Less Is More (Part 5 of 5)

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June 28, 09

Living By Faith in an Economic Downturn

Economically, during the 16 years between 1982 and 2000 the world witnessed the greatest bull market in history. Institutions and individuals alike came to expect outsized returns upon investments of all kinds, and planned accordingly. Money managers, whether they ran hedge funds, college endowment portfolios or public pension funds, were expected to rack up double-digit investment returns indefinitely. Things have changed dramatically in the current recession. Financial guru Warren Buffett has pointed out that now a return to such double digit expectations is delusional.  This raises a couple of questions for me: what are true riches? How are Christians to live faithful to God if economic prosperity returns?

The Bible’s letter of 3 John gives a fascinating insight in true riches, “To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth…I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3It gave me great joy… your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” Friendship, health, soul-health, faithfulness, walking in the truth of the gospel of Christ–John considered these true riches in this life.

How Christians live by faith in times of economic prosperity is one sure indication of whether they have found true riches. To wrap up our series Less is More today we want to discuss how people of faith live if or when economic prosperity and growth return to our time. (Mike Nichols)

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