Called to Business

“Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.” (Pro 22:4)

Perspective – Proverbs 22:4

“Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.” (Pro 22:4)

If people are described as humble, how would you perceive them? Would you see them as strong? Would you see them as powerful? Perhaps because of the denigration of what it is to be humble, we have a perception that humility equals weakness.

True humility is the fear of the Lord. It is not only an intellectual assent to the salvation of Christ but a submission to His lordship. When we align ourselves with God’s Word and with the King of Kings, we are humble. When we agree with what He says about us, we are humble. When we trust in what He says rather than the circumstances we see, we are humble.

And the wages of humility? They are riches and life. Not a bad outcome.

Quick Prayer: Keep me humble. Amen.

 

 

“So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.” (Luk 16:2)

We are all accountable to someone. We all have a boss, a board, a manager, or someone who has authority over us. There are no lone rangers in the kingdom of God. There is wisdom in community and in the application of accountability.

Spiritual accountability for practical reality makes a lot of common sense. Very few of us want to have accountability, and yet part of the wisdom in walking with God is surrounding ourselves with people who will hold us accountable.

God is into accountability. One day we will all stand before Him and give an account. Yes, if we are born-again, we will not be held responsible for our sin, yet we will be held accountable for what we have done with what we were given.

Quick Prayer: I am aware that I need to be accountable. Help me to be so. Amen.

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” (Rom 13:8)

Sometimes the Scriptures are deliberately vague. We have to dig deep for the truth, and there are layers of understanding. Other times things are so obvious in black-and-white that we almost miss them.

Let no debts remain outstanding. If we look into the ancient text, reference the commentators of the time, seek out all the different interpretations of the Scripture, and assemble it all together, it makes no difference. The Word still says to let no debt remain outstanding.

If you have debts remaining, let them not remain outstanding.

Quick Prayer: Help me get me out of debt please, Lord. Amen.

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” (Pro 22:7)

I don’t think I would like to be a slave. Despite us thinking that it is an ancient trade, there are more slaves on the planet today than there have ever been. It is a tragic industry trading in human misery.

Yet here in Proverbs, a borrower is described as a slave to the lender. The power a master has over a slave has no end. It is a good reminder about God’s attitude toward debt. When we are in debt, we are literally owned by the person we are in debt to. Think twice and think again before entering into debt.

Give due heed to this Scripture when you look to enter into any debt contract. When we are in debt, we lose a piece of our freedom.

Quick Prayer: Teach me how to live with minimal debt. Amen.

“The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, ‘Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.’” (2 Kin 4:1)

My God is a generous God. He does supply all my needs. But if I squander his provision, if I am flippant with His generosity, or if I do not have an attitude of stewardship, I will quickly live beyond my means.

The temptation to keep up with the Joneses is a strong one. We live in a material world where we are continually bombarded with messages of the new and the greatest.

While God is fully aware of the society in which we live and what we need to partake in society and be effective, must be careful to be wise with what He has given us. The price we can pay for being out of control and falling into the hands of creditors is too high.

Quick Prayer: I know there is a price to pay for living outside my means. Give me wisdom. Amen.

“Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’—when you already have it with you.” (Pro 3:28)

I like this description because it demonstrates the heart of God. There is something very right and proper about spontaneously meeting a need. If we have something in hand that can meet a need of others, we shouldn’t even hesitate to give.

There is something inherently wrong with having resources and not meeting the need. Even in business, in the brutal cut and thrust of the commercial world, the principles of generosity apply.

If we can pay bills now, why not pay them now? This could cut across the prevailing culture and demonstrate a transformed life. Isn’t that what we are supposed to be doing?

Quick Prayer: Help me to be prompt in my payments. Amen.

“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.” (Psa 37:21)

We are called to be in contrast to those around us. If it is considered good practice to borrow and not to repay, then we should give generously. Just because everyone is doing it doesn’t mean it is okay to do.

We serve a generous God—One Who gave everything to save us. The material things we have are all His. Everything we have, and everything we are, has come from the hand of a generous God. We are merely stewards of what has been entrusted to us. It is all God’s.

Quick Prayer: Teach me to be generous. Amen.

“She went and told the man of God, and he said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.’” (2 Kin 4:7)

There is a spiritual principle that affects our physical existence; we reap what we sow. What we put in, we get out. Often the type of seed we sow is the fruit we reap. These things are the provision of God. Sometimes He goes abundantly beyond all we can think.

When it has all gone horribly wrong and what we have feared has come to pass, God is still able to provide. He may well provide in a truly supernatural fashion. He can open doors no man can shut. He can provide in ways we cannot even imagine. He can provide a way when there is no way.

Let’s not forget that He is an omnipotent God. He is the Creator of all things, and He is without limit. He is bigger than our need, and He can and will provide.

Quick Prayer: Thank You that You can provide supernaturally. Amen.

“When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.” (Neh 10:31)

We sometimes forget that our economy is not necessarily built on godly principles. While I truly believe that the democratic free-market capitalist system is as good as it gets, there are certain godly principles that are not inherent in the way we do commerce.

In the ancient world, there was a seven-year cycle of forgiving debts. What a wonderful demonstration of forgiveness and grace and mercy. What an acknowledgment that all belongs to God.

We have been forgiven much. Let’s not forget where we were when God found us. We who have received mercy should be merciful.

Quick Prayer: Help me to be merciful with those who owe me money. Amen.