. One article from Lifeway Christian Resources points out that, “Jesus talked more about money than even heaven and hell” (Darling, 2014). This is true. More than topic of heaven and hell, same-sex marriage, and many other things the Christian community debates over today, money is something that is highly emphasized in the context of the biblical texts. Many parables elude to the concepts of a love for money. So, why is it we do not focus on capital more? That is a topic for another day. But, for now, we do need to recognize that is something we are supposed to have an in-depth interest in. Jesus cared about money, and we should too.

            The aforementioned article brings forward many relevant and specific points founded in the biblical truth. One of my favorites, the title of the section summarizes by saying “Money is not evil, it is a tool given by God for our flourishing” (Darling, 2014). Our love is to be rooted in that of God and his plan that I discussed above, not in the fleeting financial wealth. The other texts I found also elude to this same ideal. One text from The Gospel Coalition reminds readers that, like above “Money is a big deal in the Bible. We’re given more instruction in the Bible about money (more than 2,000 verses) than almost anything else. Jesus told many parables about it, and the apostles had a lot to say about it” (Cagle, 2018). While their text is one that focuses on the myths side of things, there is a lot of crossover in the meaning. Overall, we are left with the clear message to continuously focus on plan God has for us to manage the finances he leaves for us instead of our own drive to collect money. The love should be for Him, not the draw of capital.

            Next, I want to consider the secular viewpoint. We have talked over where our sights should be as Christians, but the question still remains of what specifically the plan is for money within the general business world. Thankfully, there are also many resources out there about this as well. This includes our textbook. The fact that there are several large print resources out there in order for people to learn how to properly handle finances proves that it is an integral part in business. Within the book, however, it is more informational than it is persuasive. Its goal is to pass on information considered vital to a corporation rather than discuss how important money itself is and the place it should have in our lives. This simply follows the train of thought that financing a business is important and you need to know how, which it is. In the funding section of Chron’s website, it is easy to find many resources that discuss this subject. One particular is similar in style to the idea of the textbook as just discussed, mostly to inform. From this idea, one can come to the conclusion that most businesses and the business man’s approach to money is not necessarily the common perception that is must be amassed any cost, but rather because it is a that is just an integral part of business that needs to be considered. Despite not being specifically guided by biblical principles, not all companies are inherently evil. In fact, whether following the Bible or not, corruption can seek in just due to the nature of humanity. The Bible just offers a more fulfilling long-term goal and focus for the vision of a business.

            One more thing to consider is the words of John Wesley after breaking down the various biblical and non-biblical points of view on the value of money. He encourages listeners to “Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can” (John Wesley). This points in the direction of doing all that you can to be wise with your finances. It is something I have heard before in relation to money management. The main difference in comparing the Christian and secular views is once more the meaning ascribed due to values and purpose. A Christian would take these words and apply them in the way in which they can honor God due to the messages provided in the Bible. While someone outside of the church might do this for the sake of personal financial security, greed, or any of a number of reasons they have decided are the best. Regardless of the context, it is a good principle for guiding oneself in the usage of money. The more you gain, the more you have, and thus the more you can save. When you have more saved, it frees you to comfortably share the wealth and do what you can to help others.

frees you to comfortably share the wealth and do what you can to help others.

            As Christians, it is important to be responsible with managing your wealth. We are called to this responsibility to handle our God given resources. This is why it is necessary to study the equations and content that might seem less than vital to people like myself. Smarter money management frees us up to be wiser in the biblical ways of finances and to follow a model like the one outlines by John Wesley above. In order to keep our sights on the heavenly goal and not our own with money, it is necessary to keep reading the verses and constantly remember the call that God has for us as we step into the world of business. This chapter in the text along with the recommended verses for the section has given me a lot to think about. While struggling to completely understand the given equations and concepts, the drive to learn what they mean and how to learn has only increased. Understanding the worldly systems will make money management easier for me in the future and then I can personally assist the companies I am involved with in the future and potentially my own business. The entire section coupled with the content required for the paper all combined to create an importance for me not their prior, so there is not really a particular thing to pick out aside from the overarching concept that these little equations help to make the general practice more organized in the world of business. In considering both secular and Christian viewpoints, I am walking away with a greater understanding of where our sights should be set in considering corporate and personal finances.

References

Cagle, C. (2018, January 22). 5 Lies Christians Tell About Money. The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved from https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/5-lies-christans-tell-money/

Darling, D. (2014, January 1). 7 Financial Facts All Christians Should Know. Lifeway Christian Resources. Retrieved from https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/financial-facts-all-christians-should-know

Francis, K. (n.d.). The Importance of Funding for Business. Chron. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-funding-business-59.html

The Importance of Finance in Christian and Secular Worlds (Essay Collection)

Note: The Essay Collection is composed of a series of formal writings done over the past couple of years for a variety of different courses. The first is the beginning of what I wrote for my Corporate Finances. Used resources will be noted at the end for further information.

