Proverbs 16:3, “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established”.

This verse suggests that when you commit your work to God, your plans will be aligned with His will and they shall be fulfilled. It also suggests that God is involved in the lives of people who trust Him in guiding them and directing their paths.

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall [a]direct your paths”.

This verse instructs us to put all our trust in the Lord and to acknowledge Him in all our ways and then He shall direct our paths. We CANNOT expect God to direct our paths until we have trusted Him fully with our lives – this time our businesses / career.

When you get a business idea and plan and commit it to Him (God), He makes sure that you accomplish it successfully.

Special Note: As Christians, just like anyone else, we start businesses to generate profits AND to contribute to advancing God’s kingdom on earth. The difference is that we must operate our businesses based on principles laid down in God’s Word (the Bible). We must operate them with integrity, honesty, and other ethical practices, reflecting God’s love and justice.

Let us talk at relationships and work ethics and how they could affect our businesses.

In most businesses, there are four kinds of people and relationships involved which if everyone plays their role well will contributes to any business success:

1. Employer relationships
2. Employee relationship
3. Clientele relationships
4. Vendor relationship

1. Employer Relationships

 Modeling a good Christian value in a business can be challenging, but also incredibly fulfilling. Business owners must capitalize on the principle of due diligence, honesty, discernment, and continuous research to be successful.

This entails:

1. Treating your employees fairly and with respect. Consider them as partners in business for without them you are unlikely to succeed
2. Training employees on aiming at providing the best customer service in your business
3. Focusing on building a company based on reputation conscious of integrity and honesty
4. Understanding that you are simply a manager and a steward of the resources that God has given you and therefore you must remain humble.
5. Giving back to the community or Nation

The following are the key areas to consider in running your business.

1. Be Honest in the Business establishments: Proverbs 19:1: “Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool” When others know they can trust your word in your business, you’re more likely to be considered for advancement and more opportunities including referrals.
2. Treat People Right in Business: Matthew 7:12: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12, often called the “Golden Rule,” It means that you should treat others the way you want to be treated; signifying that the core principle is to act with kindness and consideration towards others as you would desire for yourself
3. Be Fair in Business Practices: Leviticus 25:14: “And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another”. While it may be instinctual to take care of your employees, it’s also important to be fair in business dealings with your competitors. Doing what’s right may not always be easy, but being fair and honest enhances your reputation and helps you to build business relationships that could serve you far into the future. Companies that consider their competitors to be enemies exert energies where they shouldn’t and sometimes end up spending millions of dollars in courtrooms when they should be in the board room.
4. Make wise decisions in your business: Luke 14:28: “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish”. Like I said in the beginning, businesses exist to make a profit. There isn’t anything unchristian about earning money, striving to succeed, and taking care of your family. But the Bible teaches us to be wise in these endeavors. Make short and long-term plans that will help build your own career and add to the worth of your organization. That means choosing good advisors, living within your means, investing with care, and planning for tomorrow—whether for you personally or the company for which you work. When you invest wisely, you reap rewards that that can serve you and others.
5. Donate / Give to Worthy Causes: 2 Corinthians 9:6: “… And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed”. What does 2 Corinthians 9 8 mean? God increases the ability of believers who give generously so they can give even more. God is glorified when one increases in blessings and that includes increase in business profits. Just as companies that treat its employees well tend to do better than those that do not, those organizations that give back to the community also reap rewards as according to Luke 6:38. Generosity, whether it comes in the form of giving money, offering advice and time, or care, is a bedrock of Christian ethics. When you support causes that align well with Biblical principles, you demonstrate trustworthiness before God, and you can be trusted with more.

2. Employee relationships

A good employer / employee relationship mainly depends on work ethics by an employee in any business model. Work ethics plays a major role for the success of any business.

Let us explore examples of good work ethics that business owners look for:

1. Reliability: Fulfilling commitments and consistently meeting deadlines.
2. Punctuality. It emphasizes the importance of arriving on time and meeting deadlines. Punctual individuals respect others’ time and demonstrate commitment to their work.
3. A life of integrity: Being honest and ethical in all professional dealings
4. Professionalism: Maintaining a respectful and appropriate demeanor in the workplace.
5. Positive attitude: Approaching work with enthusiasm and a willingness to contribute.
6. Accountability: Taking ownership of your work, including mistakes, and actively working to correct them
7. Dedication: Making consistent efforts and going the extra mile to achieve goals.
8. Teamwork: Collaborating effectively with colleagues to achieve shared goals.
9. Time management: Prioritizing tasks and efficiently managing your work schedule.
10. Discipline: Highly disciplined employees show determination and commitment to the job.
11. Confidentiality: It highlights the significance of respecting sensitive information and maintaining privacy. Individuals holding a strong sense of confidentiality can be entrusted with handling sensitive data and Keeping things confidential and professional.
12. Adaptability: Showcasing flexibility to change and willingness to learn new skills.
13. Continuous Learning: Seeking opportunities to learn and improve.
14. Positive mindset: approaching work with a positive and proactive mindset
15. Communication: Clearly and openly sharing information with colleagues and superiors.

Studies have shown that those who practice good work ethics habits potentially achieve greatest financial success. This is because these principles align with biblical principles. Their purpose is essentially to use their business (s)as a tool to glorify God.

A comparison chart showing some of the differences between Good and Bad work Ethics

 3. Clientele relationships

Good clientele relationships is essential to a successful business model. Remember, without clientele, there is no business.

What Clients are looking for:

2. Honesty and Transparency: Honesty should be at the foundation of your business. As you progress in your business, your clients’ needs to know they can trust what you tell them. When you become honest and trustworthy, you’re more likely to be considered for more referrals by your clients which equals to more business. You would rather have a small clientele that you can commit to than many that have lost trust in you. The Bible says in Proverbs 19:1, “Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool”.
3. Fair Pricing:Set prices that reflect the true value of your product or service, avoiding exploitative practices. Matthew 7:12: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets”. Leviticus 25:14: “And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another”. While it may be instinctual to take care of your employees, it’s also important to be fair in business dealings with your competitors. Doing what’s right may not always be easy but being fair and honest enhances your reputation and helps you to build business relationships that could serve you far into the future. Companies that consider their competitors to be enemies exert energies where they shouldn’t and sometimes end up spending millions of dollars in courtrooms when they should be in the board room.
4. Quality Standards: Companies need to strive to provide excellence in product and services they offer to their clients. Quality standards in the workplace are guidelines that ensure the quality of products and services.

4) Vendor Relationship:

This is an area of business ignored the most but without your vendors, you cannot deliver.

When considering a “vendor relationship” in the context of God, it means approaching your interactions with vendors as an opportunity to reflect God’s character by demonstrating honesty, integrity, fairness, and service. Treat your vendors with the same respect and kindness you would want to receive yourself, as if you were serving God directly through your business dealings. This principle aligns with the idea of “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

Key points to remember:

1. Ethical conduct:

Conduct business with vendors transparently, fulfilling agreements and commitments, and avoiding any practices that could be considered deceitful or exploitative.

2. Compassion and understanding:

Recognize that vendors are people with their own challenges and needs, approaching interactions with empathy and a willingness to collaborate.

3. Fairness in pricing and terms:

Strive for mutually beneficial agreements, ensuring both parties are treated fairly in pricing and contract conditions.

4. Gratitude and appreciation:

Express sincere thanks for the services provided by your vendors, acknowledging their contribution to your business success.

5. Building relationships:

Go beyond transactional interactions and aim to establish a positive long-term relationship with your vendors based on trust and mutual respect.