As a Christian, I am concerned with honoring God in all of my business endeavors.
I am a firm believer that everything we do in our lifetime is for the purpose of giving glory to God.
Sometimes we miss that mark in a big way, but it is nevertheless important that whether we eat or drink, we do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
In our businesses, it is no different.
While I am hesitant than others to use the word “calling” as it relates to business (and perhaps even ministry), I do believe that God has placed the desire in our hearts to change the world in some small way—it’s no accident.
Hear me on this: One of the BIGGEST mistakes that believers have made over the years is insisting that the only way to create impact for God’s Kingdom is by going into public ministry.
I, too, have fallen into that trap. I currently have a public ministry, and I love being in public ministry, but through my business efforts I have been able to do ministry as well!
In fact, many of my clients are themselves Christian ministries and non-profits.
So make no mistake—we can, and should, bring honor to God in our businesses.
Here are 3 ways to do just that:
1. Steward God’s Resources Well
When God gives us something, it is for the purpose of stewardship, not ownership. To be a steward is to be, in modern day terms, a manager. What God gives to us, we are to use faithfully.
When we use God’s resources well, the Bible promises he will give us more to manage.
And resources, here, is not just money. God gives us time, a family, other people, money, etc. These are all blessings and resources that if we manage well, we can expect to see more of.
Our actual business is no different. It is a resource God has given us to manage. When I start to think of the business as mine, I put myself in a losing position. If I remember that it’s actually God’s business, it makes a LOT of decisions easier.
2. Pray for Your Business
At first glance you might be tempted to skip over this point, but let me challenge you to answer this question: Do you actually pray for your business?
By the way, MY own current answer to this question is “sometimes, kinda…”
Which I am ashamed of!
To neglect prayer would be a huge mistake. If the idea is that our business is really owned by God, should not we consult the Owner about how it should be operated?
3. Focus on Integrity
Perhaps what businesses lack more today than anything else is good old fashioned integrity.
Operating with honesty and integrity in business should be a given—and especially for a CHRISTIAN business owner. And yet sadly, it is few and far between.
In fact, this is such a problem that for a long time there was a stigma in popular culture about being a business owner or entrepreneur. Ya know, the big corporate sleazy business guy was always at the center of the trouble.
While there are certainly times that will be true, it is not the norm, especially for motivated entrepreneurs like you who are consumed with “taking over the world” for GOOD and not purely for profit (even though there is NOTHING wrong with making a good profit).
We can help turn that stigma around by doing good with our businesses. By operating with integrity and wholeness. By answering the phone and returning calls. By responding to emails without letting them drag on for days.
While each of these things seem small in their own regard, put together, they can help you make a POWERFUL impact on others and bring honor to God.
