A parable for stewards who’ve spent decades tending their fields
1. The Stranger Arrives
Picture a quiet farming valley at harvest. Granaries stand full; wheat whispers promise for the winter ahead. One afternoon a smooth-talking stranger rides in. His wagon bears a painted sign:
“Private Equity—Turn Grain into Gold!”
He tells the elders, “Store your wheat with me and I’ll sell it in far-off markets for much higher prices. You’ll all be richer come spring!”
Some folks nod—especially when they hear the stranger has the Mayor’s blessing. (Today that “Mayor” is President Trump, and the barns are your 401(k) accounts. Vanguard and other custodians are opening the doors to private-equity funds after a coming executive order. ForbesMoneyMorningstar)
2. The Deal Behind the Smile
But Old Barry—the village record-keeper—steps forward with ledgers thicker than a family Bible. He flips them open:
- “See here,” he says, “Company after company loaded with debt, their coffers stripped, workers laid off, pensions ruined.”
This is no fable. Barry Dyke calls it the “reverse Midas touch.” His three Pirates of Manhattan volumes show how many buy-out kings turn sound businesses into straw once the fees are skimmed and the loans come due.
Austrian thinkers like Mises warned us long ago: cheap credit plus hidden books breeds mal-investment—booms that end in busts. Grain you can’t reach when you need it isn’t wealth; it’s worry.
3. The Elder’s Reply
One gray-bearded farmer—let’s call him Nelson—clears his throat.
“Friends, why hand the keys of our barns to a stranger? We have our own sturdy storehouses—built on bedrock, owned by us, not outsiders.”
Nelson points to a solid stone granary bearing a simple crest. It belongs to a mutually owned life-insurance society. For 160-plus harvests these barns have:
- Guaranteed every bushel grows (cash value rises each year).
- Opened their doors in any season (policy loans arrive in days, no penalties).
- Shared surpluses with members (steady dividends—even through wars and depressions).
No double-locks, no secret ledgers, no stranger’s wagon rolling off with the only copy of the receipts.
4. Choosing Your Storehouse
So the valley faces a fork:
- Path of the Stranger – shiny promise, high fees, long lock-ups, and risks buried under layers of legal parchment.
- Path of Stewardship – warehouse your wealth in something boring, sturdy, and owned by the very people it serves.
One path may thrill for a season; the other plants oaks that shade grandchildren yet unborn.
5. The Moral
A proverb guides every wise steward here:
“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” — Proverbs 13:22
In plain speech: keep control of your capital. Guard it where guarantees, access, and shared prosperity are woven into the beams. Let Wall Street’s wagon pass if it must; your legacy is not a gamble.
Ready to Talk About Building Your Own Barn?
We’re here—shield in hand, wheat in store, sunrise on the horizon—to help you keep what you’ve grown and bless those who follow.
Control your capital. Build your legacy.
