Snapshots and Synapses

See  What does God's Economy Look Like? (Part 1)  for context. Economy is built around value, so what does God value? Scripture says that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills . He has no need that is beyond His ability to provide. We know that God is the very nature of love , and that those that know God love others. In fact, if we don't love others, we don't know God. An often quoted Bible verse ( John 3:16 ) tells us:  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." This verse alone demonstrates what God values. It's been said that if you want to know what someone values, look at their how they spend their money and how they spend their time. We know that God the Father loves Jesus (see John 3:35 , Matthew 3:17 , John 5:20 , John 17:24 ), so for Him to give His only Son shows that God the Father loves the world. But is it the world He values or what is in the world? Jesus didn't ...

Ok, so this is a topic that some people may never have considered, and it assumes that the Kingdom of God has an economy. I’ve heard some people refer to different economic systems as reflecting God’s heart. Some have  claimed that socialism / communism is true to the early church: to each according their needs; from each according to their abilities. Others claim that Capitalism entrusts God to move the market and is His designed economic system. Obviously these perspectives can’t both be true. I’ve considered the question “what is God’s economy?”  for years and have some thoughts on it that I’ll get to in a follow-on blog, But first, allow me to step back to what I wrote 15 years ago: Perturbations . I believe what I wrote in 2011 above will provide some necessary context. Continued in part 2 . copyright ©2026 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/)

When I met my wife, I was recently separated from the Navy and she was an intern for a congressman. Within a year, I proposed, and 6 months later, we were married. There was so much that we didn’t know, that we were trying to figure out. We had both recommitted our lives to Jesus shortly before meeting, and although I had a bachelor’s degree and experience as a naval officer, finances were tight. I was trying to figure out a vocational path and praying for God’s leading. He led me, but didn’t give me the answer I wanted to hear. I clearly heard Him tell me that it didn’t matter what I did vocationally so long as I took Him with me. I asked my spiritual mentors at the time if that sounded right, and they all affirmed it. On one hand it was freeing and on the other hand it was frustrating. I wanted a clear answer, and instead I was given freedom and along with it: responsibility. At that time, Dr. James Dobson, a christian psychologist, had a radio ministry called Focus on the Family, an...