The Ten Commandments for Business: Commandment One

Years ago, I spent time with a gentleman in Georgia who had developed ethical training for business leaders based on the Ten Commandments. His application to business was intriguing.

As a child, I memorized the Ten Commandments, but that seems infrequent today. In this series, I want to remind us of God’s commands and share how they might impact our business lives.

The first commandment is in Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods besides me.”

Anything that has your love and attention more than God violates this command. In business, this can be your job, your pursuit of wealth or power, or even environmental causes.

Early in this ministry, I went through a phase of placing the needs of this ministry above all other needs, including my family. I was convinced that since it was a ministry that I was placing God first.

God knew otherwise and finally brought me to my knees in repentance. I had made the ministry an idol.

When you’re alone in thought, if your mind always goes obsessively to the same subject, you may have an idol that needs addressed.

Questions for Reflection

• If your mind does go obsessively to the same subject what is the nature of the topic; is it a want or a need? If it is a want, assess it. Not all wants are bad so how might you negotiate the desire down to a manageable size? However, if it is a need, how might you supplement it?
• What is an idol, in the historical context? What would be an example of a present-day idol? Are there any you can pinpoint in your business? What is your goal for your business? What do you spend the most time on?