Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
During these increasingly difficult last days of earth’s history, God desires that His people exercise a good understanding and prudence in spiritual, as well as temporal matters. As light bearers, Christians are to set a good example in every aspect of life, for this is how God’s kingdom is magnified, and multiplied in the earth.
That lopsided form of Christianity, where only the spiritual is emphasized while the temporal aspects lag way behind does damage to one’s testimony of God’ grace upon the heart, because the perspective we see in the Bible presents a balanced approach to life, blending the spiritual with the temporal.
The abundant life which Christ came to give us is an all-inclusive package, which when applied, practiced and adopted by the Christian, would bring maturity, balance, and stability, so that persons can walk with a steady and even tread which in turn will ultimately make manifest the wisdom and the discretion that is born of God.
Several passages of scripture bring to light the grave responsibility resting upon the shoulders of persons who have experienced God in real time, because the world’s perspective of God’s kingdom is informed by what is seen in the Christian. Hence the reason why the following passages must be taken very seriously. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord God commanded me that you should do so in the land whither you go to possess it.
6 Keep therefore and do them; because this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which
is in heaven.
Isaiah 43: 12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore, ye are my witnesses saith the Lord, that I am God.
All the laws, the commandments, the principles and the instructions given in the Bible are intended to demonstrate in real time, and in the most literal way what following Christ means. And therefore, as the ambassadors of His grace, we should be dispensing a living, convincing testimony of what Jesus will do in persons who trust and believe in Him.
And therefore, when the Bible is made to synthesize with our daily experiences, the Christian should be able, in most instances, to deal with crisis of varying sorts, including inflation, deflation, and all the other vicissitudes life may throw at persons.
The Great Depression of the 1930s does not merely refer to the economic crisis that brought the nation to its knees; the term refers to the general mood of the people, as resources tanked, and opportunities for employment dwindled sending many families on the bread line.
The actual meaning of the word depression refers to the feelings of severe despondency, and dejection, a mood disorder which is characterized by feelings of guilt, helplessness, discouragement, desperation, remorse, regret, and defeat. Thus, greenbacks do not really suffer from depression, but people do.
The Great Depression was the worst economic crisis in modern history, which lasted for about ten years, from 1929 to 1939, the year in which World War 2 began. A convergence of contributing factors led to the depressed mood of people living at that time, in which very many persons, and families went from hero to zero.
The rapid and the imprudent ballooning of the stock market, greatly increased consumer debt, dramatic decreases in industrial production, and in consumer demand, just to name a few. These factors are the precursors which converged, triggering the great depression, and the resulting bread lines and soup kitchens that sprang up during that time.
During those dark days, many banking institutions went out of business permanently, unemployment surpassed 20 percent, and the general desperation pervading the atmosphere caused a mad stampede of bank runs, very similar to what took place not too long ago, when a few of the nation’s banks became illiquid.
During the Great Depression, many workers were laid off because there just was not enough demand to warrant continued levels of production, and this in turn forced millions of people deeper into debt.
In addition to this many reckless speculators on Wall Street who had invested heavily in the stock market with borrowed money were entirely wiped out, and a general sense of gloom and doom now settled on the nation.
Prior to this, the U.S economy had expanded almost incredibly, and the wealth of the nation had more than doubled. But as history often goes, after a time of great increase, comes a time of great decrease. It is just the law of gravity running its natural course as they say, for what goes up must come down.
The inevitable result was that very many Americans were forced to buy goods and services on credit and as a result, the debt noose put a stranglehold on the masses of people who were ill-prepared for sudden and rapid changes and therefore, repossessions and foreclosures and liquidations went through the roof.
An increasing number of people became homeless, farmers could not afford to pay workers to harvest their crops, and as a result, valuable articles of food had to be left in the fields to rot, at a time when the masses of people were being forced onto the bread line.
Thus, there are very valuable lessons to be learned from the Great Depression, and happy would be the individuals who would reason from cause to effect, and will take prudent action in the here and now, to avert a possible repeat of the 1930s.
One of the lessons we can deduce from the Great Depression is that God in His mercy blesses nations and individuals at times with much materials, and resources and what we do at such times determines whether or not we would honor God by surviving a severe downturn, or a change of fortunes.
