Keys to the Kingdom

When I discovered that I’d been peeling my bananas the hard way all my life, I was flabbergasted. I was discussing this shocking revelation with Levi, my son-in-law, and he said, “Yeah, peel it like a monkey.” I was knocked down a peg or two when I realized that all the monkeys around the world knew something I didn’t. I immediately changed my method of peeling a banana. However, I had to really concentrate on the new way because I was so used to starting at the stem. Old habits can be hard to break, but it’s possible if you want to change bad enough. What’s weird is that my parents must have peeled their bananas the same misguided way and taught me to do the same thing!

We subconsciously learn customs and traditions and, most of the time that’s great, but sometimes it’s not. Spiritual traditions of the heart are more critical to evaluate than other diverse traditions. I don’t want to be stubbornly set in my ways if they’re nothing more than unscriptural traditions of personal preference. I want the eyes of my heart to be flooded with the light and love of God‘s truth.

I’m not suggesting that Christ-followers question their beliefs that are firmly established in God’s Word. I’m merely challenging us to ask ourselves why we hold to certain traditions that are not founded in the Bible. The Holy Spirit always leads believers into truth, which is liberating and life-giving. Unfortunately, some people stubbornly reject the truth that God reveals to them. We must give ourselves and other believers the freedom to be who they truly are in Christ as we all study and practice the holy scriptures.

In the Book of John, Chapter 8, the Pharisees and teachers of religious law brought a woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus. They said, “The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” Jesus said, “All right, but let the one who’s never sinned throw the first stone!” One by one, all the accusers walked away. Jesus then asked the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?“ Her response was “No, Lord.“ Then Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.“ Changing the woman’s life was more important to Him than throwing stones. Jesus was the talk of the town that day because He told the scribes and Pharisees to clean up their own backyard. I want to drop the rocks of judgment and condemnation and just walk away and let Jesus do what only He can do.

When I do my best to follow Jesus, I won’t have the prideful desire to judge others. Keeping a close watch on my love walk will keep me out of the judge’s bench. “…I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people” (Acts 24:16 NLT). I want to generously extend mercy and point others to my loving heavenly Father. “God is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:7,8 NLT).

Spiritual traditions can be comforting to some, but they can also be suffocating to others. Let’s be careful not to throw any unfounded stones of tradition on another believer. Everyone is a unique individual who needs to live and breathe authentic freedom in Christ.

The Key: Know how to peel your own banana before you teach someone else.

The dramatic globalization that has taken place in the last few decades means that what happens in China, India, Europe, etc., affects all 3,143 counties in the United States, including Bourbon in Kansas. The most obvious example is COVID-19, which most experts agree originated in Wuhan, China; our county lost 45 residents.

Additionally, we have many manufacturing and retail businesses in Bourbon County that rely upon the import/export supply chain, which has experienced disruptions in recent months. These events impacted the profit of local companies and the earnings of our citizens. One Bourbon County manufacturer had presold a custom product for nearly $500,000.00, only to have the completed item delayed for weeks by a couple of parts that are normally readily available at a cost of about $600.00. Rural Kansans cannot say that global markets do not matter.

How does the United States (“US”) stack up when compared to global markets? Looking at Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”), which is the sum of the value of all products and services produced by an economy in a year, the US became the world leader in GDP in 1890 at about $13 billion, passing China and Great Britain. We have been number one every year since then, and by 1907, we had doubled our nearest rival. Between World War I and the Great Depression our economy was often three times bigger than the number two nation.

After World War II, our biggest economic rival was the Soviet Union; this lasted until 1977 when Japan overtook them to rank second. Japan stayed in second place until passed briefly by Great Britain in 2001; China took over second place in 2009. At that time, the US economy produced 10 times more than the Chinese economy.

What about today? We are number one at $21 trillion; China is number two at $14 trillion. China has exploded in growth in the last twenty years, and is expanding at a rate to pass the US within the next two decades.

Looking at the largest companies in the world in 2019, of the top 20 in market capitalization, the US has produced 13; second place is China with three. No other country in the world has produced more than one. Apple is number one on the list at over $2 trillion in value; for perspective, that is almost 10% of the annual GDP of the US.

