"In the days of service, all things were founded..."

"And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself.

For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there—and looketh upon his sons and saith I am just?

Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine."

 Doctrine and Covenants 38:25-27 

Virtue and integrity are so vital to an economy because as Charles Handy said, when we are dishonest and erode trust, the game (economy) becomes so unreliable that no one will want to enter it and engage with it. In many companies in America, personal ethics have been abandoned for the pursuit of money, power, and status. Handey suggests that the whole business culture may have become distorted even to the degree that "it also contributed to a decline in civic society and to an erosion of the attention and money paid to the nonbusiness sectors of health, education, and transport ." He reports that CEOs in America are making more than 400 times what their lowest-paid workers are making. 

Handey says that the real justification for business is to do more or do something better. This makes sense. One person alone will likely not be able to have the impact that many people together can have. A business facilitates the many coming together as one in purpose. If that purpose is noble and good then this business can do something better and leave a positive footprint on the world. 

Two of Handey's solutions that I agree with are 1) more corporate democracy and better corporate behavior and 2) considering outcome for others as well as ourselves as the measure of success. First, improving corporate behavior and democracy: he says that we need to associate with a cause in order to give purpose to our lives and I understand this to be the life of the business. This means that the existence is not to go to all lengths to make money for the company's executives. And second, considering outcome for others as the measure of success. Not all businesses need to be nonprofit in order to improve the world, but Handey pointed out that "doing good does not necessarily rule out making a reasonable profit."

This article in combination with our other readings, especially that of Elder Robert Gay's address, have reminded me that our purpose is not just to improve ourselves, but for the betterment of our brethren around the world. Where much is given, much is required and very much has been given to me and my family. 

The Shetobreyon Principle states that "in the days of service, all things were founded, in the days of special privilege, they deteriorated, and in the days of vanity they are destroyed." My personal mission is to reside in the days of service where there is creation and it is consecrated to the building of God's kingdom here on earth.