Righteous Free Enterprise and Selfish Ambition

So what is the main principle of this Righteous Free Enterprise? We know we have the right, given by God and therefore inalienable, to keep the FRUIT or PROFIT of our work. But what is the underlying principle that God set-up for us to abide in, that if we follow it, it almost guarantees the effectiveness of this God-created enterprise system?


It is this: We are each expected by God to act in our own BEST interest.


That's it.


If we act in our own BEST interest, we will not just act in our own interest, we will act in our highest and best interest. We will seek to establish WIN-WIN relationships with our customers and our vendors. We will not "profit" at the customer's "expense". When a good or service is traded, we will seek to provide the best good or service for the price paid. We will not in any way short-change the customer, on the contrary we will act as if we have an interest in RETAINING that customer for the long term. We will understand that what we sell, has value and we will seek to provide that value, that benefit, to people in a profitable, hospitable method.


This is Righteous Free Enterprise.


This may sound incredibly obvious to you, but on a DAILY basis, Christians in business are tempted to take an "advantage" that comes their way, that no one but they and God would know about. And when they succumb to the temptation they rationalize it saying to themselves, "you gotta make hay while the sunshines"! or they consider all the times they maybe were taken advantage of and say "My Turn".

The clear thing is this: every time we succumb to temptation to act in our own SELFISH interest (which is what greed is about), we diminish the plan of God and we OPPOSE His plan for our business. This my friend is sin, by definition. Because we profit from it, it is easy to rationalize. But these are ill-gotten gains, as they were once called back in the day. There is no enJOYment in them. And they will NOT store up treasure in heaven. When you profit Righteously it is a TWO-FER. You benefit NOW and you store up Treasure in heaven. It's actually a TWO-FER, TWO-FER, because you and your customer both benefit as well.


It is seems much more difficult and it is more rewarding, to maintain the integrity of Gods system and act in our BEST interest, which will "consider the interest of others as well of our own." (Phil 2:4, " Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 Grand Rapids: Zondervan. )


And: 21 "All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. "
The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1989 (Php 2:21). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.


The intent of God in all aspects of our relationships, is to create win-win. We serve --we are served. We give and it is given to us. We Love because He first loved us.

Of course in order achieve this maturity we must be firmly rooted in God and in the things of God. And we must TRUST in Him with all of our heart, or we will succumb to the temptation to do otherwise.

I know Pastors and Businesspeople who have failed because they hear from God, they discern what he wants them to do, and they grab hold of it and run with it. You've heard it said: God has a plan for your life. "You know the plans I have for you, says the Lord" (jer 29). So when a door opens for you in your church, business or work-life, do you give thanks and say "I've got it now God!"

Or do you seek to do what God has given you to do, GOD'S WAY? Do you seek the detail of the Plan? Do you "acknowledge Him in ALL your ways, so "He will make your path straight"?

Do God's Plan, God's Way. Be just as earnest in seeking the tactics as the strategy.

transformation@becominggreat.com
http://www.becominggreat.com/
Jeffrey Pelletier 651-492-8540