The same list 30 years ago contained only six US companies, with Exxon coming in at number five on the list as the largest domestic company at $63 billion. Japan was the global leader with 13 companies in the top 20. Interestingly, no company on the list in 1989 is still on the list in 2019; apparently, innovation and value creation are still important, and, while totalitarian states like China can create efficiencies, the US system remains the most potent producer in the world. There is no need to change our economic system, unless it is less government intrusion into free markets.

China and other emerging economies bear watching, but the US is still strong and competitive worldwide. Stay informed and listen to reports coming from your representatives in government; rural America has much at stake.

Romans 12:12. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

A few years ago, I had flown to Mazatlán to help Dave make the 24-hour drive back to Fort Scott. This time we remembered where most of the faulty toll road signs were located, saving ourselves our typical, “Where are we and how do we get back on the highway?” frustration which had, in the past, cost us a few additional hours of travel.

It was my turn to drive. About 30 miles from the border, Dave and I began discussing which of the two entry points we should use: Columbia, smaller and less popular but fifteen minutes further, or Nuevo Laredo, closer but much larger. When a truck with Texas plates passed us, I took it as an omen to follow that driver. We would trust the Texan to know the quicker route.

He opted for Laredo. Following him gave me great comfort because the various signs were confusing, not to mention the curves and turns and multiple stop lights. The only thing we knew was that the United States was to the north, the right.

But then the lead car turned left. Not the way to the border. Probably the way to the drug cartel. We were now on our own. Hope. Patience. Prayer.

Three stop lights later, I rolled down my window and asked the driver in the next lane if he could point us to the border. “Follow me,” he said, and I did. My husband noticed the man was driving on an emergency spare tire, a dangerous way to enter America, if you ask me. Several stop lights later, our new amigo exited his car and ran back to my window. “Go right at the next corner,” he said, and with that, he pulled into an XOXO, the Mexico version of Quik Trip. “Poor guy limped along as far as he could to help us,” I told Dave. “Or that’s where he was headed the entire time,” I was told.

Someone was cranky. Still, Hope. Patience. Prayer.

I made a right turn, and there we were—completely lost. No matter what U.S.-tagged car I trailed, none were headed to Texas. Zigging and zagging, I managed to tick off several Mexicans who typically are used to drivers making illegal U-turns. By now we had spent an hour on this, our “quicker” trip, and my hope, patience and prayer had disappeared.

About the time I was ready to park our van in the middle of the street and make Dave drive, we rounded a corner, and there they were: toll booths. We were close. Handing the lady my pesos, I asked, “United States?” I’m sure she wanted to answer, “No, Dummy. It’s France,” but Mexicans don’t have the same propensity to sarcasm like we Americans– or perhaps she noticed I was close to tears–so she smiled and said, “Si.”

I would like to tell you that was the end of my lesson in hope, patience and prayer. Not even close. For over an hour we jockeyed with hundreds of other cars, vying for the quickest toll booth, only to end up with Barney Fife for our border agent. After answering his “Do you have any fruits or vegetables?” question with, “Yes, we have some apples,” we were told, “That’s not good.” We were to open all our doors so he could inspect what other contraband or people we had hidden in our vehicle.

I threatened to jump out of my car and warn the unfortunate drivers who had picked my lane to choose any booth but this one, but Dave told me that we were close to crossing the border and if I showed my true colors, we were going to get arrested, so I needed to be patient.

Let’s see. Get arrested or show patience. I’d call it a tie.

Keys to the Kingdom

A lot of us can look back over the past year and say, “Last year was a long row to hoe.“ I was reflecting over the last several months and thought, “How did I do that?” And in my heart I heard, “You didn’t, I did.” In review, I realize I was carried by angels and radically loved and cared for by my heavenly Father. We must never forget all the goodness and blessings God pours out on us. “Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me” (Psalm 103:2 NLT). I’m nobody special; God will do the same for any believer who asks and trusts Him to handle tough situations.

If you feel like throwing down the hoe and calling it quits, remember there are two nail-scarred hands on top of yours as you work through hardship row. Jesus is the One with all the strength you need when life hands you a bushel basket of trouble. “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble“ (Psalm 46:1 NLT). Believers are enabled by God’s grace and power to plow through rocky soil. When you partner with the Master Gardner in those unknown fields, you’ll find comfort, peace, and joy in that sweet spot with Him. Being held safely during the storms that beat upon your life is a blessing that transcends human comprehension.

When you’ve had a difficulty and then experienced God’s comfort, you’re better equipped to help someone else through the same ordeal. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:3,4 NLT).