The study of the parable of the 3 stewards reveals a lot of truth which when understood correctly, would serve to guide our feet in wise paths. In the parable, we observe that God gave the talents, as He often does. It was not because of anything good that the stewards had done, but just because God delights in giving good gifts to the human family. Let’s read:
Matthew 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
In other words, there are times when The Lord may shower persons with temporal blessings, and what such individuals do with the blessings could make or break them for life. Successful stewardship has to do with the prudent management of any resources and opportunities, God places at our disposal.
It was through the providence of God that Joseph was brought down to Egypt, because, if it were left up to his parents alone, Joseph would never have ended up in Potiphar’s house. Thus, the blessings God gave to Joseph had to do with the windows of opportunity that His Divine providence opened up.
It had nothing to do with Joseph, for everything was permitted and orchestrated by God alone, so that the prosperity of Joseph we read of afterward has to be credited to God, just like the three stewards we read of in the parable, who received the talents, or the material blessings from God’s hands. Let’s read:
Genesis 39: 2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
Again, just like those three stewards in the parable, God gave material blessings to Abraham, opening up opportunity he never dreamed of, and thus what Abraham does with those gifts, will demonstrate if he is being guided by that wisdom and discretion which comes from God. Let’s read:
Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.
14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and asses and menservants and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
Genesis 20:14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and women servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
We observe that in both instances, Sarah’s beauty was used as the trigger for opportunity, very similar to what took place with Esther, whose beauty was used to pave the way for numerous blessings to fall upon God’s people. God does not think like we do, and for this reason, some of His methods, and ways might raise eyebrows in persons who may not know Him.
During the years just prior to the Great Depression, God again opened up opportunities for nations and individuals just as He did for Joseph, for Abraham, and for the three stewards in the parable.
What we now refer to as the roaring twenties, was actually God in His kindness, opening up windows of opportunity to the stewards of that era, and what they did with the blessings would make manifest if they were being led by the prudence and discretion found in Christ alone.
Just a few years ago, a convergence of contributing factors was permitted and orchestrated by The God of heaven, to open up windows of opportunity for stewards in our day. As Covid ravaged the country, working from home became the norm, which in turn triggered massive internal migration.
At the same time, interest rates were at an all time low, near zero, triggering a buying frenzy, which in turn caused a ripple effect of the phenomenal spike in the price of real estate, and like Joseph, Abraham and the three stewards in the parable, it was left up to persons to make the most of the opportunity.
Since that time interest rates have skyrocketed, and persons who did not, or could not get their foot into the door of opportunity, are finding it very difficult to do so now because to many individuals and many families, that window of opportunity has all but run its course, at least for the foreseeable future.
Therefore, just to reiterate our first lesson again, so that we never lose sight of the fact: God in His great kindness will at times grant folks material blessings, meaning that at times He will open the windows of heaven, opening the window of opportunity, and it is His will that as stewards of His goodness, we will make manifest the wisdom that is born of God.
[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 343] Religion and business are not two separate things; they are one. Bible religion is to be interwoven with all we do or say. Divine and human agencies are to combine in temporal as well as in spiritual achievements. There must be co-operation in everything embraced in Christian activity.
The second lesson that we can learn from the Great Depression is that it doesn’t really matter how much blessings God bestows; what matters most is how it is managed. In the parable of the stewards, the one who received five talents did not have an advantage over the one who received one, just because he had received more.
If fortunes were reversed and the one who received one talent got five, the results would have been the same, because it is the attitudes, the state of mind, the modes of thought and action, which ultimately determine the results. Let’s read:
Matthew 25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
Stewards are required to make things work, by the grace and wisdom of God. In other words, whatever the hand life might deal persons whether it be much or little, with God’s guidance it can, and should be multiplied, as was manifested with two of the three.
During the Great Depression many persons were left holding the proverbial bag, and many others balked at the adverse change of fortune which overtook so many. This need not be the case, for even a little can become much, when the God-factor is adopted into our thought processes.
Whatever may be our lot in life, whether at the top or bottom of the Totem pole, stewards can be found faithful and productive when the right approach is implemented. The servant of The Lord gives us the right perspective, and we will do well to adjust our outlook, wherever warranted. Let’s read:
[Christ’s object lessons pp 359] If your duty is in the kitchen, seek to be a perfect cook. If it is your work to till the soil or to engage in any other trade or occupation, make a success of the present duty. Put your mind on what you are doing. In all your work represent Christ.
