Beyond the Bottom Line: Insights on Being About His Business

Welcome to Equipped for Purpose. I'm your host, Vincent Ream, and this is the podcast

where discipleship meets impactful leadership. Whether you're new to faith or a seasoned

follower of Christ, this podcast is designed to help you deepen your relationship with

Jesus, grow as a leader, and make a difference in every area of your life. Together we'll

explore practical tools, biblical insights, and real-life strategies to equip you for

the purpose God has called you to. Let's dive in.

Mankind was my business.

Common welfare was my business. Charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were all my

business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean

of my business. Those powerful words, spoken by Jacob Marley's ghost in Charles Dickens'

A Christmas Carol, they echo a profound truth that resonates with us today. Our lives,

including our work in leadership, are ultimately about more than just personal gain.

Welcome back to the Equipped for Purpose podcast where we explore how discipleship

intersects with every aspect of our lives, especially impactful leadership. For disciples

of Jesus Christ and leaders, this isn't just a Dickens sentiment. It's a biblical imperative.

Today we're going to look into a topic that is significant for anyone who identifies as a

person of faith and works in the marketplace, being about God's business.

You might be thinking the obvious question, what exactly does that mean, being about God's

business? Well, it's more than just a catchy phrase. It's a call to integrate our spiritual

lives with our daily work, transforming how we approach everything from our interactions

with colleagues to our strategic business decisions. The marketplace isn't merely a

place of commerce. It's a fantastic opportunity to practice biblical leadership, ethics, and

teamwork, stewarding our time and influence for God's glory. So how can we truly be about

God's business in every facet of our lives? Well, let's explore this together.

So what is God's business? Well, at its absolute core, the business of every believer is mankind

or humanity, because humanity, people, are the Father's business. Again, this isn't just a

literary quote from Dickens. It's a biblical truth. As followers of Jesus, we are

called to be fishers of men, to make disciples and actively engaging with and caring for those

around us. Looking the other way when someone is in need is simply not an option. We can break

this engagement with people down into a few key areas. The first there are the people we just bump

into. These are the individuals God places in our path naturally, colleagues, classmates, or

neighbors. When they face troubles, whether financial or health related, and we happen upon

their distress, we're called to make their welfare our own business, just like the Samaritan who cared

for the injured man in the parable recorded in Luke 10. As James 2, 15-16 states, If a brother

or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace,

be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

The second is the people we seek. God raises the bar even higher. We are not

only to help those we encounter, but to actively seek opportunities to bless others.

This involves being intentional, planning, and taking action to do good to everyone,

especially fellow believers. The book of James highlights this, stating, Religion that is pure

and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their affliction,

and to keep oneself unstained from the world. That's James 1, 27. To visit requires effort,

requires planning, and going to where they are, and this is God's love in action.

And then third, perhaps the most profound expression of this love is caring about

what people will experience the moment after their death.

While our culture might advocate for a live and let live, I contend that Christians have a moral

duty to share the good news, to share the gospel. This consists of cognitive facts about Jesus' death

for our sins and the call to repentance and trust in him. As Paul asks in Romans 10, 14,

how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed, and how are they to believe in him

of whom they have never heard, and how are they to hear without someone preaching? This implies the

necessity of using words, not just actions, to share the gospel. Okay, so if humanity is God's

business, how do we translate that into our own business, our jobs, our companies, our leadership

roles? Involving God in your business is a deeply personal journey that requires prayer,

time in God's Word, and fellowship with other Christians for wise counsel.

The foundational principle is found in Jesus' greatest commandments, to love the Lord your God

with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and to love your neighbors as

yourself. This means treating everyone you encounter in business, employees, customers,

suppliers with the same care and respect you desire for yourself.

This integration can manifest across different levels of business engagement. These levels

aren't a hierarchy of what is more godly, but they reflect varying degrees of explicit faith

integration. Level one, business operated according to biblical values. The business itself

might not have an explicitly Christian mission, but it operates with excellence. It operates with

integrity, honesty, and justice, rooted in obedience to God. Customers and employees may

simply recognize a difference from worldly businesses. An example of this is SDG Strategy

LLC, where SDG stands for Sole Deo Gloria, meaning to God alone be the glory. This reflects the owner's

personal inspiration to do work that brings glory to God. Level two is business as a mission.

These businesses integrate God directly into their mission, demonstrating the kingdom of God engaging

with social and economic and environmental and spiritual issues. They are motivated by love for

God and neighbor in our open about their faith, even if that means not maximizing profits.

Visuals Technology Solutions is an example with a mission to love our neighbors by restoring

independence, dignity, and hope through affordable assistive technology solutions.

Now level three is gospel focused business. This level specifically focuses on sharing the gospel

to see people come to Jesus or helping Christians grow in their faith. This might involve producing

resources like Bible knowledge games for families, just as an example. So as we integrate our faith

into our work, it fundamentally changes our view of leadership. Within God's business,

leadership is profoundly relational. It's about serving people at its core.

This means that as one who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ, the purpose of your business goes

far beyond maximizing profits. From God's perspective, a business's primary purpose

is to serve its employees and customers, not merely to maximize return on a capital investment.

Yes, that may sound presumptuous to give you God's perspective,

but I don't think it's out of bounds to articulate based on what I've presented so far.

Now this happens in two key ways. The first is providing goods and services. Business is

unique in its ability to create economic value, turning ideas into products and services that

serve the community. A Christian in business should ask not just what will maximize the bottom line,

but what given their resources would best serve their community. And number two, providing

meaningful work. God designed humans to work, reflecting his own creative and meaningful work.