One day I saw two slugs, side by side, inching their way up the siding of my house. They were slugging it out, slowly persevering their way to the top. They were determined not to stay down and wallow in the muddy earth. I liked their attitude: “I set my mind and keep it set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth“ (Colossians 3:2 AMP). This shell-less snail duo demonstrated patient endurance above and beyond the call of duty. Without legs, it was no easy feat to climb up the side of a house. I’d never been inspired by a couple of slugs before, but God used them to teach me a lesson. “That’s no hill for a climber,” is a good motto for believers.

If you’ve got a difficult task to do, or situation to deal with, you can set your mind to make it through to the end of the row. Jesus is not interested in seeing how much you can take, He’s interested in seeing how much you will let Him take. He is your burden bearer, Counselor, and Mighty God!

God will strengthen His children with hope, endurance, and patience when going through troubles. Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, made certain His followers understood they would never be alone during turbulent times. He said “…And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age“ (Matthew 28:20 NLT).

The Key: By working side by side with God, you can hoe to the end of your row.

Altruism

This is not a word we normally use in daily conversation, but according to Rick Boxx of Unconventional Business Network, it is one of the keys to economic success. Altruism is expressed when our actions are for the purpose of benefitting someone else or some other organization at a cost to oneself. Altruism has many benefits to businesses, communities, and individuals, according to a 2013 study by the University of Wisconsin as cited by Mr. Boxx in his daily email on February 15, 2022.

Further, Boxx references a Fast Company article that lists the benefits to companies populated by altruists. It makes sense that these giving people help fellow employees excel, work harder, and are less likely to quit their jobs. An altruistic community member will volunteer for not-for-profit work, donate money to local causes, or support the less fortunate in their neighborhoods. I loved it when several ambitious ladies on our local Chamber board organized a clean-up and spruce up of the Fort Scott historical district last year. Would anyone doubt that these activities make a community or a company better?

Our selfless actions do not have to be big; small efforts like stopping to pick up trash blowing across a parking lot or stuck to a barbed wire fence make a difference. A little over 12 years ago when I started working in Southeast Kansas, I loved it when I got the index finger wave from the top of the steering wheel of an approaching vehicle; it made me feel accepted and a part of the community. In the city, the only waves I got from other vehicles were with a different finger.

I am concerned that rural America is being overrun by a wave of selfishness. It is only natural that when a community is shrinking, resources become scarce and competition for what remains grows. Whether it is the “good old boy” hiring system, hoarding limited resources, or disrespecting the property of our neighbors, businesses and communities lose when the only person that matters is the one in the mirror.

Cities, counties, businesses, etc., all have a personality. It does not take long for one to discern if the entity they are encountering is self-centered or has the best interest of others at heart. Who wants to live in a community or work in a business that tolerates an environment of mistrust and selfishness?

Each one of us can contribute to an environment that is conducive to the economic development we need to stem the tide of population decline and rising taxes. I encourage you to decide which effort, big or small, to which you will commit your time, talent and treasure and make a difference in Bourbon County. We all need your altruism.

Last year, Dave and I celebrated our 47^th wedding anniversary. Because of Covid-19, there was no romantic dining or even an overnight stay in Kansas City. But that was okay. Months ahead, I had found the perfect card to hand Dave when we awoke the morning of the special day.

I loved the simplicity of this card. “Your husband…your friend…your soul mate”—all tender words letting Dave know that our love was very much alive and would last forever.

That’s not to say we had not been through some valleys. It had not been forty-seven years of bliss. We had made many mistakes in failing to honor God first. We had blamed and argued. We had gone to bed angry. I had used silence to make my point, put the kids ahead of Dave’s needs, stubbornly insisted on my way and forgotten to laugh. But somehow, we had endured, forgiven and stayed the marital course. We were friends. We were soulmates. The card said it all.

That morning, I hid away in the bedroom where I wrote something tender in Dave’s card. That’s when I read the insert: “With sympathy as you say good-bye to the man who shared your life.” I read it three times.

WHAT??? How was this possible? How had I confused a sympathy card with an anniversary one?

Within a minute of staring at the writing, hoping, I guess, that it would morph into something endearing, I started laughing. After sharing it with Dave who pretended to find it funny, I knew that he had to wonder how such a blunder, even for me, was doable.

