TURBULENT MARKETS

Turbulence in world markets is bad news for everyone but it’s a good time to remind ourselves that in the long term the stability of any economy depends upon the Christian values of honesty and hard work.  No amount of clever stock market trading can be a substitute for God fearing workers who do not have greedy hearts.

For centuries British banks have been the envy of the world.  Sadly, greedily lending money at high interest rates to borrowers they knew could not pay it back, has dragged our banking system into disgrace.  It has brought anxiety to investors who always thought they could trust their bank, and created havoc in the housing market, leading to the misery of re-possession.

In complete contrast Adam Hodgson, who in 1829 was one of the founders of the Liverpool City Mission, was a business man with strong convictions.  He became the founder and director of the Bank of Liverpool (now Barclays Bank).  In addition he fought for the abolition of slavery.  He also became one of the founders of the Liverpool/Manchester railway principally designed to be of economic and educational benefit to the working classes.  This was the first passenger carrying railway in the world!  True national wealth cannot be measured by gold reserves or the FT Index!  Its real stocks lie in reverent reserves of godliness.  This reverence for God is the beginning of all wisdom. It produces great stocks of kindness, courtesy and conscientiousness and shares of fairness between employer and employee.

The Bible says, “Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord.” [ Psalm 33:12 ]  Nations can only be truly happy and prosperous when they honour God, keep His commandments and teach people to repent of their sins and trust Jesus Christ as their Saviour. [See 1 Samuel 2:30 and John 3:16]