Solomon's rules of investing

LARRY BURKETT, head of Christian Financial Concepts, has written a number of books on money issues as seen from a Christian standpoint. According to an article by Larry Eskridge, in Investing by the Book (1992) Burkett notes that King Solomon, who was noted for his great wisdom, was also a good investor.

As Eskridge summarizes the message: "[from parts of the Bible traditionally attributed to Solomon, the king] diversified his investments (Eccl. 11:2: 'Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the Earth'). He invested ethically (Eccl. 12:13: 'Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments'). And he relied upon good counsel (Prov. 15:22: 'Without consultation, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established')."

"When Burkett Speaks, Evangelicals Listen"
Christianity Today
June 12, 2000

MORE TO LIFE THAN DEATH

"Most of My life I was an atheist. I thought our only identity was a body; when you died, that was the end of life. So death was very scary for me. But then I came to understand ... that the essence of our being is love. What we really are is an everlasting spirit," explains Dr. Gerald Jampolsky, co-author with Dr. Diane Cirincione of the book Change Your Mind, Change Your Life.

finalthoughts.com
Spirituality Resource Center
July 13, 2000

Business and the Ten Commandments

"RECOGNIZING THE [Commandments] as a basic moral foundation plays a crucial role in cultivating human resource policies that are sound and ethically acceptable," write Abbas J. Ali, Robert C. Camp, and Manton Gibbs in an article that discusses how Jews, Christians, and Muslims view the Ten Commandments, and then relates these interpretations to business practice. They observe that "nurturing the image of a morally driven organization takes on added value in the global marketplace." Yet they also point out that "utterance of the [Commandments] or the pronouncement of specific religious principles does not always translate into action. The point is that the [Ten Commandments] can set the general moral foundation for the use of power and authority in organizations."

"The Ten Commandments Perspective on Power and Authority in Organizations"
Journal of Business Ethics
August 11, 2000
Vol. 26, No. 4

A SURGEON'S FAITH IN GOD

SPEAKING OF HIS Work as a surgeon, Dr. Benjamin S. Carson told the Saturday Evening Post that "incredible things happen that no one can explain, but I don't have any trouble explaining phenomena like that. I just say, 'Do your best, and let God take care of the rest.'"

Carson says that his faith has given him "a sense of calmness and peace and a sense of knowing who's in charge. Knowing that peace is a way of taking a lot of the pressure off."

Reported by Peter Feuerherd
"The Serenity of Solomon" American Bible Society Record
August/September 2000

Work for everybody

"THE GREAT WORK is the work of the universe, it is the unfolding of creation. . . We should feel that we are connected to the great work of the universe. Without that, we lose meaning in our work and the only meaning is a paycheck. Work is no longer work, it is a job. The same is true of unemployment. If you think less anthropomorphically, you realize that every being in the universe has work," says Matthew Fox, author of The Reinvention of Work. "The planets, galaxies and stars have work, as do horses, grasses and fish. . . If people fit the habits of the universe, the idea that there is work for everybody, that everybody has a calling, and that we are all here for a reason is pretty basic."

Interviewed by Mary NurrieStearns
"Beyond a Job: Doing The Great Work"
Personal Transformation
Anniversary 2000

Let prayer lighten daily tasks

THE APRIL 18 issue of Woman's Day magazine includes an article that offers "28 Ways to Make Life More Spiritual." Written by Salley Shannon, it offers practical tips designed to make good use of times during the day when prayer could be combined with the performance of routine tasks, various ways to open thought to new ideas and new worship experiences, and a reminder to praise God for His goodness and all-power.