Generational Wealth and Economics: Analysis

Today African American communities are falling apart tremendously. Crime is rising; children are killing more than they are working. Economics are lowering; people tend to spend their money in other communities where businesses look more professional than that of their own, and families are fighting over material things that do not have value or meaning. There is also a rise in welfare, section eight housing, abortion, credit card and calling card charges, and layaway spending that keeps an individual in bondage; bondage of his mind. I would like to suggest that there is a lack of generational wealth in the African-American community. The lack of generational wealth is a direct result of our knowledge of economics and understanding economics. In order to understand the two, generational wealth and economics, you first have to go back to the beginning of time when God created the man and woman (Adam and Eve) and gave them their job description. In the book of Genesis the first chapter and the 28th verse, God said, â€Å"Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. And God also said, â€Å"See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food† (Question about Quoting Bible). At this time God gave a charge to Adam and Eve giving them dominion. They were producers of the world. But when they decided to mess up in the garden by eating the forbidden fruit, they went from being producers into being consumers. This is one of the problems today in the black community. Out of a lack of understanding of who we are and what our purpose is, we consume all things of others but rarely move into the understanding of producing our own. In this light, increasing the number of blacks in ownership positions appears to be an important prerequisite for ending black community unrest (McKersie pg 84). If blacks are upset because they lack control over the institutions of their community, because they are charged high prices for inferior merchandise, victimized by credit racketeers, and exploited by employers, then perhaps some would argue, greater black ownership will help end this condition. If the black community lacks leadership and a stable middle class, then enlarging the number of black entrepreneurs may provide such leadership and foster stability. If the problem is lack of racial confidence, the success of black capitalists would build pride. Today in the black community, crime is rising; children are killing children and spending more money in the communities than their parents. There is an increasing number of males killing for what they think are respect. There is also a mindset on children that, it is better to kill, steal, and destroy, to get what is gratifying to self. Children have become lazy. They have depended on the former generations to get things done rather than them. Today also, there is an increased number of welfare, section 8 housing, and abortion participants, which are considered to be popular in the community. This is nothing but bondage. Society has a way of keeping people focused on minor issues and making them think that they are major. Welfare is not a major problem but rather one that is minor. The major problem today, which has always been a problem, is economics. Economics is a problem because many African Americans don†t know what economics are and how to manage it. Out of one†s lack of understanding the economical breakdown of society, he cannot teach his child about generational wealth. Generational wealth is what a family has accumulated over its lifetime along with those resources that have been inherited across generations. Generational wealth is not riches. When one is rich, they are materially content for the moment but not necessarily content in their private lives. One who is just rich, will become a private failure but public success. In essence, riches are the successes of the world. On the other hand, wealth is generated through the family unit and is passed down generationally. In Proverbs 13:22, it reads, a good man leaves an inheritance to his children†s children. In order for one to truly understand generational wealth, he must first understand economics and vice versa. Economics is the study of heart and wallet. Meaning, if you want to touch people, you have to reach them in their pockets. Matthew 6:21 states, â€Å"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Let†s break down economics. The Greek meaning of the word echo means family. Therefore, economics is the study of the family management. This is so awesome that God decided to give us an assignment in His daily word. In Luke 19:13, God says, â€Å"do business until I return. † He didn†t just throw business in there for anything. To do business until God return means, to occupy; take dominion; handle things in decency and in order to the word of God. Sad to say, but some people only understand economics when it comes to selling drugs. Young men and even some young women understand that you can buy large quantities of drugs at wholesale and make profit by way of retail. On the other hand, if you ask them to turn the television to the stock market channel and decipher the information run on the station, they can†t even relate. So when do we come to an understanding that there is a world wide problem of the family unit that is affecting our economics? One of the major problems in the black community is that everyone is out for self. We have gained a mindset that everyone is supposed to work for his or her own stuff and keep their stuff to themselves. Out of understanding who you are, you understand that the father is the one who formulate the vision, the son is the one who demonstrates the vision, while the grandson authenticates the vision. It takes the fortitude of a father to persevere through the storm of formulation. It takes the zeal of a son to pay the cost of demonstration. It takes the integrity of a grandson to handle the glory of authentication. There are a lot of individuals who don†t understand this so, therefore they operate trying to be the father, son, and grandson. This brings about the mindset of selfish thinking and single generational. Thinking selfishly and single families operate in false wisdom. For example, when most children turn 18, they are kicked out of the house and told by their parents that they are grown enough to make it on their own, but was never equipped to pay their bills and even maintain their payments. Therefore we have a generation that had already achieved their successes, forcing our children to grow up in a fast paced society that prefers self-gratification, without restraint. The family exists at the heart of every society†¦ No society has succeeded without it. But today we see a fraying of all connections that have defined our families. We are neglecting our children emotionally and educationally, marriage is increasingly unstable, we are slipping deeper and deeper into acceptance of violence, and we are absorbed into materialism and competitiveness. If we allow these trends to continue, there lie ahead, families that slip further into chaos. As you can see, we are living in a time where there is much help needed. It is time for African-Americans to wake up and take the dominion that God has given them. It is also, time out for just talking about the decay of the community but rather offer solutions to the problems of the community. Having been empowered to understand that true wealth and economics is generated through the family unit and is passed down generationally, one has the ability to empower another so that we can move forward to begin building our communities economically, emotionally, and physically. I pray that this empowerment will not inspire one but rather, transform one to make a change for the generations to come. It†s just like Bishop says, â€Å"Lack of information is ignorance but the inability to use information is stupidity. † Therefore, those who are not prepared will not survive.