Bible on BusinessMuestra

Business is a God Idea

In the agrarian economy in existence at the time Proverbs was written, the material welfare of the people depended upon production and trade of grain. A farmer who withheld grain committed a serious enough offense to invoke a curse. A farmer who sold grain committed a worthy enough act to invoke a blessing. Production and trade was God's primary method of delivering the means of material sustenance to people.

The principle remains true today. Our economies are much more complex, but a modern business is the equivalent of the ancient farmer. God still uses production and trade to deliver material sustenance to people, enabling them to flourish.

In common with every human institution, business is marred by sin. All of us can readily point to examples of greed and exploitation of people and the environment, but it is wrong for us to conclude that business is not a sacred pursuit. Business is a God idea and is included in God's great plan for redemption of the world!

God is looking for Christians who are prepared to make business their mission in life. A business producing goods or services, helping people flourish, activating biblical principles in ethics and justice, and contributing to the common good by supporting the local church financially and paying taxes to the government is a business after God's own heart!

Business is thoroughly a godly pursuit. When businesses engage in production and trade ethically and justly, there is blessing for the whole society.

Rod St Hill is Dean of the School of Business at Christian Heritage College in Brisbane, Australia. You can follow him on Twitter at @RodStHill.