Social Justice is Not a Theology, it's the Heart of Christ

God is compassionate

In Mark 1:40 (NKJV) the bible tells a story, "Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean," Then Jesus, moved with compassion (my emphasis), stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed.""

Let us go deep down a second

This word compassion is vital to our comprehension regarding God's heart for the poor and hurting. This word is "splagchizomai: to be moved in the inward parts, i.e. to feel compassion."

Jesus himself was stirred deep inside by the needs he saw. Strong's concordance goes on to say the definition of compassion is, "I feel compassion, have pity on, am moved."

This is a first phase that many of us miss. He FELT. Many remove feeling and emotion away from life with Christ. They rationalize and theorize but they don't FEEL. They debate and argue but aren't moved. They defend and criticize but are not compassionate.

No wonder they have a concern with social justice. To them it's a statistic. A theology. Not a feeling. They probably have never peered into the eyes of an orphan or fed a starving family; Have never seen with their own eyes the hurt and misery of God's children. If you see that with your own eyes something moves very deep within you. A gut wrenching feeling: compassion.

If you can look upon these atrocities, even hear of them and not be moved there is something wrong. JESUS FELT. Jesus was moved. Jesus cared about the hurting.


Social justice is not a theology; It's the heart of Christ.


Be moved and take action.

Compassion is a feeling, a God feeling; a gift. A gift that should move us to action to labor non-stop making a difference in this world. Do a word study on 'compassion' in the bible. It's all over. Many miracles started off saying, "and he had compassion on them."

Colossians 3:12 says, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Not only is compassion a thing Christ had. It's something He inspires us to have. He requests us to CLOTHE ourselves (that's an action) with compassion. We all agree with the other virtues: kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. But what about compassion? Why has it become a reason of disagreement among Christian circles?

Jesus does not see numbers; He sees people. He doesn't see statistics; He sees individuals. He doesn't see multitudes; He sees the one.

He sees the parentless child. He sees the hungry mother. He sees the unemployed father. He sees the AIDS ridden woman. He sees the abducted woman forced into prostitution. He sees the child laborer. He SEES; And He is MOVED with compassion about it. Moreover, He COMMANDS us to be moved with compassion about it.

Overcome discouragement and failures on the way to your dreams

I decided to record this as a video blog too. You can either read or watch, whichever suits you best!



Just this morning I was reading a book called Crush it. The author was talking about being open and honest with your visitors. That encouraged me to write this.

The truth about business and pursuing your passion

1) It is not easy
2) It takes a lot of time
3) It takes a LOT of hard work and perseverance


Some business guru's and books make it sound so basic. Just do this and that and you'll be successful. Follow steps one, two, three, and boom you will have miraculously arrived.

I know from myself and several close friends of mine, all of which are also going hard after life trying to live tremendous lives and make a difference, that it does not always go the way we think. And it sure isn't easy. There will be obstructions as you go.

Most people talk only of their successes. Yet, it's in the failures that we learn and grow the most.


It's in the journey of struggles that we grow and become the people we need to be to manage the vision that is in our heart.


I have failed...many times. I have been refused from investors, lost business competitions, failed ideas, to name a few. I would love to say that I never let any of that stop me. But that's not true.



There was a occasion I distinctly remember when I let the discouragement of failure beat me.


I was spending so much time trying to build this social business company. Through a connection / mentor I was able to set up a meeting with two top executives of a large company. My meeting was to pitch them for our company as a consultant, coming in to work on helping them integrate strategic social impact into their company.

Long story short, they did not share the same value of making a difference with the poor as I do.

I was exceedingly discouraged. I let the failure dictate me. It was at a time when we desperately needed some breakthrough. I walked in the door and my wife said she could see defeat on me, which is not normal for me.

To be honest, it took me months to shake off that defeat.


The failures have grown me

The interesting truth that I've learned as I have contemplated some of the defeats and failures is that they aren't really failures if you learn and grow from them. They are part of the journey. They have grown me in ways I never could have dreamed.

There is a great quote that is incredibly inspiring, "He works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose."

I would not be where I am today without having gone through the learning experiences of my failures. I know that they are shaping me to handle the huge dream in my heart.

