Joseph, the father of Jesus, was a carpenter. Joseph did not work for free. He earned a living from his carpentry trade. Joseph was able to choose how his income was spent. Joseph trained Jesus in the same trade.
Joseph did not do his job for free without estimating the profit he would gain from completing a carpentry job. As a result, Joseph was able to own a home, provide food and clothing for his family, give his tithe, and make offerings. He also followed Jewish law on how to righteously manage his income under a primitive form of capitalism.
A simple definition of capitalism has been described as an economic system where private individuals or businesses own and control property and resources. It is the private ownership of a business, large or small, in a free market that generates personal profit. Those who receive that profit are the ones who decide what to do with the profit.
Capitalism requires a free market to function. That freedom was hijacked from Europeans in the Middle Ages when ownership of private property came under the control of a government ruled by Lords. It forced people into a feudal system where any ownership and profit came under the control of the Lord of a region or nation. The freer form of capitalism that we see today only emerged a few hundred years ago.
Where capitalism gets a bad rap is when greed and the pursuit of power control its use. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed the human heart, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (6:21). Regarding our finances and how we spend our income or profits, the Lord gave a clear warning, “You cannot serve both God and money” (24). He added, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (vs.33).
The latter removed the need to follow a fear of not having enough, making us vulnerable to a life of financial compromise. Profit is not the bottom line in our finances. Our bottom line is the condition of our hearts and what kingdom we choose to serve.
Every culture has a system where income is generated. In its purest form, capitalism gives us the greatest freedom, the freedom to offer our bounty to God for His purposes. If we can live a life motivated by a heart that honors and serves God foremost, the Lord will be faithful to add to our lives what we need without letting greed and a never-ending accumulation of wealth and power derail our lives.
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8).
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Garris Elkins
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