Wise business needs holy spirit help

The Bible is full of wisdom for life and business. The narratives give examples to emulate and to avoid; the proverbs are sound instruction. At 1044 pages in the printed Bible I use, there’s a lot to glean. How will any business person apply with any confidence this collection of vital literature?

The ambitious Christian scholar sets out to systematize the Scriptures in order to absorb what he must understand and obey about business. In a few years of study, the answers to many of his questions spring readily to mind. In the beginning years, he assures himself that, although he doesn’t grasp everything yet, at least he’s making an effort to base his work on Biblical grounds. After decades of study, he blesses others with his system for Biblical business by printing it for their enjoyment.

Meanwhile, another story unfolds. An average business person begins to follow Jesus by personal invitation and is invited to take on a new profession. He makes a lot of mistakes as he learns to live in the reality of God’s kingdom, but he’s eager to please. He cares deeply what Jesus thinks of his decisions, but when he discovers that he didn’t understand even half of what he thought he knew he returns, shaken, to his old line of work. After an encounter with Jesus that results in the second attempt at his new business, he is told to make no further moves until he’s received the promised Holy Spirit. After this, he is told, he will be able to complete the work he’s been given to accomplish.

Can you identify these two business people? (hint: they’re both in the Bible)

Importance

If profit were a business person’s only bottom-line he’d have enough to occupy sixty to eighty hours of his week for decades. If the addition of a Biblical dimension to one’s business demands the study habits of a Christian scholar, few Christians will ever venture to try. Thankfully that’s not the only story.

The Holy Spirit is an active Person in all Christian business people’s lives, not only to give direction (although He does) but to give the power to live a holy life. He convinces the world of its wicked business dealings (Jn 16:8), strengthens the heart to experience God’s transforming love (Eph 3:16-19), and demonstrates the power to validate the message of God (1Th 1:5). While Burkett is right to assert, “God is under no obligation to bail us out (Burkett, pg. 80), he misses large portions of what God does involve Himself in. The Spirit’s activity in business is critical to its success in building and maintaining a spiritual bottom-line.

Application

I had to check the copyright date after reading Burkett’s subtitle “Should I Hire Married Women?” The 1990’s were more conservative than I remember if they warrant quotes like, “In Christian circles there has always been a great deal of controversy about women’s working outside the home…Many assume that for a woman to work outside the home today implies that she is self-willed and independent” (Burkett, pg. 101). No implications necessary my good sir, my wife is independent :)

Comments like Burkett’s are cultural antiquities in my limited experience (though I’ve not spent time in the Bible Belt) and are easy to ignore. His writings are concerning, however, in their absence of any expectation that God’s Spirit gives direction or capacity to live a holy life. My application to this book is to consider the life of the second business person and model my work, not on the analysis of the first, but on the experience of the second.

Who are the two business people?

The first is a teacher of the law. The second is Simon Peter.

References