6 Ways to overcome discouragement and failures:

1. Get around a like minded community
2. Find some mentors who are successful
3. Read about other successful people to get inspired by their stories
4. Determine to NEVER give up
5. Stay Focused don't let discouragement get you off track
6. Spend some time thinking and writing out the purpose behind your vision

These are some things that have helped me after periods of discouragement and failures.
I hope it helps you.


Action:

I would love to hear some of your stories so others can benefit from what you've learned.. Have you had failures that took you off course?

How did you handle it?

What advice would you give to others?

6 benefits to adding strategic social impact to your business

1) Increase customer buy-in / loyalty because they are a part of something more than profit.

“86% of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on society’s interests as on business’ interests.” - Edelman 2010 goodpurpose®



2) Strengthen employee attraction, retention, and satisfaction

A survey of 759 graduating MBAs revealed they rank social responsibility very high on their list of values. 97.3% said they’d take up to a 14.4% sacrifice in income to work for a company that exhibited a strong social mission (Stanford Survey).



3)Increase your competitive advantage through adding a unique selling point

42% of consumers put social purpose as a top deciding factor after quality and price (good purpose survey).



4) Your social impact goes further

Toms Shoes founder, Blake, says that if he were to invest $500,000 into buying shoes to give away it would have given shoes once. However, by investing $500,000 into his business that gives shoes with a sustainable model, as of Sept. 2010, they have been able to donate one million pairs of shoes.



5) Attract strategic partnerships

Danone partnered with social enterprise Grameen bank to provide fortified yogurt in Bangladesh. Likewise, Ralph Lauren created a strategic partnership with Toms Shoes.



6) More fulfilment in business and life

We all know that money is not an end in itself, and leaves us unfulfilled and unsatisfied on its own. Whereas, giving and helping others brings true fulfilment.



We are offering a special 30 minute free consultation to talk through how you can add a strategic social impacting element into your business. Our desire it to see the world changed, and that starts with you. Send us an email to set up your free appointment, live, phone, or Skype.

Social Business Investment - ROI Squared

ROI2 (ROI Squared) - Return on Investment x Return on Impact

Usually, there are two types of investments available: financial and social. The first is investment into high producing corporations for optimum return on financial investment. The second, and less common, is investment into the charity sector for a high social return on that investment; which would be viewed as a donation not to be recouped. Having said that, there is a new trend growing; being powered by a fairly new theory coined social business.

The Trend

A social enterprise is a firm that is self-sustaining, not relying solely on donations, with a definitive goal of creating a social impact on society. A idea brought into popularity by nobel peace prize winner Muhammed Yunnus, Grammean Bank founder, a micro-finance lending institution in Bangladesh. Through his model, the bank lends modest amounts to impoverished entrepreneurs that normal banks would never consider. Thereby, giving them the chance to create income and lift their families out of poverty. Those funds are then recovered and can be used again and again. An income earning company whose main concentrate is social good.

What's most desirable about the idea of social business is the fact that it bridges the gap between traditional businesses and charities, at least in some situations. It opens up a whole new set of business opportunities, as well as investors. Yunus calls it a new capitalism. Social business will appeal not only to individuals and businesses that donate, but also to ones that desire to make a social impact, yet don't want to simply give once and lose their money in a donation.

In a social business the impact of the invested funds will be multiplied.

Consider this, if a person decides to donate $10,000 into a charity the charity will take the funds, put it to great use making a difference, then it is gone. On the other hand, a self-sustaining social business will receive the funds put it to great work in their business, which is making a difference, and recoup the investment back. The investor can then re-invest that $10,000 into the company or choose to use it elsewhere. That is why in social business it is about considering ROI2, return on investment x return on impact.

I want to pose a visionary question; what if investors began partnering with social businesses? Instead of leaving funds in savings yielding 2-3%, investing them into a social business receiving the same near the same rate of return, or better, and were making an incredible social impact. Then those funds could be reused for social impact over, and over and over again.

For more information on this topic please see our iSi Capital page and contact us.

Check out our new branding and download your free eBook on social business HERE!