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Finance is an important part of the way the world and the economy run today. So often, it is forgotten or discredited as simply being about the numbers. But, without the use of financial principles and practices, businesses would not be able to stand. There is much more than the mathematical side of finance that is found within the thought process and ideals of studying finances. It is a core foundation for everything within the world of business. For men and women alike to study and learn to think financially is to create a greater understanding of the field in which they are involved in and how to better their company by making the best decisions. Since money at the center of building a business, a lack of understanding can lead to misuse of funds and ultimately… failure.

            As we see in the teachings of the Bible, there is more than a love of wealth at the core of money, but ethical principles and the wise management of resources. While the focus in the general business world turns towards wanting to simply accrue the most capital, often leading to greed and dishonesty for the sake of personal gain, God calls us to look elsewhere. Reading in Luke 16, the Parable of the Shrewd Manager is a clear picture of where our focus should be in finances.

There are two main parts to focus on in scanning this passage: the ethical side of money management and the idea of serving two masters. The first of these ideas is found halfway through the passage:

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” (Luke 16:10-12, New International Version).

Here, readers see the points of honesty, trust, and ethics. In even the smallest of things, believers are called to be doing what is good and just in the eyes of God. The focus is to do right by others so that trust might be gained and honesty must be upheld. Looking outside of a biblically guided view, this is not always the case for businesses. Many times, albeit not all the time, the goal is to do what brings in the most revenue the quickest, at any kind of non-monetary cost. One such example comes from the beginning of the month in which several drug companies were sued for a campaign pushing the sales of highly addictive painkillers that downplayed the negative side effects (Jennings, 2018). These particular corporations were likely run by people who had managed to break into the positions without proving that they could properly handle finances without putting the lives of people at risk. Clearly, their focus was on gaining the most profit and not the fallout of their actions.

            This ties into the next important piece, being caught between serving two masters. As Luke speaks on, one cannot both serve God and serve a love of money (Luke 16:13, New International Version). Had those mentioned above been guided by Christian principles, they would have hopefully been seeking to do the work of God by doing what was necessary to help the people involved. Instead, the company’s leadership was guided by a love of money that leads to the downfall of people. Not to say that Christian owners cannot slip up now and again, but this does clearly display choosing a love of money over a love of God. The two things cannot be served simultaneously and one always takes precedence over the other depending on the values of those making the decisions.

            One last little piece of this passage talks about how those who are of the world are more calculated in how they deal with each other than the children of the light are. It is easily deduced that the “children of the light” are those who are God’s people. In the context of this passage, it does not take long to pick apart some of what this might mean. Because of the worldly emphasis on personal gain and accumulating financial wealth, those within the worldly context have to be much more calculated in order to achieve their goals. Since it is “every man for themselves” the conflicting goals call for a more shrewd response in business than it does for those who are serving a purpose outside themselves. Anyone within the Christian community and is seeking to follow the biblical principles as laid out by God is guided by this, and therefore, has no need for the highly shrewd ways of worldly dealings.

This concept of managing money in God’s name instead of managing money for ourselves ties into the concept of biblical stewardship. An interesting article entitled “Reclaim the Meaning of Stewardship” discusses the concept that the meaning of the word has been lost over time. Chris Goulard of Saddleback Church says that “Stewardship is foundationally understanding that we are not owners of things, but managers” (Stewardship Central, 2018). Our call as Christians is to manage the things of the earth that God has provided. Biblical Stewardship is the concept that all within the Christian body are to act as stewards to maximize the use of resources for God’s kingdom and the greater good of people. In this way, it is similar to the employee of a corporation. While this role too often has a forgotten commitment to it, employees of a company are to be managers of company resources. It is not their own to use for personal gain, but rather what they have been entrusted with to use for the furthering of company goal.

Similar to those within the Christian church who have forgotten the meaning of stewardship, employees have forgotten their role in serving a company. In my own personal experience, those in the workforce seek out how they can earn the most money and believe that as an employee it is about what a company can give them and not the other way around. In diving further into the comparison between the two, it is more relevant than I initially assumed. However, those living out a Christian lifestyle should often have a stronger sense of this relationship, given they are called to live not for themselves. To answer the question of whether or not Christians should feel a stronger sense of understanding in working for shareholders, it is an obvious yes. The mindset and lifestyle Christians pledge to follow helps them to see that they have duty outside of themselves that leads to a working for the community around them, including the shareholders of whatever company they are involved in.

References

Jennings, A. (2018, May 3). L.A. sues 9 drug companies, alleging unethical practices that worsened the opioid crisis. L.A. Times. Los Angeles, California, United States. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-opioid-city-lawsuit-20180503-story.html

Stewardship Central. (2018). Reclaim the Meaning of Stewardship. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from Stewardship Central.org: https://www.stewardshipcentral.org/posts/reclaim-the-meaning-of-stewardship