We closely monitor many financial health indicators. Each day we look at the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ to check the pulse of stock markets. We examine unemployment statistics, cost of living increases, mortgage rates, manufacturing, productivity, and currency exchange rates. We dissect rates of saving, spending, and borrowing. We compare our economy with Europe, Asia and smaller markets. We are concerned about inventory backlogs of homes and cars. We wonder about outsourcing jobs to India and are worried about America's future economy. I think we've got the business side of America pretty thoroughly covered. What if we had some kind of Spiritual Health Index. We could measure the percentage of folks who were confident they were in the Kingdom of God and headed for heaven. We could evaluate the ratio of self-centeredness to selflessness in our actions and activities. We could evaluate the emphasis level within homes on spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Bible study vs. entertainment and television watching. We might look at a ratio that measured the emphasis on material success vs. spiritual contentment.
I'm not sure such a "Spiritual Health Index" could ever grow into an index fund that you could invest in, but it might be eye-opening to consider how little we emphasize or treasure the health of the "inner person" or the condition of the culture, as a whole.
Deuteronomy 25:15 "You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."
Mark 4:24 "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more."
blessings,
Rob Smith
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