What does it look like to be in, but not of, the world? From Abraham to Jesus, we see biblical figures wrestle with living according to God’s word in a dominant culture that does not follow His principles. Jesus, of course, lived it perfectly and prayed His followers would figure it out (see his High Priestly Prayer in John 17), but my personal favorite example is Daniel.

Investor decisions are often motivated by fear and greed. While the terms fear and greed may seem harsh, they often fuel investment decisions that seek to minimize risk and maximize financial return for a single stakeholder. In contrast, investing as God’s steward requires that investors seek to optimize the interests of other stakeholders. This mindset requires an understanding of living by faith, holding tightly to God and holding loosely to our expectation of returns.

Last year, we invested in a boat so that the captain and his team could be a living witness of Jesus to his crew and to the villages which are part of the routine stops the boat makes. The boat provides opportunities for two types of tourism: ethno tourism, in which travelers explore indigenous populations, learning about their culture and traditions; and community-based eco tourism, in which visitors participate with local residents in festivals, homestays, or production of artisanal goods in order to build local economies.