Harvesting Purpose

Revenue, expenses, variances, trends, forecasts, ratios, earnings—these were the buzzwords at our recent finance meeting. The focus? Next year’s budget and our organization's fiscal health. But here’s the thing—tucked between those numbers and spreadsheets are real lives: children, families, and individuals who depend on the work we do.

When we get it right, kids receive the support they need to thrive in school. Parents can continue their education or maintain their jobs, knowing their children are cared for. Young people experience the thrill of discovery, like the joy of riding a horse for the first time. Seniors find new friendships and write fresh chapters in their lives, thanks to the connections they make at the YMCA. Our budgets, our business—they’re about people. This is the lesson Jacob Marley, the partner of Ebenezer Scrooge, realized too late. He returned from the dead to warn Scrooge, exclaiming, “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!” (A Christmas Carol, 1843).

We’re constantly balancing the transactional and the transformational. It’s a tug-of-war between two vital forces: the transactional drives us toward profit, while the transformational pulls us toward meaning and purpose. Both are essential for organizations like the YMCA to thrive. Sure, there’s no mission without margin, but margin alone doesn’t prove we’re fulfilling our mission.

Jesus often nudged his friends toward the transformational—love, forgiveness, service—while also recognizing the need for resources to support his cause—giving, sharing, paying. His message was clear: “Love your neighbor and use your resources to meet their needs. Share what you have, even if it’s just a small lunch. If someone is hungry, feed them; if they’re cold, give them your coat.” The transactional must serve the transformational, but the transformational can’t afford to ignore the transactional. Making a difference in the world often requires resources, especially if we truly believe that mankind is our business.

As we enter the season of budgets, I encourage you to find ways to use your resources to make a difference. Focus on tipping the scales toward transformation, as our culture does a pretty good job of pulling us toward the transactional. And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, join team Scrooge and declare, "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it ALL THE YEAR."

When our transactions serve the transformational, we increase the possibility of making a lasting impact.

#GOBETHEY

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:24)