Business plays a crucial role in creating opportunities for work that allow employees

to express their God-given creativity. This service-oriented mindset must be built on a

foundation of pervasive integrity and character. In his article Christian Values in Business,

Darren Oliver discusses the unfortunate and sad fact that Christians often compartmentalize their

faith from their business and that integrity and character are often lacking. There should be no

separation. Faith should resonate through every business dealing because the world is watching.

This relational view of leadership also transforms how we think and feel about success.

It cultivates a deep relational humility. In an interview with John Piper, I listened to,

it provided a framework for this. On the thinking side, we must define success biblically,

which includes pleasing our Creator and doing good for people. We must recognize that every single

thing that makes a business flourish is a free and undeserved gift of God. Proverbs 21.31 says,

the horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.

Human effort is crucial, but God is decisive. And ultimately, as part of fallen or rebellious

humanity, every good thing we receive is a gift purchased by the blood of Christ.

This thinking leads to right feeling. We should feel thankful for everything. We ought to feel

undeserving, which leads not to shame, but to amazement at God's grace.

This cancels boasting and leads to true humility. As 1 Corinthians 4.7 asks,

what do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if

you did not receive it? Finally, this humility produces an overflowing joy that naturally

inclines us to love other people and be generous with them. This entire framework of humanity

being our business and leadership being relational is supported by one powerful concept, stewardship.

Stewardship means taking care of something that belongs to someone else.

In the context of our lives and businesses, God is the ultimate owner and our boss.

Everything we have, including our businesses and abilities, belongs to God. Has He created it all?

We are managers in God Unlimited, and we are accountable to Him for the choices we make

with His resources. In His article titled God's Business, Scott Pruitt reminds us that we are

bought at a price by Jesus' sacrifice, meaning God owns us. And one day God, our supreme auditor,

will hold us accountable for our choices on earth. Our actions, our debits, which are our sins,

and our credits, which are our acts of righteousness, will be reviewed.

2 Corinthians 5.10 says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,

so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

But we are not left alone in this. Crucially, the Holy Spirit serves as our trainer, guiding us daily

in the difference between right and wrong. He speaks with God's authority, will never

contradict the Bible, and enables us to do God's will. The Bible, in the context of this conversation,

could be looked at as our employee handbook. It presents Jesus as the model employee.

He was obedient, even to death on a cross, humble, taking the form of a servant for the

glory of God, and loyal, never once tempted to the point of jumping ship to work for the competition.

So why is this focus on business so critical for disciples of Jesus?

Because your work matters to God. For too long, many Christians have been led to believe

that full-time ministry is the only sacred calling, and that business is a second-class vocation.

This is simply not true. God has a mission for you and for your business that is higher than

mere profits. All work we are called to do can be ordained by God, in service to his kingdom.

Churches need to celebrate Christians in every profession, recognizing their vital role in God's

plan. The world is watching. Your business practices and your leadership are a public testimony.

When you operate with integrity, serve with generosity, and lead with humility,

you're letting your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory

to your Father who's in heaven. That's from 1 Peter 2.12.

So as we wrap up, how do we put this into practice? Here are some actual steps you can take starting

today. Number one, cultivate relational care. Intentionally love your neighbors, your employees,

your customers, your suppliers. Treat them with respect. Seek their true good and provide meaningful

work. Ask yourself this week, God, how have you made the business of those around me my business?

Number two, live with unwavering integrity. Make character, honesty, and honor non-negotiable

in all your business dealings. Avoid the shortcuts and compromises, and pray for wisdom to find

solutions that uphold biblical standards. Number three, embrace spiritual practices.

You cannot do this on your own. Regularly engage in prayer, study of God's word,

and fellowship with other Christians to gain godly counsel and discern his will for your business.

Start your day with a simple prayer, Lord help me notice what you want me to notice today.

Help me speak the words you want me to speak. Help me have a conscious awareness all day

long that your Holy Spirit is in me and working. Number four, actively seek opportunities to do

good. Go beyond just reacting to needs you stumble upon. Plan to bless others. Maybe that's

budgeting to support a local charity or creating a formal mentorship program in your office.

Look for ways to be more intentional and active in your care for others.

Number five, be a fisher of men. Care about people's eternal destinies.

Know how to communicate the gospel clearly and lovingly and be ready to use words when

the opportunity arises. Have you earned the right to be heard? Are you prepared to explain

the hope that's within you? And number six, relinquish worry to God. When anxieties about

the economy, your competition, or the future start to creep in, declare,

Lord, that's none of my business. That's your business. Matthew six reminds us not to worry

because our heavenly father knows what we need. Release those burdens to him and let his peace

and trust take their place. So we've seen in this episode that being about God's business is a

comprehensive relational and deeply spiritual calling for every single one of us, especially

for leaders in the marketplace. It involves serving humanity with integrity, operating from

a foundation of love for God and neighbor, and recognizing our role as stewards who are accountable

to the ultimate owner. The call to action here is clear. Make humanity your business.

Don't just acknowledge this truth, act on it. Begin today. Choose one actionable step we just

discussed and implement it immediately. Will you make your life, your leadership, and your business

a testament to God's love and purpose? Thank you for joining me today, and may you be encouraged

to make God's business truly your business, leaving out your faith with purpose and impact

in your daily work. Thank you for tuning into Quick for Purpose. I hope today's episode gave you

tools and inspiration to deepen your discipleship and strengthen your leadership. Don't forget to

subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you found value in today's content, share it with

someone who could benefit. Let's connect on social media and through my website, and remember,

you are being equipped for a purpose. Go make an impact.