I haven’t spent much time contemplating how my profession and faith interact. I suppose there was a hesitancy to explore the idea. After all, Jesus turned the tables on the money changers at the Temple in Jerusalem.
Could there be a conflict between being a financial advisor and a Christian? Is there a place for my faith as I assist the wealthiest in our society with their financial decisions? The former CEO of Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, was vilified in the press for claiming the firm was doing “God’s work.” Perhaps this fed my subconscious aversion to avoid the topic entirely.
However, as I have given attention to this question over the past few weeks, I have found my faith everywhere in my work. It’s in the photo a client sends of her children and grandchildren celebrating her latest birthday. In the story, a widow shares about finding new love and companionship with an unexpected friend and neighbor or the text of the engagement ring a client plans to give his girlfriend later that evening. My soul is nourished by the recent birth announcement of a client’s son. It includes a photo of him wearing the custom gift we send to new parents, emblazoned with our firm logo and the phrase, “We ♥ Our Small Caps.” The trust required to advise families on their most crucial financial decisions is rooted in faith. It requires a willingness to listen, empathize, and guide. I can’t help but hear the teachings of Christ in these qualities.
A few years ago, my female colleagues teamed up to provide pro bono financial planning to mothers impacted by the pandemic. The Moms are Cool program was even featured on CNBC. We worked with ten mothers throughout the summer, providing one-on-one counseling and group classes on budgeting, saving, paying off debt, and investing. I advised one of the mothers to keep track of her student loan payments. As a social worker for a government agency, she would be eligible for loan forgiveness after 120 (or ten years) payments. The red tape of this loan forgiveness program is notoriously difficult to manage. A very low percentage of those who apply have their loan balances forgiven, even though they likely qualify. She emailed me recently that her application was successful. I shared this exciting news with my colleagues, stating that it was the best email I’d received in my career.
I want to thank Ashley Eastham for asking me to contribute to this Labor Day project. It has allowed me to connect with my faith in a new way. If we look deep enough, our faith is everywhere, especially in our labor, where we spend a significant portion of our waking hours.
