Bible on BusinessChikamu

47 fears

Days before launching a business venture I prayed the most arrogant prayer conceivable. In essence, I said, “Dear God: Here’s my plan. Please bless it.” How foolish, how prideful of me! I was due for a large dose of humility, and that’s exactly what I got. Within 30 days, the business went upside down and so did I.

For the next few years, subtle fear replaced pride as my constant companion.

Two core issues I see many business leaders wrestle with are pride and fear. On one hand, leaders are often ridiculously competent and make amazing things happen. On the other hand, they sometimes doubt whether they really have the right stuff to keep it all together. Left unchecked, these can become calling cards for pride and fear.

Scattered throughout pages of Israelite rule lists between chapters 18-26 of Leviticus, in a span of roughly thirty minutes of reading are forty-seven(!) occurrences of the most humbling, centering and liberating phrase resounding through the ages: “I am the LORD” or “I am the LORD your God.” Forty-seven times!

Look at one example: “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.”

Our desire to squeeze ever-more profitability from our work and save for college, retirement and vacations at the expense of our humanness of generosity, for example, didn’t catch God by surprise. He responds to our pride and fear simply and profoundly, “I am the LORD your God.”

What are your top 47 concerns, fears or sources of pride?

Go ahead, name them.

What’s God’s response to each one?

“I am the LORD.”

I am here. I love you. I have your back. Trust me. Join me. Abide with me. I’m for you. I’m pursuing you. I’m with you. I’m making all things new – even your darkest fears and self-satisfied pride. Because I am the LORD.

Todd Kemp is the Convene Chair in Denver, Colorado. Follow along with Todd on Twitter at @KToddKemp.