The Bible and Business - Message to St Francis

1. Introduction

For the purpose of this message I define business as a commercial activity engaged in as a means of livelihood or profit, or an entity which engages in such activities. Our reference to business includes both self employment as well as owning an enterprise which employees other people to work on behalf of the business owner(s). We could also stretch business to include employment.
The bible is not a business book just as it is not a health or family book. However there are principles in the bible that apply to business just as there are principles that apply to health or family or other aspect of life.
Business is the most common means of livelihood in the bible. Biblical time vocations comprised: Priests; Levites; Self employed & Owning an enterprise employing others; Servants and slaves – equivalent to today’s salary earner

 Church emphasis on employment at expense of business. Over the years and centuries the church has (perhaps unintentionally put a lot of emphasis on salaried employment (the equivalent of servant in the bible) and less on business. In the course of my involvement with church as a member and minister I have come across countless prayer requests for a job but can hardly recall when a person asked for prayers in order to begin a business.

 We think that business is a lesser vocation that is pursued by people who are academic failures.

 We think that business is dirty or sinful – true some businesses are dirty for instance some corrupt people use business as a front to launder ill gotten wealth but not all businesses are dirty.

In the next minutes we shall look at what the bible says about business and intersperse this with the business experiences of myself and other people.

2. Business is not evil or unchristian

 The first man was self employed - Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

• Adam did not need money but engaging in the business of managing the first ever nature park gave Adam a sense of fulfilment. Even now when you participate in a meaningful business you get to create products and services that alleviate challenges faced by customers.

 One of the converts in the book of Acts 16:14 was a businesswoman - One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.

3. Business is a means of gaining wealth and power – when Christians shun business then they are also handing over wealth and power to non believers.

• Gen 26:12 – 16 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. So all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth. Then Abimelech said to Isaac, "Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us." So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there.

o God blessed Isaac’s business – every Christian business person can testify about God’s favour and blessing

o Isaac ran a very profitable enterprise – his return on investment was 100%

o Isaac’s wealth grew until he was very wealthy – wealth is good because it represents how long you can survive financially without having to work for money

o Isaac became powerful – he had a lot of wealth and employed several servants

 we need powerful Christian business people who can be mindful of the environment; give employment to young people; be listened to by politicians; who can contribute significant sums of money to ministry activities

4. Believers are called on to attend to their business. 1Th 4:11,12
This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others to meet your financial needs.

• Find a skill or knowledge base that enables you to earn a living.
o Don’t give excuses such as - I lack capital; I am not connected

5. Prioritise business before 1,2,3,4 end of thinking capacity
According to veteran educationist Fagil Mandy – most Ugandans count 1,2,3,4 etc i.e. 1 spouse; 2 children; 3 bedroom house and a 4 wheel drive – etc (end of thinking capacity).
Proverbs 24:27 tells us that our priority should start with business. Develop your business first before building your house.
• Build your business first then build your house and buy your dream car
• In other words – first earn the money then spend it; instead of spending the money then thinking about earning it.

6. Four business lessons from Jacob
i. Be passionate about thrilling your customers; under promise and over deliver. Gen 30:27 - 29 "Please don't leave me," Laban replied, "for I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because you are here.  How much do I owe you? Whatever it is, I'll pay it."  Jacob replied, "You know how faithfully I've served you through these many years, and how your flocks and herds have grown.
o Laban was thrilled because he had become wealthier as a result of Jacob’s service
o Jacob was sure that he had provided faithful (excellent) service to his client and uncle.
o How passionate are we about excellent service? Several times Christians offer lazy & shoddy service
 sit around and gossip without output
 do poor quality work and expect to retained simply because they confess Jesus
 lack creativity yet claim to believe in creator God
ii. You will face setbacks and challenges – that is called risk. Laban cheated Jacob several times until Jacob learnt to manage that particular risk.
• Customers will take your products/services and refuse to pay until you learn to manage that aspects
• People (especially brethren will borrow money and not pay back
• Market conditions will change and leave you stranded until you learn to anticipate those changes
iii. Be motivated and don’t be hindered by lack of capital
Gen 30:30 - 32 You had little indeed before I came, and your wealth has increased enormously. The LORD has blessed you from everything I do! But now, what about me? When should I provide for my own family?" "What wages do you want?" Laban asked again. Jacob replied, "Don't give me anything at all. Just do one thing, and I'll go back to work for you. Let me go out among your flocks today and remove all the sheep and goats that are speckled or spotted, along with all the dark-colored sheep. Give them to me as my wages.
o Jacob was motivated to strike out into business in order to provide for his family.
o Jacob proposed a profit sharing plan to realise capital for his new venture
iv. Master your business. Jacob was an expert in the sheep business and was able to thrive even when Laban attempted different tricks to cheat him.
• He optimised feeding and watering his sheep
• Jacob understood the process of reproduction – how speckled sheep come about
v. Know the time to make your move.
Gen 30:26 Let me take my wives and children, for I have earned them from you, and let me be on my way. You know I have fully paid for them with my service to you."
"He who waits until the whole animal is visible spears its tail."
• What is the best time to jump into business
• When is it time to stop flogging a dead horse and cut your losses
• When do you get into a new product or market
7. Understand Cycles that affect your business – Joseph understood the cycle of the Egyptian economy and was able to plan for it.
• Gen 41:28 "It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
• Gen 41:29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,
• Gen 41:30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.

8. The noble wife is a business woman Proverbs 31: 10 – 28. This little portion lists several values of being involved in business.
• She is a support and not a burden to her husband - Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is worth more than precious rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She will not hinder him but help him all her life. She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant's ship; she brings her food from afar.
• She is a planner and an investor - She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day's work for her servant girls. She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.  She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.
o Some people in church hold to a false view that whatever a woman earns is to spent on desires (saloon, spa, clothing) – they even criticise any woman who chooses to invest
• She is frugal and productive - She watches for bargains; her lights burn late into the night.  Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.  She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.
• She is generous - She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.
• She is a provider - She has no fear of winter for her household because all of them have warm clothes.  She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs with no fear of the future.  She carefully watches all that goes on in her household and does not have to bear the consequences of laziness.
o How many of us are afraid of paying rent or school fees for next term? Not so the noble wife – the businesswoman
• Her household enjoys her wealth - She quilts her own bedspreads. She dresses like royalty in gowns of finest cloth.  Her husband is well known, for he sits in the council meeting with the other civic leaders.
• She is wise in speech and action - When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule when she gives instructions.
• Success in business requires support of spouse and children - Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her:
9. The bible encourages ethical business
• Pay your taxes Romans 13:7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
o Business woman who was said to lack innovation because she didn’t cheat taxes
• Pay your workers - Lev 19:13 "Do not cheat or rob anyone."Always pay your hired workers promptly.
• Don’t take advantage of the poor selling fake or expired products or collecting examination fees from students but remitting to UNEB – Amos 8:4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
• Give time for worship and rest, don’t cheat using wrong scales - Amos 8:5   Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?
• Don’t use business for oppression - Amos 8:6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; [yea], and sell the refuse of the wheat?