Andy Gustafson
The way you spend your money speaks volumes about your values, priorities and life. Almost nothing annoys people more than being told how they should spend their money, except perhaps being told how to give it away. So let me assure you that I am not in a position to tell you what to do with your stimulus check. But I am a philosopher who likes to ask questions, and a business ethicist interested in how the way that we practice business and use our money affects society, as well as a Christian who tries to live out my life according to the teachings of Christ.
So many of us are getting $1200, or more soon. What should we do with it?
“But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? (NAS, 1 John 3:17)
First, some people are struggling with new financial challenges in light of the virus– with a lost job, decreased work hours, a new need for childcare, new responsibilities to help family members financiially, etc. It seems obvious that the $1200 is meant for people in that situation.
But many of us have not lost a job, have no new expenses, and in fact we are needing less money than usual because we have not been going out to eat, not going out for entertainment, and not driving as much. Quite frankly, we do not need this $1200 that we are being sent by the government. What should we do with it?
It seems that you could: a. spend it on yourself however you want b. spend it on yourself, but in a way which might do more to help those in need or c. give it to a charitable organization or a person in need.
Some may say, “if I spend it, I’m helping the economy, which is what the economy needs right now– so it doesn’t matter how I spend it, because I will help the economy as long as I spend it!” Of course if you spend money in the economy it will help the economy at the macro level.
One of my friends said he intended to pay down some debt, and buy himself something nice at Walmart. Of course many of us live with way too much debt, so it is likely many have essentially already spent the $1200 long before they get the check, because they live in deep debt constantly. And paying off debt is great and responsible. If everyone used their stimulus check to pay down debt, the money wouldn’t have the intended effect, which is to get more people to have money to spend in the economy.
Of course there are people who work for walmart, and walmart and other similar large stores are employers of many. But walmart has not suffered in the pandemic. In fact, their sales have jumped 20% in the last month, according to the Wall Street Journal. And Amazon certainly doesn’t need you to give them more money– they are convenient we all know, but the pandemic has given them an obvious competitive advantage over local stores.
One question you might ask is, “which businesses have been most harmed by the pandemic?” and then consider spending your money there, rather than at Amazon or Walmart or to pay down debt. Obviously restaurants have been hurt severely, especially local places such as Levenworth’s cafe, Lisa’s radial, and other such local places. Smaller local boutique stores have also been impacted severely. We have a friend and neighbor who sells tea both retail online and to local coffee shops, and her business has suffered (people tend to like to sit and drink their tea at the coffee shop, so sales are down). So thoughtfully considering how your money spent might help stores you really care about may be a nice idea. Of course frequently people don’t spend money with those thoughts in mind, and then they gripe about the effects. I still remember when McDonalds opened in my hometown and suddenly people started flocking there for the cheaper burgers and cones instead of the longstanding locally run dairyqueen which had employed generations of teens in Aurora. And then when Chuck’s drive in closed down, everyone said “oh, I’m so sad Churcks closed” although, of course, we were all responsible for that demise due to our choices…
Finally, you might consider simply giving your money to someone else who is really in need to spend. This still helps the economy– those people will spend it instead of you. Or you might give it to an organization who knows who is really in need, to help people who are truly suffering at this time. In doing so, you are helping the economy, as your money is going back into circulation in the economy.
If you are the kind of person motivated by what the Bible says, I think its pretty clear that if we have enough, we are to give to those in need.
The Bible clearly says that what we make is not simply our own to do with what we want– that is not a Biblical concept. Rather, God says,
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God.” (NRSV, Leviticus 19:9-10)
We are called to give some of what God gives us through our work and blessings to others– particularly the poor and the alien (not our grandkids).
If you have no concern for helping your neighbor, and not being gracious, you are sinning. This also is clear: “He who despises his neighbor sins, but happy is he who is gracious to the poor.” (NAS, Proverbs 14:21)
What we are called to do is to help those who are in need:
“Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble! Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day. And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. (TLB, Isaiah 58:10-11)
If we have what we need, then we should give any excess to those who are in need:
“And the crowds asked [John the Baptist], “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” (NRSV, Luke 3:10-11)
Some will say, “I can do whatever I want to with my own money” and of course that is true– you can do whatever you want to do with it. But there is clear guidance providing some principles for us at Christians to follow, if we intend to use our money as God has called us to.
“But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? (NAS, 1 John 3:17)
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