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As a Christian in business (see my previous article) I talked about the need for congruency between life outside of the office and the way in which we as Christians should do business.

How do you then be in the world but not of the world?

How do you not bow to the idols of the world and keep strong in your resolve that that the relationship with God is honoured through all that you do in and out of the business life you lead?

“Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.” 1 John 2:15-17 (The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)

When you first made that life commitment before the Lord to follow Him and trust Him for all things, the ‘first love’ led you to go after Him with all you had.

Many Christians, not all, loose this ‘first love’ mentality when they get secure in their own life, family, home, church, the same seats each Sunday, attending the same small group week in week out… and if they are not careful it becomes tradition and even religion.

Each day we should try to remind ourselves of our first love encounter with Jesus and how this changed our lives for the better. This should motivate us to continually ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in the decisions we make in business., moving forward with the want for this same joy every day.

This message from John tells us that if we love the way of the world and rely on it and it’s ways, the the love of the Father will be squeezed out – do you want Him ‘squeezed’ out of your life or your business?

Every area of your business should be aligned with the values you hold and this need for God to be in it all.

Think about your finances – how you manage them, how you give back into the Church from this income, where you bank it, how you steward this well and don’t waste this provision.

Think about the way that you treat staff – Jesus came as a servant King, do strive to be like Christ in all you do, do you serve your staff well?

Think about suppliers – do your printers use environmentally friendly processes, do they only use FSC paper, what is their recycling policy, is the correct stewardship of the Earth and creation important to them and it should be for you? …the list could be endless.

Acting this way and ensuring that every decision you make is in-line with biblical principles will ensure that you are putting God first in your business. Putting His ways above the ways of the world “is set for eternity” – are you set for eternity?