I have no explanation. I buy cards ahead of time and pull from my collection for whatever occasion is celebrated. Not this card. It was taken from the stash ahead of time and hidden in my drawer. Obviously, I assumed it said something different than it did (and yes, the fact that it started with “your” husband instead of “my” husband should have been my first clue). Had I just taken the time to double-check my assumption, this never would have happened.

My failure was a minor one. No one was hurt by my mistake, but many times that’s not the case. We make costly assumptions all the time, causing us to judge. The person with the handicap sticker who shows no visible impairments. The rude waitress. The beggar on the street corner talking on his cell phone. Read the New Testament. Incorrect assumptions about what the Messiah would be like caused most people not to give Jesus a chance. I have friends who assume there is no God because they can’t see proof. Others believe they will make it to Heaven because they are “good people.”

Any assumption, funny or serious, warrants the time it takes to be validated…which makes me question which of my grandkids probably received an anniversary card instead of a birthday one.

Keys to the Kingdom

I recently made a trip to Anderson, Missouri to attend a ladies’ meeting at the Banner Church. I had volunteered to help Charlene, her mother, and her aunt with the setup for the evening gathering. When we brought stuff into the Life Center, we must have left the outside double doors open too long. After working a while, someone said, “There’s a squirrel!” He scurried around for a few seconds and then dashed into an adjoining classroom. I swiftly closed the doors to the room in order to contain him while Charlene found and told her husband/pastor that a squirrel was running loose in the church. Dennis nonchalantly came downstairs and quickly formulated a simple plan. We would open the outside double doors, arm three of us with push brooms, and then open the classroom doors so the squirrel could easily exit the building.

Prior to opening the squirrel’s door, Charlene felt it was important to remind us that squirrels can run up your britches leg. Dennis opened the door and the squirrel made a run for it; but it was in the wrong direction. He headed straight for me. That squirrel went totally berserk, jumped over my broom and darted up the stairs, banged his head into the glass door and zoomed back down the stairs. Someone was yelling, “Get it, get it!” as I sprinted up the stairs and opened the glass door. That half-crazed squirrel ran around the tables at breakneck speed, darted back up the stairs and burst through the open door. You might think this is just a wild tale from Ray Stevens’ hit song, but I can prove it happened because every bit of it was recorded on the surveillance camera!

I come from a long line of laughing people on both sides of my family, so I have a natural inclination to see humor in things most people don’t notice. Whenever someone told my Mom a comical real-life story and got to the punch line, she’d cackle like a chicken laying an egg. Laughing is good for our health and God makes that clear in His Word. “A merry heart does good, like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones” (Proverbs 17:22 NKJV). A joyful heart will brighten and strengthen your day. The Bible has examples of people who laughed — even God laughs. “And Sarah said, ‘God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me’” (Genesis 21:6 NKJV). Abraham and Sarah named their son “Isaac” which means “He (God) Laughs.” Abraham fell on his face and laughed (see Genesis 17:17).

“We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy” (Psalm 126:2 NLT). What’s on the inside shows on the outside. As kids, we sang: If you’re happy and you know it then your face will surely show it, if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands (or stomp your feet). I once heard a preacher say that some Christians look like they’ve been baptized in dill pickle juice. In the Old Testament, we find that there’s a time for laughing. “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to cry and a time to laugh…“ (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 NLT). Believers should take our laughter medicine every day. Studies show that 30-second belly laughs are good for your immune system. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is let loose and laugh.

My Mom used to say, “You might as well laugh as cry.” I’ve found that to be pretty good advice. I actually laugh and cry all at the same time when something is extremely funny.

The Key: Go ahead and laugh like a hyena or, at least, grin like an opossum.

Rural America has been fighting numerous megatrends that have caused us to shrink since 1941, but no event accelerated this decline more than the 2008 recession. It drained billions of dollars of wealth from our economy, government enacted massive new regulations, and a trillion dollar bailout of Wall Street blew a big hole in the Federal budget; all these events negatively impacted rural America disproportionately.

The genesis of the Great Recession of 2008 was a 1999 action by Fannie Mae, the nation’s biggest underwriter of home mortgages, to weaken mortgage qualification requirements. Congress and the President supported this move by this government-funded organization with the intent of making home ownership more accessible to lower income and minorities buyers; the sub-prime mortgage industry was born.

From 1999 to 2008, the number of these loans grew and standards were further relaxed to support more home ownership. The number of sub-prime loans increased substantially because banks could offer “teaser” rates that would later adjust and earn higher fees. Banks fell all over themselves to originate these highly profitable loans.

