Does God Want Us to Profit?

A few weeks ago I attended a conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, hosted by the Acton Institute. Acton is a think-tank that exists for “the study of religion and liberty.” I went, excited to learn about the relationship between Christian principles and economics and the free-market. I learned an incredible amount at the conference and had many “Ah ha!” moments, some of which I'll share.

My eyes were definitely opened to my own prejudices toward capitalism, big business and profits. I considered myself a fair-minded person, unaffected by society’s constant vilifying of these things, but quickly learned I too had bought into some of the myths about the market. For example, the word “profit” is often given a negative connotation, particularly in discussions about oil companies or pharmaceutical companies. Yet, profits are not intrinsically bad. Without profits, companies go out of business and the services we desire disappear.

As companies are profitable, they create more jobs. And job creation is the most effective way to alleviate poverty. In a free market, profitable companies can take risks and grow, or even fail but have the opportunity to try again, pushing advances in science, medicine, engineering, etc. Furthermore, profits allow businesses to be charitable.

Sunday night, as I watched Extreme Home Makeover with my 6-year old daughter, we saw a family benefit from a CVS Pharmacy donation of more than $50,000. My daughter commented about the generosity of the gift saying, "That's so nice!" I couldn’t have agreed more. And without those “greedy, big business capitalists” over at CVS Pharmacy, the family would never have received that donation to meet their tremendous needs.

The Bible warns that the “love of money,” not money itself, “is the root to all sorts of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Let us not mistake such misplaced love of profit for pursing profit itself or working hard for the fruit of one’s labor. Indeed, the Proverbs commend the latter: “All hard work brings a profit” (14:23). Certainly the love of money can lead to greed, corruption, and all sorts of evil things in the world of business, but pursuit of profit coupled with virtue can bring God’s blessing not only to oneself but to others as well.