Why social entrepreneurs can be the most successful people the world has ever seen

I have frequented training courses, have been learning and studying, and spoken to numerous successful people. Most, if not all, point to one of the same variables in their high accomplishment: Purpose. The reason behind what you do. If you do not have it you probably won't succeed; but if you do, the skies the limit. In this article I want to explain why social entrepreneurs who are working to build social businesses should be the most successful in the globe.

Gary Keller, founder of Keller Williams Realty, says it perfectly:

" ... A Big Why brings big focus and big energy, and a little why brings little focus and little energy. HIGH ACHIEVERS ALWAYS HAVE A BIG WHY" (p. 73).

The superb book, E-Myth, by small business guru Michael Gerber says it like this,

"Your Primary Aim is your innermost driving force. It gives you a sense of direction and purpose. It motivates you to your highest levels of energy, and puts you at your best" (Chpt. 12).


With that said ...

Don't social entrepreneurs have the primary target of all? Don't they have the most  worthy motivation behind what they are doing? Then doesn't it stand to reason that social entrepreneurs, as they are giving their lives to solve the world's complications, should be the most enthusiastic, avaricious, energetic, devoted and efficient people on the face of the globe?

One lesson I learned early in my social entrepreneurship activities was that money is not a good inducement. Since establishing my firm Ethic Travel, which focuses on using a percentage of our profits to help construct homes for those in need, and now launching Impact Through Business, I have NEVER had this much liveliness and obsession. I'm up at 4:30 a.m most mornings, and work till late into the evening many nights; all to do it again the next day. And what's more, I am thoroughly loving it. I can see the repercussions that our business can have on individuals lives. I put a picture of a boy in atrocious poverty up on my wall. When I do get down or feeling lethargic, as we all do at times, I take a long look and let it refocus my purpose. It's an utter impossibility to stare at this, let it sink it, and not have burst of motivation surge through me. This is what I am working for in Ethic Travel. To see quality homes built for people like this, to give them a healthy stable environment so that, in turn, they can begin to build their lives.


What moves you?

If you want to arrive at your potential think about the big picture. What do you want your life to be about? What do you want the history of your life to be? I truly believe that pursuing social entrepreneurship should be the most triumphant in the world; they have the biggest why.

Not only will a big why propel you to success, it will sustain you once you get there. If all you are pursuing is money alone, you will be sadly saddened and unfulfilled once you get some. True success is being fulfilled, and that cannot come by pursuing money alone.

Move forward in your journey to true fulfilment and utter success download your FREE e book, Changing the World Through Business: the what and why of social entrepreneurship. - Click Here

Social entrepreneurs can rise to the top - The Entrepreneurial X-Factor - E-Myth Worldwide

This is an amazing article that I hope will ignite passion into any potential social entrepreneurs out there. I truly believe that social businesses could be the most successful enterprises in the world. A large part of success is keeping motivated and passionate. There is no better way to do that than to have a purpose. The business or organization is simply the means to accomplish an end. Read this. Get inspired. Think big. Create a vision. Do this in a creative way thinking how you can make an impact in society through it all! Not only that, do this and you will find yourself more fulfilled personally than you could have ever imagined.

Click the link below to read this great article from E-Myth.

The Entrepreneurial X-Factor - E-Myth Worldwide

Welcome video blog: A blog focused on businesses making a difference

Welcome to the Ethic ! Business blog. This isn't a place for me to spew my thoughts, but instead I hope it becomes a place where people gather, read, comment, and connect with other social businesses and people passionate about making a difference. A place where we as consumers can learn how, why, and where we can buy socially impact-ful products and services.

Calling all entrepreneurs, world changers, and history makers

“Potential entrepreneurs are outsiders. They are people who imagine things as they might be, not as they are, and have the drive to change the world around them.” - Anita Rodick

Entrepreneurs have always been innovators, changers, and an influential force throughout history. From them have come a vast array of life changing inventions and ideas, some turn into reality while some stay ideas! We have reached a day and age where a generation of social entrepreneurs need to rise up. Now more than ever, as the world is becoming globalized we have a responsibility. In the recent years many injustices have been brought into the open; human trafficking, child soldiers, poverty, AIDS, extreme poverty, and that’s just to name a small few. 