Mortgage insurance companies and rating agencies joined the party, by rubber-stamping the insurance application and assigning the rating demanded by the bank to ensure the loans were sold. The Collateralized Mortgage Obligation Bond (CMOs) made up of many of these questionable loans became big business, and investors flocked to purchase them; the lion’s share were purchased by Wall Street investment banks, who then leveraged them again through a new debt instrument called Collateral Debt Obligations (“CDOs”); this was like throwing gasoline on a fire.

The high volume of these mortgages to new homebuyers created a bull market for real estate and values skyrocketed. Everything seemed fine through 2006.

The end started when an increasing number of these unqualified borrowers began defaulting on their loans. Next, the adjustable rate mortgages with teaser rates started to adjust and the homeowner’s mortgage payments jumped dramatically, causing them to be unable to make the much higher payment. In 2008, late payments reached a crescendo, and defaults skyrocketed. As a result, home values dropped and the beginnings of a recession took root.

The final straw was the defaults on many of the CMOs and CDOs owned by Wall Street investment banks, creating the need for Congress to ride to the rescue to head off a much larger crisis; more rural money shipped to big businesses.

What was at the root of this disaster? There was plenty of greed and dishonesty that intensified the crisis, but the heart of the problem was the Federal government inserting themselves in the housing market and creating a vehicle by which banks and mortgage companies could make money on loans they would not normally approve. Ultimately, no one benefitted, especially low-income families and minorities, and we all paid the price.

The best thing Washington, D.C. can do for rural America is to quit inserting themselves into the American way of business and life. I believe that given a choice on a level playing field, Americans will prefer the life offered by small town America and Bourbon County. I know I do.

If you want to know more about this topic, I recommend you watch the movie, The Big Short, released in 2015. It funny, entertaining, star-studded and informative; It does contain a significant amount of profanity.

Barb, a precious friend, has been given a year to live.

“Brain tumor,” she was told. “Radiation and chemo will be administered simultaneously.”

We women who have come to know her through the Bible studies she led in her home, through her dedication to the church where we worship here in Mazatlán, are daily reading the postings of her loving husband, Wes.

They are reminders that we are to trust in God and no one else. I know Barb as a friend with whom I’ve shared lunches where we tell Grandma stories, where we are transparent when we are wounded and know that prayers will be offered on our behalf. She was the women’s leader who invited me to speak at their conference and who always encouraged me to use my gifts. I’m pretty sure she did that with everyone she met.

A few days ago, this was Wes’s morning post: “…As you can see, we are settling in for the battle of Barb’s life! This battle encompasses the tenuous “balance” of which I have written several times, the previously unknown challenges we are increasingly experiencing, the dealing with a plethora of drugs with their attendant effects and side effects, and the necessity of increasingly dealing with the ravages of the multiple maladies—surgery, brain tissue removal, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, pulmonary thrombosis, and urinary infection, all-the-while taking particular care that she not be exposed to Covid. But, with God’s help, care and guidance, we are confident that ‘His ways are greater than our ways’ and that our future and our course is totally in His hands and that is exactly where we want to be!”

Today, Wes continued to bless others in the midst of some tough news that the chemo was discontinued because of his wife’s pulmonary embolism and a UTI, and her radiation was stopped for a week to allow her to gain some strength. “Even eating is tiring and exhausting to her! Giving this situation even a modicum of being tolerable is the incredible love, support and caring that we continue to receive from our Heavenly Father and our friends, family and even acquaintances. Another encouragement for both of us is the ability and opportunity to pray for others of whose needs we are blessed to share.”

Compare that to another Mazatlán friend, “Debra,” who also was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor and given 18 months to live. Yesterday, I spoke with Suzanne, her daughter, who filled me in on all the details that led up to her surgery. Debra and her husband and two adult daughters are atheists, so when I offered to pray for their family and Suzanne said that I could, I was excited. Perhaps through this experience, I thought, they will reexamine their faithless position.

Our phone calls were disconnected three times, and after the last interruption, Suzanne sent me this text: “I guess the texting gods weren’t too keen on us talking.” Not exactly what I hoped for. Two friends of mine. Same age. One whose eternal destiny is secure. One desperately needing to turn to Jesus.

