Stimulus Plan

It seems to be the topic everyone is talking about; the topic that everyone has an opinion on. Over these last couple of weeks, our nation has debated over whether to do a stimulus plan for the economy or not. They’ve debated how much we should do and what should be included. Should it include increased spending or decreased taxation? They’ve debated on the effect of the outcome and the consequences of such a plan. They’ve debated on what has caused this crisis and who’s at fault. They’ve considered who should be helped and who shouldn’t be based on who they think caused this crisis.

It’s tiring listening to the conversations going on; the opinions that are broadcast to the masses. So, here’s my opinion, my two cents. Get to the root of the problem and focus only on that!
Here’s the thing I don’t hear much about. Our economy is much like a see-saw kids play on. There’s a balance to it and if the kids weigh the same you could actually have the see-saw stay level. But what happens when one is heavier? They drop to the ground and would have to give a push off the ground to be able to keep moving. If they get off and just let go as they do, the other end drops to the ground and the child on that end can get seriously hurt.

The same can be said of our economy. An 800 pound guerilla got off the see-saw. Home values dropped dramatically; in Arizona some places have dropped more than 50%, most of that is in debt (aka someone else’s money). I’m not an economist and I may be oversimplifying the situation. In my opinion, when that much money has been pulled out of the economy in a relatively short period of time, people will get hurt and they won’t jump back in very quickly; it will take time to rebalance and trust who’s on the other end of the see-saw. In the mean time, there is substantially less money circulating in the economy causing fewer jobs and lower pay.

There are a few ways to off set that cycle whether it’s families, businesses, or government; currently we’re focusing on the government doing it. The entity that can produce more money (i.e. the government) can either spend their way out (increase government debt putting money into the economy now to be paid back later), increase the money flow (print more money which lowers the value of that currency which leads to inflation) or they can reduce taxes (leave more money in the economy and reduce government spending to match). Keep in mind, there still is a balance and each one has a consequence. And with each one of these, we’re trying to fix our money problems with money.

I personally don’t think our government should be fixing the problem in our economy by spending money or printing money. In doing so, they are simply getting on the see-saw. They shouldn’t be on it but govern the way it’s played on to maintain some sort of balance and fairness and to maintain the core values of the founding fathers of our nation. Had it been governed properly before, I don’t believe they would need to get on now.

But we still haven’t got to the root of the problem that we should be focusing on. You can’t buy your way out of a problem, whether it’s our economy, our relationships with others, marriages, etc. Only submitting to God’s plan will fix the problem. God has given us His Word to solve this crisis.

He tells us in Deuteronomy 8:17-20 -
You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God.

It is God that gives us the ability to produce wealth when we seek Him. When our nation starts to seek God and His ways, then our nation will be healed and revived; we’ll have new inventions and discoveries develop wealth in our nation that will benefit others first. In the process of discovery and development of new inventions, we’ll increase our national production and cure our financial problems. When we return to our roots and be a nation under God called to be lenders not borrowers, we’ll reduce our personal and national debts and increase our influence in the world.

God Is Amazing!

Let me just say, God is amazing! I don’t understand it; I don’t have an agenda; I don’t even know what’s up next. But He never fails to bring me back to a central point about our foundations. It’s been in various conversations with completely different people and times over the last couple of weeks. And I know He’s not done with this topic yet because there are deeper truths and revelations that keep coming up.


Take the economy for instance. This country has and still is going through a great transition. From a country that was prosperous from acquiring stuff through debt to seeing the value of those items vanish and the results of that devastating economic transition. With unemployment on the rise, personal net worth dropping, companies struggling to survive and seeking government bailouts and laying off more workers, it’s become a vicious downward cycle. Now I believe we’re in a stage where people are afraid to spend or invest because they don’t know what’s next and they don’t want any more debt or losses. But the very fear of not knowing what is coming next will keep raising unemployment rates and lowering housing prices, it will keep the downward cycle going until we realize things are going to be ok.


Now, I’m not suggesting we should go spend frivolously or incur any debt. But the very thing we are afraid of will happen unless something changes the cycle. It says in Job 3:25, “What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.” I believe there are many people that have taken it to extremes - people that have jobs, have reserve funds, and have provision for their daily needs but are hoarding cash because of the tremendous fear in the world. I’ve heard from several that have said they’ve stopped taking the family out to dinner; they’ve stopped going on trips or to the movies; they’ve stopped giving to those in need. They’ve stopped doing the things they enjoy or doing for others; they’ve stopped living. I know it’s contrary to what the world says about building your savings, and unemployment is at 7.2% and likely will rise further. Look at it another way, that means that 92.8% are employed! The majority of the nation is at work and by eliminating extra spending this will continue to eliminate jobs. You might say, what difference can one person make and you’re right to an extent. Households make up 75% of our national economy and it would take many households to change the direction.


The point is this, what is it that rules our decisions? What’s the foundation that we are standing on? Are we living in fear of the future or hope for a better tomorrow, regardless of who the President is? This is a perspective I believe God has given me to challenge my thinking. By no means should you do anything different without seeking God’s direction. For me though, I’ve been a saver really for all of my life. He’s shown me that when I choose to buy something, someone else just might be able to keep their job. And that the resources He’s blessed me with should remain in motion so that other people are blessed also. He’s challenged me with the story of Ruth and Boaz, leaving remnants of the harvest so that Ruth could collect and feed herself and Naomi (Ruth 2). He’s shown me the value of observing the seasons as Joseph did and store up in the plentiful times to have enough for the lean years (Gen. 41-45). But now in my walk, I believe He’s challenging me to “give to others so that He can give back to you.”


- “Fear is faith contaminated”

- “There’s nothing to fear but fear itself”

- “Fear and faith cannot coexist”

- “Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real”

- “Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness.” – James Thurber