GROWTH AS A CATALYST FOR CHALLENGING US TO BE OUR BEST

          In an effort to pre-empt the Democrats' plan, the White House said on Monday that Bush's stimulus plan would include $600+ billion in expenditures over 10 years to boost the economy, including providing over 90 million taxpayers with a tax cut this year and benefit some 35 million people who get income from dividends.

          Despite all the rhetoric by both parties, the essence of the difference between the two stimulus plans are: Bush's plan is dominated by tax cuts, while the Democrats' plan is dominated by increased government spending.  Bush's plan is designed to provide stimulus over the long-term, while the Dems' plan is heavily front-loaded for the near-term.  As well, Bush's plan would increase the budget deficit more than the Dems' plan, at least in the first year or two.  The Republican bet is that the stimulus will more than cover the budget deficit.

          With the business world, both short-term and                        long-term investment is required!  The bottom line is an investing business is a successful business.  But what is wise?  Where should that investment take place and where should it not?

          Take an infant (start-up Organization), for example, the only way is up. You must grow the organization in order to be able to sustain your company.  You probably started it when you were working for someone else full-rime.  In this stage you are very opportunistic. You probably are willing to do about anything to make a buck.

          There-in  lies the problem.  Stretching yourselves thin                 in ways that don’t serve your “motivated abilities”                 as an organization or your vision and long-term                    mission, for that matter.

         While you started to service left-handed widgets you                 now make right-handed thing-a-ma-bobs.  Why?                  Because you began to believe you could do anything              after having so much success with left-handed                  widgets! 

           In the process of making the decision, you probably didn’t have enough time to think straight.  And one of the things you realize now is that you don't know nearly enough, so you embark on an accelerated learning process.  The number one reason that CEO’s or business owners make bad decisions, especially in young businesses is that they moved to fast.  They didn’t get all the facts.  They didn’t really survey the land before they decided to conquer it.

           That's not any different for a new Christian. You are starved for additional information.  You want to move forward with wisdom.  Fortunately you have an all-purpose guidebook, the Bible.  For a businessman or woman, reading Proverbs is a MUST.  For a business owner or CEO, not reading Proverbs can be equated to shooting yourself in the foot.

           A proverb a day will keep the consultants at bay.

           WHAT DOES THE WORD OF GOD HAVE TO SAY?

          2 Tim 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
(NIV)

          2 Peter 1:3-4

          His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature

          NASU