Part 2: Engagement and Cares
If you haven’t already, be sure to take a look at part one of this four-part series on what the bible says about business.
Today's portion may surprise you. After reading through these scriptures I felt like God was letting me know that, we as people let so many things take precedence over Christ. Without realizing it, we let matters and the cares of this world get in the way of our relationship, our duty, and our sacrifice to Christ.
Business is good and it has its place. But everything must be inferior to Christ. We can’t let business supersede him. Let's get into it…
First is Business Engagements.
Matthew 22:1-5 KJV
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
In this parable, Christ prepared a marriage and invited people to come to it, but they were too busy. Vs 5 specifically mentions one going to his farm, and the other to selling and buying goods.
Another scripture, Luke 14:16-19 KJV
16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
Christ is calling people to come to everlasting life…but they don’t recognize the seriousness and are focused on their own lives. Their businesses have become what is most important.
Think about how much time we spend on our jobs working. Or the time off our jobs thinking about the work we have to do for our jobs. I can only imagine that this increases 10-fold when you are running a business.
Then when it’s time to spend time with Christ, we are too tired.
We make excuses, just like the men in the parables. We end up giving Christ the least of us.
This should not be.
The bible stated that business engagements take precedence with worldly men. Because we are not of this world…it should be different.
Next is Business Cares.
The Bible says that business cares result in neglect of duty, a restless life, disappointment, sleeplessness, and presumption. It then gives scriptural examples of each.
First is neglect of duty - 1 Kings 20:39-40 KJV
39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
Sometimes, God gives instruction and we let other things get in the way of us completing what is asked of us. Christ comes FIRST. Whatever it is that you have to do, does not supersede God's instruction or your duty to Him.
This does not change when you run a business.
A restless life - Psalm 39:6 KJV
6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
This scripture is saying that people worry and are uneasy trying to build up riches for vanity. Emptiness…and they don’t even know what will happen to all that they gathered. People spend their lives trying to accumulate wealth and never rest. God has stored those riches up for the just…(Job 27:16-17)
Disappointment - Ecclesiastes 2:20 KJV
20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
This scripture references Deuteronomy 28:39 which says you do all this work and wont even reap the benefits. (Paraphrasing of course! Go read it lol)
Sleeplessness - Ecclesiastes 5:12
The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
This scripture says when you are rich, you lose all rest. When I think about people with a lot of wealth, most of their energy and time is consumed with maintaining those riches..so much so they tell others how little that they sleep. You hear people say stuff like “I can sleep when I am dead”.
NOT ME. God gives me sweet sleep right here and now! (Psalm 127:2)
Lastly is
Presumption - Luke 12:16-20
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
THIS RIGHT HERE! Y’all. It hits. What a way to conclude. This man was so concerned with all he had, with all his business and wealth that he did not focus on what mattered… his soul. When God called, he was not ready, but it was too late. God called him a fool.
There is so much to consider when running a business or having business engagements and cares. If you could take one thing from this entire blog, remember that God comes first no matter what. When he supersedes all and you focus on him, all other things will come (Matthew 6:33). If you are in the will of the Father, and he desires for you to run a business, he will lead, guide, provide, and prosper your business.
**Stay tuned for Part 3: Vices and Systems.
With Love - SOS