On one hand, riches were condemned if one party gained at the expense of another, a situation economists call a “zero-sum game.” On the other hand, wealth was commended if it was accumulated through “positive-sum games,” which economists describe as mutually beneficial, voluntary transactions. Though stewardship and orientation of the heart are also biblically significant, a focus on the means of acquisition can lead to helpful insights in an exponentially changing economic environment.
In a biblical context, farming grain would be a quintessential example of a positive-sum game.
A farmer uses only seeds, sunlight, land and labor to harvest a wealth of wheat in a way that does not directly harm other farmers. Shepherding sheep was likewise a common positive-sum game in the ancient world. Mining, digging wells, crafting leather and engaging in voluntary trade were further examples of mutually beneficial activities.