What if an incredible generation of social entrepreneurs would rise up passionately pursuing solutions to todays social problems? What if potential entrepreneurs realized that it really isn’t money that satisfies the souls longing, but instead giving and helping others fills it. What if every business and consumer began purchasing on ethical grounds! What if throughout our lifetime we could use what we have to truly make a difference in someone's life? If you are going to spend your life doing something, spend it helping others and you will be amazing at how fulfilled you will be. It’s a new age of doing well, by doing good.

 

Videos that wrecked me for good and moved me to action #1

Over the next few months I am going to post some of the videos that have absolutely wrecked me for good after watching them. Videos that shifted something inside of me. There is no doubt about it, there are some major injustices in the world. It can seem overwhelming, but the fact is if we work together great things can happen. These experiences and videos are all a part of why my wife and I decided to go into social business. Coming up with a crazy idea that by offering vacation rentals that build homes for the poor we could build a sustainable business that has a lasting impact.
         I can imagine many thousands of other social businesses rising up creating a new capitalism that brings homes to the homeless, clothes to the naked, food to the hungry. Entrepreneurs are by definition problem solvers. It is a fact that the worlds biggest problem is injustice. I am believing for a generation of social entrepreneurs to rise up and solve these problems!

This first video is a clip of a documentary that I watched a few years ago about the devastation in Uganda called Invisible Children. There are children that have been abducted and forced into being in a militia that goes around killing thousands of innocent people. The clip you are seeing is of children commuting into the city center every night to sleep because they are afraid that if they stay in their homes for fear of being taken in the middle of the night by the rebel army. 

I know it is not fun or exciting viewing. But I hope you let it wreck you for good and move you to action. I believe someone watching this to burst forth with innovative and creative sustainable ideas. Though I highly beleive in creating social businesses giving to charity is also something very important. The organization who created this is doing excellent work in Uganda. Check out what they are doing- http://www.invisiblechildren.com. You can also go to You Tube and watch the full documentary. They have it broken up into 6 or 7 parts, just type in - Invisible Children Pt 1.

If this moves you spread the word. Change starts in our lives and gives us a BIG WHY to doing what we do. Spread this video and blog to more people so they may get inspired, creative, and passionate!

The what and why of a social business

       What is a social business? One group defines it, “As with all businesses, they compete to deliver goods and services. The difference is that social purpose is at the very heart of what they do, and the profits they make are reinvested towards achieving that purpose.” (Social Enterprise Coalition). A business with a purpose woven into its fabric from the beginning. Strategically created, not only, to maximize sales, but to maximize impact as well. 

“About 1.1 billion people are living in inadequate housing conditions in urban areas alone.” (Un Habitat)

“...an estimated 100 million homeless people around the world, available data suggest that increasing proportions are women and children.” (Un Habitat)

The growth of the social business sector is incredibly important to changing the inequalities of the world. If set up correctly, it offers the best of both charitable organizations and efficient business. One challenge that charities face is the continual lack of funding; forcing them to spend their valuable time and effort on fundraising activities. Which takes away efforts to impact their cause.  A social enterprise can overcome this by producing continual revenue through their products and services and directing a portion, or all, of their profits into their chosen cause. 

      Imagine a world where the majority of businesses began operating with a social mission at their forefront. Imagine what kind of change that could bring to those with no future, no homes, no water, no education, and no food. Imagine what it would be like if you knew you were impacting humanity in a great way simply by grocery shopping, or in our case by renting vacation home.  

     That is what I find so inspiring about social enterprise and exactly why part of our business, blogs and podcasts will be dedicated to highlighting other great social businesses to begin using. There are many with equal products, or better than the competitor, but that are doing good by it. It is truly the best of both worlds. Muhammud Yunus, nobel prize winner, states that we can create a new form of capitalism. I like that. 

    Our company, Ethic ! Travel, is mainly focused on providing incredible vacation rentals but we are also dedicated to working with and highlighting other great social businesses, or companies that hold CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) highly. 

To find out more about our company, how we are making a difference, or to find some incredible vacation rentals please visit us at - www.ethictravel.com


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Social Enterprise Coalition, retreived Sept 1, 2010, http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/pages/about-social-enterprise.html.

Un Habitat, retreived Sept 1, 2010: 06:08, http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp typeid=19&catid=282&cid=789.