Practical Ways To Put The Bible In Your Business
Posted on March 26, 2013 by“Listen to advice and accept correction, and in the end you will be wise. People can make all kinds of plans, but only the Lord’s plan will happen.” (Proverbs 19:20-21)(NCV)
Many smart business men and women pride themselves in knowing the trends, critical success factors, competitive strategies and other business indicators that could affect the success of their business. It would be totally unwise for an entrepreneur to develop a comprehensive business plan without the consultation of an attorney, accountant and other business professionals. The reason for these abundant resources is obvious. In order to succeed it is necessary to have sufficient expert and credible counsel. That being said, I find it so amazing how many extremely brilliant business professionals fail to see the relevance or the need to get counsel or instruction from the one expert that has a flawless track record for the successful oversight and management of the entire universe; God, the creator of the universe!
Most business professional are highly proficient in their trade. They have acquired specialized skill-sets, training and experience that allow them to comfortably make informed day-to-day decisions. They take advantage of a plethora of seminars and high level training to assure they remain abreast of cutting edge technologies, best practices, and current trends in their specific industry. Business men and women make commitments to pursue continual personal development activities that include empowering seminars, formal learning, the latest industry training, speaker guilds, and a host of other events designed to improve themselves, their employees, and their company.
But, many business men and women lack the acumens needed to practically integrate biblical or spiritual principles in their day-to-day business activities, their individual and family affairs. They fail to realize God’s deep desire to be involved in their personal lives and in the success of their business.
It is no surprise with all of the demands of business management, there seems to be a lack of time devoted to spiritual growth activities. It is obvious that all 1,440 minutes of each day have some meaningful activity already assigned to it. So, at the end of that day the things that have the highest priority are the things that get done. Everything else is rescheduled or dismissed.
Here are some suggestions to reprioritize your “To-Do List”:
- Set-a-side fifteen minutes each morning or evening to read a daily devotion guide. The local or online Christian Book stores offer a variety of devotional guides to choose from.
- Seek other individuals who have a similar desire as you to know more about the bible and form a group (or join an existing group) to study together.
- Begin to look for (and regularly attend) a local church or Bible study group that fits your personality and cultural preferences.
- Make a commitment to replace an hour a week of your time normally spent on; multimedia activities (TV, Internet, Games, etc…), or favorite sports event, or working in the garage, or shopping at the mall, with an hour reading a classic Christian book.
- Join a local Christian Business Networking Group that may operate in your area. Goggle search those words with your location and it will give you a starting point.
- Consider seeking advice from a licensed Christian Counselor or consider utilizing the skills of a Christian Life Coach. These professionals can offer insight that will be helpful while you seek to merge biblical and spiritual values into your business and personal life.
You may find it difficult to make such changes in your already busy schedule, but it will be worth it. You will find yourself more excited about making a meaningful difference. Stick to your commitment to put the bible in your business in a practical way.
Thoughts to Ponder
- What do you think is the most important spiritual changes you need to make in your life?
- Are you willing to commitment to implement at least one of the suggestions presented?
- Have you discussed your desire for a deeper spiritual understanding with your spouse or other significant people in your life?
Erven Kimble is an accomplished pastor, teacher, author, community leader, licensed Christian Counselor and Real Estate entrepreneur. Erven is a visionary that has faithfully served as the Senior Pastor of a local church in Lilburn, Georgia for twenty years.
The author searched the Book of Proverbs and Psalms and extracted wisdom that reference business and finances to produce the series of articles called “Business By The Book”. The purpose of these articles is to present time tested and proven Biblical principles in a way that is practical, relevant and beneficial to the average business person.
