For many Christian professionals and businesspeople, the prospect of practicing our faith in the marketplace is overwhelming. It’s easy to remain paralyzed in the face of so many things calling for our time and attention. In the face of overwhelming number of choices, most marketplace Christians default to what’s comfortable and familiar – which is to focus on worldly success in business and give up on having an impact for the Kingdom.
In order to break through this inertia, here are two small things you can do. These are small acts that get you started and moving on the right path.
1. Pay your bills on time
This is such a basic thing that I’m almost embarrassed to bring it up. If you are going to be a good steward of the worldly resources that God has put into your hands, you must start by handling your money, and your business’s money, with discipline.
When you chose to buy the home, rent the space, buy the car, invest in software, take on supplies, etc., you made a promise to your vendors and lenders that you would pay back according to their terms. To not do so puts you in the position of a debtor. and cedes power and influence to the person or companies to whom you owe the money. It adds one more thing to think about to your list of worries.
On the other hand, if you stay current with everyone, it keeps you in good standing with your vendors, marks you as reliable and responsible, and may, in the long term, open up additional opportunities for you. All that’s from a worldly perspective.
In a spiritual sense, it says to God, through your actions not your words, that you believe his promise to you that He will provide. It launches you into a new stage of your relationship with Him. You are going from just believing His Word, to actually acting on it. It’s a step up from mumbled prayers at a church meeting to actually stepping out on faith and acting on it.
I have been in business for over three decades. I’ve weathered two significant business reversals, and at least three serious economic disruptions in the country. In all of that, I don’t think I have ever not paid a bill on time. That’s a testimony to God’s provision.
If you are struggling with cash flow, decide to trust God to provide, and make a commitment to stick to the promises you made. Ask him for a date on which you begin to pay every bill on time and trust him to help you get there.
Money, and your attitude toward it and practices with it, is often the bridge between the world’s economic system and God’s economy. It is how the world measures and rewards worldly success. On the spiritual side, it is a useful tool to grow your spiritually and a test to develop your trust in Him.
For 30 years, Dave Kahle has helped businesses sell better and nudged Christian businesses to reach their potential. He’s authored 13 books, including The Good Book on Business, and presented in 47 states and 12 countries. Review his free resources for Christian businesspeople at the Biblical Business Resource Center and subscribe to his free newsletter: Christian Business Insights here.
PART TWO WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE JULY ISSUE
