How far would you go to get rid of your debt? Would you sell your stuffed baboon? Take a look at one couple’s desperation attempt to pay off their liabilities. What saddened me after watching this video was imagining the sacrifices this couple may have made to acquire their possessions. The fleeting happiness they received from these items have now brought them suffering, stress and sorrow.

Although this video is about the growing trend of lifestyle liquidation sales by the ultra rich where they sell anything and everything to pay off debt and reduce expenses, I couldn’t help but think about the early Christians mentioned in Acts 4 who sold their land and houses and brought the proceeds to the apostles to give to the needy. Lifestyle liquidations if you will, for the good of the kingdom.

What if Christians simplified their lifestyles and positioned themselves to give more to the poor and needy? What an amazing testimony we could have if we lived with a loose grip on our money and possessions.

Lifestyle Liquidation

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The Chicago Tribune had a good article in this past weekend’s Business section discussing the topic of shareholders voting on executive compensation levels.  I think this raises an interesting debate and one that will be gaining in popularity as we continue seeing the fallout from this financial crisis. 

At the center of the debate is the idea that there should be a limit to the amount executives can make especially when the company’s bottom line is dwindling and shareholders are losing massive amounts of money.  On the other side of the debate are the boards of directors who make the claim that if their particular company doesn’t have highly competitive pay structures they won’t be able to attract and retain key decision makers and CEO’s.

Motorola joined the growing list of companies willing to give their shareholders a say about executive compensation at their May 4 annual meeting.  More than a third of shareholders voiced a loud and disapproving no. 

So, can a company survive and thrive if they pay their executives less or do they run the risk of seeing top talent head for the door for more generous offers?

As I read the article, I couldn’t help but think of Costco’s CEO, Jim Sinegal who voluntarily takes a lower salary ($350,000 – compared to multi-millions of many CEO’s) preferring to keep his consumers and employees in mind.  “Our attitude is that if you hire good people and pay them a fair wage, then good things will happen for the company,” says Sinegal.  Costco has fared better than most companies during this economic downturn and in fact,  has not laid off any workers during this recession.

What is the answer to the growing concern about executive compensation?  To be sure, we will see more government regulation and a trend towards shareholders having a say.  Perhaps more CEO’s should take the lead like Sinegal and voluntarily take or even give back some of their salaries.  I think many of us would’ve liked to see that course of action taken by the AIG executives after their highly publicized corporate retreat taken shortly after receiving government bailout money.  Of course, that’s easier said than done.

Does anyone else find this highly ironic?  Many of these GM dealerships are still proudly displaying their Total Confidence banners while the company itself heads down the proverbial road that ends with only one option.  

I understand and appreciate that the tagline relates to their protection plan to help those who lose their job during the recession, but unfortunately the only thing I have total confidence in is Chapter 11 for GM.

We have now been in this most recent recession for over 16 months.  For many of us, this has been a tough road to walk down.  Jobs have been lost, income reduced and lifestyles rearranged.  I have experienced this first hand, both personally and in many of my clients lives.  But could this recession be good for us?

Trials and difficulties have a way of revealing where our hope resides and what we put our trust in.  This has been the case for me.  One thing this difficult economy has revealed to me is how much I love security, comfort and self-sufficiency.

Looking back over the last year and seeing assets that I manage as well as my own personal income seemingly dwindle on a daily basis was a blow to my comfortable, middle-class Christianity

What I found, however, was something far better.  God had used this recession  to challenge my comforts, confront my idols and question where my hope lies.   Could this recession be exactly what I needed to bring me closer to Him and conform me to the image of Jesus Christ?

As much as I did not want that answer to be yes, and as much as I thought I had already worked through my idolization of money, the answer was a resounding one

And so, when by God’s grace he allowed me to see this, I fell on my knees in repentance and sorrow, recognizing once again just how far I have to go in this sanctifying journey and the reality of my wimpy faith

I decided to embrace this recession and allow God to continue to mold, shape and chasten me into the son He has called me to be.  And He does it with such a great love, kind grace and tender mercy.

I have no intention of downplaying the severity of this recession, for many of you have had difficulties far worse than some of us could imagine.  What I do intend to do is widen our viewpoint and get us thinking of the bigger picture.

How about you?  What have you learned during this economic downturn?  What are some things that God is chiseling away and graciously teaching you?

John Piper gives some of the reasons God has for this economic turmoil in his sermon What is the Recession For? He says:

1. He intends for this recession to expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing.
2. He intends to wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind.
3. He intends to relocate the roots of our joy in his grace rather than in our goods, in his mercy rather than our money, in his worth rather than our wealth.
4. He intends to advance his saving mission in the world—the spread of the gospel and the growth of his church—precisely at a time when human resources are least able to support it. This is how he guards his glory.
5. He intends for the church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.

What I’ve learned in these past several months has been hard to swallow, but sanctifying and for that I am grateful.