Downward Mobility

I always want to be very careful about how I say this, and I hope you’ll hear me out, but I believe that the recession has been one of the biggest blessings that our country needed.  OK, before you think I’m totally crazy, let me explain…

I do not in any way wish to downplay the real hardships that people are facing right now.  They are significant and at times overwhelming, no doubt.  However, have you noticed the good that is coming out of all this?  There is so much good happening.  Here are just a handful in no particular order other than as they come to my mind.

1- People are walking away from the pursuit of stuff.
2- People are reconnecting with God’s green earth and its provision for us.
3- People are realizing the unsustainability of our consumer-crazy culture.
4- People are more carefully evaluating their spending, focusing on quality not quantity.
5- People are reducing and reusing more, instead of just recycling and throwing away.
6- People are becoming more conscious of negative environmental impacts on their health.
7- People are plugging back into to community and sharing more.
8- People are returning to entrepreneurship.
9- People are regaining time with family.
10- People are turning back to their faith.

In our household, we are on an intentional journey of what we like to call “downward mobility.”  Do we own a home-based business?  Yes.  Do we desire to grow that business as large as the Lord allows?  Yes.  Do we do it for our own gain?  Only partly.  Our take on business and entrepreneurship is this: it is a way for God to meet our needs and then bless others through us.  At the same time as we are growing a business, we are seeking to reduce what we consider to be our needs.  By intentionally learning to live with less and less, we are finding a deeper connection to God, family, community, and the earth, and we are creating space for God to pour out even greater blessing to others through us.  Instead of focusing on wanting more and striving in our business to attain those new heights of material living, we are focusing on wanting: less stuff, more meaningful connections with people, and for God to grow our business to the extent that He wants to position us to be a blessing to others in the future.

And we are so thankful for how God has used this perspective to put up a strong shield around our hearts and minds during a recession.