A recent ad on our munity radio station here in Boise spoke of a business sponsor’s practice of “giving back to munity.” This is done, of course, by sponsoring the radio station and other similar causes. As a fan of the station in question, I’m grateful for such local sponsors, and I’m grateful that they give to munity in that way. There is, however, a problem – not with the practice, but with the way we describe it. The phrase “giving back to munity” belies a deep misunderstanding of the nature of business.

The picture that seems to be assumed is that most of the time, through its everyday work, the business is in fact taking from munity. Then, from time to time, it chooses to “give back” to the munity. At a superficial level this language makes sense: most of the time it is customers – members of munity – who are giving money to the business, while the business is then giving money back through its charitable donations. But this misses the fact that the business – if it is successful – is always giving to munity. A profitable business, conducted with integrity, is not taking from munity at all; indeed, its profits are nothing more or less than indicators of the value that munity has received from the business.

This is more than a technical matter. Business is a means by which we do good for others: not merely by making money and then giving some of that money away, but by the very conduct of the business itself. Business gives: by organizing the labor of others and thereby making it more productive, by seeking out the desires of munity, by meeting those desires through creativity and effort. And this is a deeply spiritual matter. Business is a vocation, a calling from God, by which we serve and benefit munity in which we live.

So, I’m grateful for the local pany that is supporting munity radio station. But they’re not giving back to munity something they had previously taken. To say so is to denigrate the true nature of the business vocation. Rather, they are giving even more, giving beyond what they have already given through their productive contribution to munity in the industry.

Nick Smith is an alumnus of several Acton programs and lives with his wife and four children in beautiful southern Idaho, where he serves as pastor of the United Reformed Church of Nampa.