Cirrovista - Microbusiness in the First and Third Worlds

The principle of proportionality applies to the first and third worlds. This can mean saving, looking ahead an allocating for future expenses, and the most important thing of all, giving back some of our blessings to the God who provides everything.

This is also known as tithing (giving 10% to God). We do this to develop a closer relationship with our Creator.

As an analogy: "If I give my son a pack of french fries, he can thank me and even offer some back to me. We can enjoy them together. I don't NEED the french fries and can buy a room full if I wanted, but that's not the point. The point is a loving relationship with my son involves sharing, and this gives me pleasure as we hang out together. If my son turns away from me with his fries and hoards them and does not even consider sharing them with me, the sin cuts off this aspect of our connection."

In the same way tithing, from a cheerful giver, acknowledges God's provision in life and this can lead to thanksgiving, awareness of true security, love, and purpose as our relationship with Him grows. (see Malachi 3)

TOMS shoes founder Blake Mycoskie was on a short-term missionary trip to Argentina when he saw kids playing barefoot because they were too poor to have shoes. The children would get parasites and other ailments and it broke his heart. So he started TOMS Shoes with the idea of giving away one pair of shoes for each pair purchased. TOMS was conceived as a for-profit business. It grew quickly and became successful, even getting corporate support from companies such as AT&T, Microsoft, and other sponsors who donated advertising time and phone services.

At one point Blake was confronted by an individual who, in a slightly scornful tone, asked "Why is TOMS for-profit and why don't you give all of the money away to help the poor children?" Blake responded by showing how he could have taken his entire original, hard-earned investment money, received from the sale of another business he started, and he could have given away 10,000 pairs of shoes. That would certainly have had a large one-time impact. However, Blake said that by investing the money into manufacturing for-profit, paying wages to workers, and diverting a portion of the profits to giving shoes to needy childeren,TOMS has now been able to give away over 600,000 pairs of shoes and is still in business to giving away shoes. It is a self-sustaining machine, successful through hard work and creativity.

Cirrovista has a vision of using sustainable businesses to achieve noble goals. As the old saying goes: It is better to teach a man how to fish instead of just giving him a fish to eat. The chart above shows the value of $10,000 if given away all at once would immediately provide $10,000 in food, housing, medical or other need. However, if the money were invested into a microbusiness, operated by hard-working and creative people, the business over time would thrive and provide many times over the original investment in benefits for the workers and the needy. There are many ways to use the profits as they are generated to support a vision. We believe poverty can be overcome with hard work and creativity which can bring profits which are sustainable for the long run and will grow well beyond the original investment. The workers that serve God can also use this principle when challenged by God to give beyond their current means.

Money can be viewed as morally neutral but that it is the heart of the person that handle that money which determines whether the investment is for noble or ignoble purposes. The bible contains numerous examples of godly people earning a living AND fulfilling God's calling and purpose in their lives, whether in business or occupation: Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 20:31-35, and 1Thess.2:9); Lydia of Thyatira was a seller of purple fabrics (Acts 16:14); Abraham was a wealthy sheep farmer (Genesis), Job was a farmer and rancher; Deborah was a judge in Canaan (Judges 4-5), Ezra was a scribe, teacher and historian; Amos a shepherd and horticulturalist; Joseph was a steward and later prime minister in Egypt (Genesis). So, work becomes a means of persevering in faith, obedience, and the calling of God. The "secular" and "sacred" are not divided but are integrated together.

"Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1Cor 10:31).

References:

On Kingdom Business, TYamamori, K. Eldred, pp.181-186.

Business by The Book, L. Burkett

The Treasure Principle, R. Alcorn

Money, Possessions, and Eternity, R. Alcorn

The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, C. Prahalad

KIVA Microfinances

How Business Can Glorify (Reflect) God

(Ref: Wayne Gruden, Ch. 13, On Kingdom Business Yamamori, Eldred)

The bible has a lot to say on ownership, productivity, employment, commercial transactions, profit, money, inequality of possessions, competition, borrowing and lending, attitudes of the heart, and the effect on world poverty. People can reflect God's attributes by imitating Him. "So God created man in His own image" (Gen 1:27) therefore He created us in such a way that we would want to imitate and reflect His character. Therefore it can be assumed that God enjoys seeing His good character reflected in our lives and actions. However, this process is marred by sin. "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1Cor 10:31). Sin does not glorify God.

Specific ways business can reflect God's attributes are shown below. These activities are fundamentally good. They provide many opportunities for glorifying (or reflecting) God and His goodness. But, they can also lead to temptations and sin when the heart is not clean. With selected Bible references on various aspects of the topic:

Ownership - Owning possessions is fundamentally good and provides many opportunities for glorifying God, but can also present many temptations to sin. And, we must recognize it all belongs to God and we take nothing with us when we die. God gives us all things to enjoy and also has an excitng plan for us that we can choose to participate in. (Ex 20:15, Ps 24:1, Lev 25:23, Luke 16:12, 1Cor 4:7)

Productivity - Producing goods and services is fundamentally good and provides many opportunities for glorifying God, but can also present many temptations to sin. (Gen 1:28, 2:15, Col 3:23, Matt 5:16)

Employment - Hiring people to do work is fundamentally good and provides many opportunities for glorifying God, but can also present many temptations to sin. ( Luke 10:7, Luke 3:14, Lev 19:13, Deut 24:1, Prov 18:9, Titus 2:9-10)

Commercial Transactions - Buying and selling is fundamentally good and provides many opportunities for glorifying God, but can also present many temptations to sin.

(Prov 11:26, 31:16, Jer 32:25, 42-44, Gen 1:57, Lev 19:35-36, Deut 25:13-16)

Profit - Earning a profit is fundamentally good and provides many opportunities for glorifying God, but can also present many temptations to sin. (Luke 19:13-23)

Money - Money is fundamentally good and provides many opportunities for glorifying God, but can also present many temptations to sin. Money in itself could be viewed as morally neutral, but the heart of the person hand determines how it will be used. The love of money subsitutes for love of God and is a root of evil. (1Tim 6:10, Matt 6:19-21)

Inequality of Possessions - Inequality of possessions, or variety in levels of ownership and wealth, is fundamentally good and provides many opportunities for glorifying God, but can also present many temptations to sin. However, there is no sin in heaven and there are varying degrees of reward for faithful service and various kinds of stewardship and positions assigned (Lu 19:17,19) and there are differing levels of obligation, differing barriers to entering into Gods kingdom ((James 2:5), differing condemnation for self-indulgence by the rich (James 5:1-5). God desires not equality but fairness and helping others2Cor 8:13,14) and to remember the poor (Gal 2:10, 1John 3:17, Matt 25:39-40).

Competition - Competition is fundamentally good and provides many opportunities for glorifying God, but can also present many temptations to sin. We've been given a desire to do well and excel, and competition can spur us on to do better and give opportunities to manifest God-given abilities to their fullest.

Borrowing and Lending - Borrowing and lending are fundamentally good and provide many opportunities for glorifying God, but they can also present many temptations to sin.(Ex 22:25, Luke 6:34, Ps 112:5, Ps 37:21, 26). Debts and payments should be made to all who are due them (Romans 13:6-8).

Attitudes of the Heart - "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord my rock and my redeemer." Ps19:14)

(For more, see "On Kingdom Business", Yamamori/Eldred, Chapter 13, by Wayne Grudem)