Economics in God's Economy

The Hot Dog Vendor – Advertising marketing Fable


Here is a marketing / business fable that has been passed down over time and is now floating around the Internet in many different versions. My attempt to hunt down the original source has been futile, however the message is as true today as it was yesterday.



The Hot Dog Vendor

In Chicago , there was a hot dog vendor who sold the very best hot dogs by the side of the road. His business was booming, people loved his hot dogs, and his business steadily increases month after month. The man loved his business and believed in the need to provide great food at a great price.



This man was so busy advertising and selling his hot dogs and making lots of money, that he didn't even have time to read the newspaper or listen to the radio. Consequently, he never heard a word about a predicted recession or the need to cut back to save for the potential economic slowdown. As long as he continued to offer his delicious hot dogs, his customers bought them. He kept selling, and they kept buying.



Then one day his college educated son told him that an economic recession was surely coming. His son told him that people wouldn't have enough money to buy his hot dogs. The successful hot dog vendor believed this, so on his son’s advice, he cut back on his advertising. Additionally, he started ordering less supplies and product, because after all, people would be cutting back soon.

He even went so far as to take down many of the billboards that lead to his roadside stand. And sure enough, people stopped coming to him. People stopped buying his hot dogs, and he eventually went broke.



Then he thought to himself. "How smart my son is in predicting this."



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The part that I love about this story is that it is SO true. Every day, I see something on the news about the impending recession, the housing slump, the weakened economy. Federal reserve chairman declairs we are in a slump and stock prices fall. He says the economy is growing, they go up. This happens because people believe what they hear and they act upon it accordingly. I always thought it would be interesting if the government secretly planned a conspiracy to tell the nation that the economy is growing by leaps and bounds. People would cheer, spend money, and just that would give the economy a boost. But they inevitably do the opposite causing the very thing they fear to happen.

I understand times are tough...Not to deny that any of that is true but generally I ignore the dooms day economy scenario because as a believer who practices kingdom giving, I KNOW I live in God's economy--not the world's. So the next time you hear a news story, remind yourself, that Life and Death is in the power of the tongue, and as a man thinketh in his heart, so IS he...If you speak recession, and believe it will come, it inevitably will. Just remember the Hot Dog stand owner.



But if you speak the word, and say, "My God supplies all my needs according to His riches in Glory" and "Jesus came so we may have life and have it more abundantly", and that "God is able to do superabundantly above all we can ask think or imagine", and you practice the kingdom principles of giving, then you won't experience a recession. You may live among it but you won't be of it.

I am increasingly shocked at conversations I frequently hear of Christians fearing the recession. I understand walking in wisdom. We don't deny the housing crisis is there but we don't have to dwell on it or fear it. I am ever more eagar to share my testimony of this past year of having starting my own business in the midst of a spiritual battle and after experiencing financial lost, only to see God reveal himself more faithful than ever. I generally think that those that fear the recession are those that may not be faithful in kingdom giving and know that God may not rebuke the Devourer for their sake.

This year, God has opened doors financially for me beyond my wildest dreams, I am my own boss, make my own schedule and have WAY more freedom than I ever have had, and without the stress I had a year ago. My life is so stress free, that I often find myself BORED. But in a good way! I am on my way to being debt free. I set and completed my goal of having maintained no revolving credit card debt for nearly a year now. I will pay off my truck next and am praying for buying a house. The sky is the limit when you trust God, walk in obedience and speak the word.

In the short term, I experienced some financial loss, but in the long term, I have gained much because I got to see God work in the midst of challenging circumstances and again show himself faithful. 2008 is the year of New Beginnings. And for me, it has already surpassed my expectations.

I encourage you. As you listen to the news about the subprime mortgage crisis. Take heed, walk in wisdon, but declare the faithfulness of God and the Word of God rather than the Word of CNN. Practice Kingdom giving and be reminded that the willing eat the good of the land.

He is faithful WOOT WOOT!

Love you all.

Michelle