An Interview with Douglas Hicks: Do We Have Money Enough?

In a time of economic and job insecurities, Dr. Douglas A. Hicks, author of Money Enough (Wiley, 2010), and professor of leadership studies and religion at the University of Richmond, offers some practical spiritual insights as to how we can put our finances into their proper perspective.

What does it mean for Christians to have abundant life? (John 10:10)

Abundance doesn't mean getting rich, at least not in terms of money. Abundance is a form of living that is joyful and in accord with God's good purposes for one's life and for the world. It means fulfillment, not in terms of instant gratification, but in the deep sense of living out one's calling.

Why doesn't wealth equate to happiness?

The author of Isaiah asks, "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread? Why do you labor for things that do not satisfy?" (55:2) Gaining more wealth does not increase our happiness as much as we think it will, and there are various unforeseen consequences of wealth that are even negative. Not least of these is the extra hours and stress that people may need to devote in order to earn that money. And then once we have it, we worry about protecting it. Don't get me wrong: At economic levels at which people are struggling to survive, extra money does, in fact, lead to meeting basic needs, and thus it improves well-being. But at some point beyond attaining the essentials, we lose the capacity to distinguish wants from needs.

How do we know when we have enough stuff?

That's a good question. I write in Money Enough about my trip across Europe as a student carrying a backpack that was too heavy. I thought I needed all that stuff to enjoy my summer, but I was literally overburdened by my possessions. Meanwhile, my friend traveling with me had a very light backpack but still always had enough to get by. This is a metaphor for how stuff can become a real problem—to buy, store, maintain, insure, and so on. Economic studies suggest that we never really recognize that possessions become cumbersome, and that most people, from those just above poverty to the super-rich, think that if they just had an additional 20-25% of their income, they would be able to satisfy their needs. We can't keep up with our own desires. We need to have friends and communities who can help us say "enough is enough."

Given this current economy, how do we follow Jesus' call for us not to worry (Matt. 16:19-24)?

I read Jesus' words here to be his hope for people—that they would be able to keep economic worries from taking over their lives. It is also a statement of comfort, of faith, that God intends the best for each of us. That doesn't mean, of course, that people are not going to worry. But anxiety can readily become debilitating, and so the more we can channel our concerns productively, the better off we will be.

How do you define "vocation" during a time of economic crisis and job (in)security?

Vocation is about our calling—and the one who calls us is God. Vocation is not limited to one's paid labor—and that is a good thing, when many people are facing unemployment, underemployment, or employment at jobs that are simply place-holders until they can find something they find fulfilling. In whatever situation we find ourselves, we should try to discern, as best we can, with the help of our friends, what God calls us to do. For those of us who are privileged to have jobs that we love, we should strive to find employment opportunities for others or to support policies that create new jobs in a systemic way. That is, it is everyone's vocation to also attend to the vocations of others.

What can we learn from the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) about what it means to live in a global economy?

In Money Enough, I include an entire chapter called "expanding our community," and the Good Samaritan is the lead story. Samaritans and Jews were like Soviets and Americans in the Cold War: arch-enemies. What about today, in economic terms? We are called to be global neighbors to everyone, to recognize the human dignity within each of the 1.4 billion people who are in absolute poverty—earning, according to the World Bank, less than $1.25 per day. That is $450 per year! Lest someone say, "Well, that figure is for countries where bread is cheap," this calculation has already been adjusted for purchasing power in local contexts. The challenge of the Good Samaritan is a global one. And so it calls us to be generous—and forward-thinking—toward our global neighbors. This has real, practical implications for responding to the crisis in Haiti, not to mention elsewhere around the world.