Do as He would do in your place. However small your talent, God has a place for it. That one talent wisely used will accomplish its appointed work. By faithfulness in little duties, we are to work on the plan of addition, and God will work for us on the plan of multiplication.
Another observation we should take away from the Great Depression, and from the parable of the stewards, is that God blesses persons even when He knows up front that they would not administer the blessings to the best of their ability.
God knew well in advance that the roaring twenties would be followed by the mumbling thirties, and yet He still went ahead and blessed anyway. Similarly, God knew in advance that the steward with the one talent would not handle the blessing well, and yet, in His wisdom and kindness God still gave him the talent.
God’s foreknowledge of our failures does not always prevent Him from blessing us with resources. This is of concern to some persons, for it may seem to the logical thinking mind to be counterintuitive, to bless persons and nations with resources, when He knows in advance that the blessings would not be handled well.
But, how will we ever learn if we are not granted an opportunity? Errors in judgment are not considered as permanent blunders, if the stewards in question can retrace their steps and learn. Thus, God often grants numerous blessings, as opportunity for folks to learn, and if they do, they can also be numbered among the faithful.
This fact can be observed in several scriptural cases in which the blessings of God were either misused, abused, mismanaged, or squandered. In the case of Solomon for example, God knew in advance that he would not always manage the wealth given him in a prudent manner.
God saw up front that Solomon would spend very lavishly for things he really didn’t need, and that he would splurge on women, on real estate, and on a host of material things that he could not reasonably use on a regular basis, yet God still went ahead and blessed him with resources and opportunities.
Similarly, the father of the prodigal son also knew in advance that the resources given would be used in a manner that would bring the son to poverty; yet the father did not withhold the blessing. This baffles the minds of some people, for very often what God may do in certain circumstances is very different to how the finite mind thinks and acts.
In the experiences of some Christians, persons may be able to point back to times when God’s blessing rested very heavily upon them, but for one reason or another the blessing evaporates into thin air after a while. Therefore, the question is asked by persons: Why did God bless such and such in the first place, if He knew in advance of the outcome? Let’s read:
1st Kings 3: 5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said: Ask what I shall give thee.
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
Solomon then began his tenure as a faithful steward as he managed the material blessings in accordance with the wisdom that is born of God. But, after the dawn of great opportunity, like many persons from the Great depression, Solomon went on to hide his talents in the ground, and instead of multiplication, subtraction took hold of him, and those under his jurisdiction.
Some may be wondering what all of these lessons have to do with persons who are living on the brink of eternity, and who are preparing for the promised latter rain?
The information, resources, and opportunities God has granted to His people are intended to bring us to a state of maturity in Christ, where persons will become well balanced in development of character, for it is God’s will, that the subjects of His grace be found faithful both in faith and practice.
When Daniel was scrutinized by his opponents, they started with the temporal aspects of Daniel’s living, such as his taxes, his credit, his business deals. And they searched diligently to see if there was insider trading, given the close connections he had with the government.
Then, after they came up with nothing, they had no choice but to turn to the issue of worship, for as a faithful steward, Daniel passed the smell test, and God was greatly honored by the results, as they had to bear testimony of their findings. Let’s read:
Daniel 6: 4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
Similarly, the Remnant people of God in these last days should be able to pass the closest scrutiny, as friends and foes may seek to dig up dirt in any of the temporal pursuits, persons are engaged in. Like as it was with Daniel they would begin with the handling of material blessings, and if they find nothing, then they will turn to the issue of worship.
In harmony with these statements, the servant of The Lord writes the following, and it would be well if we can step up to the plate, and make the necessary changes and adjustments in our perspectives by the grace of God. Let’s read:
[The Great Controversy pp 616] So should the followers of Christ, as they approach the time of trouble, make every exertion to place themselves in a proper light before the people to disarm prejudice and to avert the danger which threatens liberty of conscience.
Thus, as we end, it is in the context of faithfulness as stewards, both in spiritual, and in temporal lines that God makes the following pronouncement, and even if we have made blunders in the past, it’s God’s will, that the opportunities He grants us will be used to correct any errors in judgment that might have occurred. Let’s read:
Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
God Bless!