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Scrooge Economics?
this celebration (paraphrased):
"And so it was said,
from that year forth by those who knew him, that none
could enjoy the Christmas Season as much as Ebenezer
c
,,
~crooge
....
If this economist has learned anything in nearly
three decades of instruction and research, it is that poor
people (and poor nations) can't help poor people (and
poor nations) very much. Prosperous people (and
prosperous nations) can help poor people (and poor
nations).
Today, we give goods and services out of our
abundance.
It
is not that we love mankind more than
people in other lands love mankind, rather that material
possessions come to us so easily through our American
incentive system.
It
is a far cry from unconverted
Ebenezer Scrooge's caustic retort against making
seasonal contributions to the impoverished:
·~re
there
no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"
Some would say,
''But the bad done by business
would fill a book."
Yes; no contest. However, the good
done by most businesses (growth, jobs, new products,
rising standard of living, tax base, etc.) would fill a
library. I would like to believe that all business people
could become like Scrooge after he
·~aw
the light
(and
felt the heat). "
We can become so consumed with collecting
material things that the Word of God is crowded out of
our hearts. I John 3: 17 states in clear terms the
attitude of the early church:
''But who has this world's
goods andbeholds his brother in need, andshuts up his
compassion from him, how does the love ofGod abide
in him?"
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