Making it in the Marketplace - No Place for Children

Making it in the Marketplace—No place for Children
By Lesley Barker c. 2007
A successful business owner recently told me that a lot of nonprofits just don’t understand the marketplace and that is why many of them are in such chronic financial trouble. It reminded me of when Jesus criticized people for being like children sitting in the marketplace and not responding correctly. We played the flute for you but you did not dance….(Luke 7:31 NRSV). Basically he was stating that the marketplace has signals that grownups understand and follow or respond to. Unlike his admonition that one must become like little children in order to enter God’s Kingdom, when in the marketplace, it is not wisdom to exhibit childlike qualities. Kids in the marketplace go after shiny baubles. They don’t consider quality but they look for the lowest price. They think money is endlessly available. They tantrum if told no. They may try to steal just to get a piece of candy. They can be easily taken advantage of and they do not know how to comparison shop. Jesus also applauded certain adult marketplace behaviors. He commended shrewd networking, a calculating approach, a willingness to pay what something costs, and making deals to avoid being in debt. The Bible also advises that one not be overly open about ones business goals or feelings. It suggests that we should be willing to take risks to gain riches, to negotiate for the best deals, and to consider contractual agreements binding. It also expects employers to pay the people they hire extra generously, not to abuse employees or make them have to sacrifice to satisfy the boss, and give them regular and adequate time off and bonuses. While children are known to understand the Kingdom of God, they do not understand the marketplace. Success in both arenas requires wisdom and is available to grownups who can decide whether it is incumbent on them to behave in childlike or mature ways. For nonprofit organizations to be healthy, sustainable, growing, and effective, they need to function with wisdom and maturity in business matters. After all, Jesus concluded in the same passage, wisdom is vindicated by all her children. (Luke 7:35 NRSV).