Throwback Thursday: The Economy of Enough
What if the real crisis of our time isn’t a shortage of goods or a gap in GDP—but a poverty of imagination?
Episode 7, “Dinghies and Yachts,” taught us that we live in a fleet of very unequal vessels. Episode 6, “Water Into WiFi,” reminded us that technology—no matter how miraculous—can deepen divides when it’s guided by profits instead of people. And Episode 8, “Dam Good Neighbours,” showed us how communities can rise together when we refuse to let anyone drown alone.
Taken together, these lessons point to a deeper question: what kind of economy do we want? One that values competition and accumulation, or one rooted in sufficiency and shared dignity?
In most churches, we hear sermons about stewardship and blessing. “Work hard,” they say, “and God will multiply your seed.” Yet across our cities and suburbs, people struggle to cover rent, buy groceries, or access health care—despite working multiple jobs.
This isn’t mere coincidence. It’s by design. Modern capitalism treats labor as a cost to minimize, and consumer demand as a market to grow. “More” becomes the only acceptable goal: more productivity, more profits, more growth. But the deeper you chase “more,” the further you distance yourself from “enough.”
An economy of enough asks different questions:
How do we ensure every worker earns a living wage—regardless of their job title?
What happens when we build automation to free people from drudgery, not to slash headcounts?
How might we share resources so that “plenty” means truly abundant life for all?
Episode 6 tackled AI and automation, marveling at what machines can do—and bracing for what they threaten to disrupt. There’s no question that innovation can spark hope: freeing us from repetitive tasks, enhancing creativity, and connecting remote communities with digital water wells or telehealth.
Yet when algorithms are steered by corporate profit alone, the gains flow to the few. Gig workers lose benefits. Retail staff face unpredictable schedules. Knowledge workers fear obsolescence. And entire towns wonder: “Will our industry ever come back?”
A gospel-rooted economy insists that technology serve humanity, not the other way around. It insists on:
Universal basic protections, so no one is left in the tide of disruption
Retraining and apprenticeship, so workers aren’t tossed aside by faster code
Democratic oversight, so decisions about automation include those most affected
Jesus never told us to worship progress. He told us to love people. Let’s build AI and automation with that priority.
Episode 8’s “Dam Good Neighbours” celebrated grassroots solidarity: sliding-scale health clinics, community bike shops, shared kitchens that turn extra produce into free meals. These local acts of generosity are prophetic because they name what “enough” looks like in real life.
When a neighbor shares their garden tomatoes or volunteers at an after-school program, they model what an economy of enough can achieve: surplus becomes gift, not stockpile. Talent meets need. Hospitality replaces hoarding.
But small acts alone are not enough. True sufficiency demands systemic change:
Tax structures that ask the wealthiest to contribute fairly
Public investment in childcare, housing, and mental health—because these aren’t luxuries, they’re foundations for flourishing
Cooperatives and mutual aid networks that let workers and community members decide how resources are used
This is not charity. It’s justice. It’s an economy that acknowledges: none of us are whole until all of us have enough.
At its heart, an economy of enough is a spiritual vision. It rejects the lie that human worth is tied to paycheck size. It declares that every child deserves nourishment, every elder deserves care, and every life carries infinite value.
Scripture brims with this logic: manna daily enough for each family, land distributed so no one is ever landless, jubilee years wiping the slate clean. These weren’t quaint rituals—they were radical resets to keep society honest.
We’re overdue for our own jubilee. Not just a tax break, but a collective remembrance that the earth’s resources—and God’s grace—are enough for everyone. That every worker, every artist, every caregiver, every dreamer, and every soul has a sacred claim to life’s essentials.
Not sure whether you’re in a dinghy or a yacht? That’s okay. These aren’t moral labels—they’re vantage points. Ask yourself:
Do I regularly lose sleep over rent, food, or access to care?
Do I face instability even while working full-time or more?
Or do I have savings, stable housing, and income that allows choice and cushion?
If you answered yes to the first two—you’re likely paddling hard, and the system is failing you.
If you answered yes to the last—you’re likely in steadier waters, with influence and options others don’t have.
This isn’t about shame. It’s about clarity. So we can respond with honesty and compassion.
If you’re reading this from a “dinghy,” know this: faith communities are raising lifeboats. We’re repurposing buildings for food banks, lobbying councils for livable wages, setting up digital literacy tables.
If you’re on a “yacht,” listen closely: generosity isn’t a gift—it’s your responsibility. An economy of enough calls you to invest your surplus in people, not just portfolios.
And if you’re somewhere in between—part dinghy, part cruise ship—welcome. Most of us are. Just don’t look away. Because even a modest boat can help pull someone else aboard.
Jesus calmed storms, fed thousands from scraps, and rewrote the rules about power and privilege. Nothing is too broken to be redeemed. Not even this.