Wesley's Wisdom on Affluence

"Money is an excellent gift of God, answering the noblest ends. In the hands of his children, it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, raiment for the naked: It gives to the traveller and the stranger where to lay his head. By it we may supply the place of an husband to the widow, and of a father to the fatherless. We may be a defence for the oppressed, a means of health to the sick, of ease to them that are in pain; it may be as eyes to the blind, as feet to the lame; yea, a lifter up from the gates of death! It is therefore of the highest concern that all who fear God know how to employ this valuable talent; that they be instructed how it may answer these glorious ends, and in the highest degree."

I couldn't agree more. And because most of us are such poor stewards in this area it is refreshing to know that a repentent heart and mind brings greater grace.

The Institutionalization of Greed from a Biblical and Global Perspective

Professor Prabhu Guptara is a Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum and a past Trustee. He is Executive Director, Organisational Development with Wolfsberg, the Platform for Executive and Business Development of Switzerland's UBS Group. These remarks are made in a personal capacity.

I want to conclude by saying that what we have is a culture of greed that was politically sponsored and politically promoted, a culture justified by reference to Adam Smith’s notion of the Invisible Hand, that if everybody operates in their self-interest then somehow, magically, everything is looked after. And it did seem to be that way in the eighteenth century. However, just because it was that way—perhaps—in the eighteenth century, doesn’t mean it’s going to be that way today. The level of morality in the market may not be the same today as it was in the eighteenth century. The level of complexity may not be the same today as it was yesterday. And the level of volatility may not be the same today as it was yesterday. So it’s a bit naive to expect the economy to look after itself today, even if the economy did so all that time ago. To read the full text