I will continue to pray for both women and their families, but I think we all would agree which of the two is in need of more urgent intercession. Please join me in praying that I might have the right words to share the same Hope on which Wes and Barb rely before it’s too late.

Keys to the Kingdom

Herb Alpert, one of the most-famous trumpet players of all time, was born in Los Angeles, California in 1935. At the age of eight, he began studying the trumpet and had classical training in high school. Years later, while attending a bullfight in Tijuana, Mexico, he was highly inspired by the lively brass music and incorporated that feeling and sound into his own music. Alpert formed his own band and became known as Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Alpert’s style of trumpet playing achieved enormous popularity and he and his band won eight Grammy Awards plus many other musical accomplishments. He has been recording studio albums since 1962 and some of my favorite hits are Spanish Flea, Rise, A Taste of Honey, and Tijuana Taxi. A fun walk down memory lane is The Teaberry Shuffle for the Clark Gum Company’s television ad.

Because of Valentine’s Day, February is the month we think about love. As believers, we ought to focus on love every day. In today’s world there seems to be a problem with what love is and what love is not. Of course, the best way to study love is the written Word of God. “I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels; but if I lack love, I have become merely blaring brass or a cymbal clanging” (1 Corinthians 13:1 CJB). My oven timer has the most-annoying buzzer. When it goes off, I have to press the “off” button immediately because I can’t tolerate the irritating sound of the buzzer. I wonder if that’s what the world thinks of some believers who are merely displaying themselves instead of the love of God.

Exactly what is love anyway? My late husband’s preaching Bible has these particular scriptures underlined: “If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Three things will last forever — faith, hope, and love — and the greatest of these is love“ (1 Corinthians 2,4,5,7,13 NLT).

Walking in love is not always easy. Sometimes love is an uphill climb, but it never falls down. The Aramaic word for love is hooba. The root of the word means “to set on fire.” The concept is “burning love” coming from the inner depths of the heart. Love is essential when we’re involved in difficult relationships at work, home, church, etc. Involvement with porcupine people that are rough around the edges requires a fiery devotion to love. True love is not based on feelings, but rather a commitment.

Believers should have a burning love that overlooks offenses and focuses on what’s good, refusing to harbor any resentment in our hearts. Practicing love is where the rubber meets the road. Without love, we’re just walking around annoying people with our selfish noise. With love, we’re making beautiful music to the ears of those around us.

The Key: If our love sounds like Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, we‘re doing fine. If not, we’re just a pain in the brass section.

It might seem counterintuitive to connect economic vitality to religion, but a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research concludes that there is a strong correlation. Published online in November of 2003, the research performed by Robert Barro and Rachel McCleary in 59 countries over a period of 19 years was summarized by Les Picker in The Digest. The conclusion: economic growth follows strong religious belief and practice.

Supporting this thesis is the compelling evidence that Christian missionaries sent around the world have a strong, positive economic impact on third world nations. This is particularly true of Sub-Sahara Africa, as described in a May 31, 2019 online article entitled, The Economics of Missionary Expansion: Evidence from Africa and Implications for Development. One might think that the resources themselves transported by these travelers caused the growth, but the evidence suggests that the change of character and motivation by the natives created the long-term positive impact.

Since morality and character are attributes that are typically formed in a positive way in religious and spiritual environments, it made sense to me that actions motivated by integrity are productive in an economy. For example, it seems reasonable to conclude that hard work creates economic stimulus, healthy living holds healthcare costs down, and crime-free living mitigates excessive judicial investments by a community; conversely, actions motivated by low moral character can be costly to an economy.

While far from perfect, our Founding Fathers understood this connection. John Adams, who was the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, is famously quoted as saying, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Understanding the tenuous financial condition of the 13 colonies shortly after the American Revolution, these men understood that we could ill-afford misbehavior by its citizens and trusted them to self-govern.

The study by Barro and McCleary further observes that not all religions had the same positive impact; those who have a belief in heaven and hell tended to stimulate more vigorous economic growth. Additionally, strong state support of religious freedom helps the economy, while the persecution of religious thought, such as is the case with communism, has a dampening effect on financial activity. Unfortunately, as the economy grows and strengthens, religious practice tends to wane, and the economy cycles toward weakness again.

One can only conclude that those who have the strongest positive impact on our economy are those among us who have religious beliefs that guide their behavior and the choices they make every day. I encourage you to devote more of your time to your religious beliefs and a faith community of your choice. Bourbon County needs all of us at our best.