We have certain views and ideas about business, charity and our calling. We seem to accept certain beliefs about these two types of organizations, especially when it comes to our calling.
Business
These days business receives of a lot of scorn. We deride business as being greedy and selfish. We call business owners, “fat cats,” and we claim that it’s not fair if business makes “too much.”
Sometimes our thinking about business is revealed in the language we use even when we’re not intending to slight business. And sometimes this sort of language even comes from business themselves.
A business may get involved in some charity work can call it, “giving back.” If charity work is “giving back,” what does that say about the business’ other activities? Is the business’ normal activities “taking for themselves?”
I certainly hope not. At least this isn’t how business is supposed to operate. The core of business is trading. For example, I trade some eggs in exchange for a few loaves of bread. The trading is supposed to be mutually beneficial. Money then is just an intermediary of exchange so I can get bread even if the baker doesn’t need my eggs this week.
Neither party should leave the trade feeling like they were swindled. I’ve encountered businesses that don’t follow this principle. I believe A business that manipulates people into buying their product should go out of business. Yet, I wouldn’t decry that all business is evil – only those folks in this particular business.
Some businesses do an enormous amount of good in the world, and in my opinion, shouldn’t feel obligated to participate in charity work to assuage guilt from being a business. Business isn’t evil by nature, and they shouldn’t feel guilty.
Charity
If we believe business is inherently evil, then charity organizations must be good. Charities are not motivated by profit, so how can they be bad?
First I want to say that there are a lot of really good charity organizations out there. However, just like I don’t want to label all business as bad by their nature, I also don’t want to give charities a blank check either.
I think it’s worth looking at a charity’s track record. Not only are there fake charities defrauding us of our money, but there are well intended charities who appear to be doing good, but are in fact just being ineffective.
Calling
So what does this have to do with our calling? Some folks will hear the word ‘calling’ and assume that this must involve a cause or be some charity work.
Possibly the thinking is: If it’s for my calling, then it must be pure. So I can’t be accepting money.That would corrupt my calling.
The truth, though, is that making money doesn’t inherently take from people. It’s an exchange. If we do an awesome job providing an amazing product or very enjoyable service, the money we make is just the applause we get for doing awesome.
Making money is taking only when we take people’s money not intending to provide something of equal or greater value in return. In this case, we’re really just a con man.
So our calling can be something for which we’re paid. It can also be something where we volunteer. It doesn’t have to look a certain way. We should check our assumptions before we mentally lock ourselves out of good opportunities.
