Daily Devotional
Betty Miller shares her daily
devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the Bible.
The Wisdom
of God
Verses for the Day:
Seest thou a man
diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before
mean men.
Proverbs 22:29 (AMP):
Do you see a man diligent
and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not
stand before obscure men.
Thoughts for the Day:
This verse in Proverbs
Every one of us who
are "born again" have the primary call to obey Jesus and to share the gospel with
the world. Jesus commanded us to do so in the Great Commission. This means that
our vocation is to get out the gospel, and we do that through
our avocation, which is the means of our livelihood. That means whatever work we
do, or whatever station in life that we find ourselves, when we make Jesus our
Lord and Saviour, then that field becomes our means to share the gospel. A
housewife and mother's call would be to raise their children to know the Lord.
A worker would try to the be the best employee possible, to demonstrate the
nature of Jesus to his boss and those around him. A minister would help others
become ministers where they are planted.
Therefore, if we
are a businessman or woman, then our ministry is to live our lives before our
employees and run the business in such a way so they may all see Jesus in us,
with the goal being to share Jesus with them. Does this mean neglecting our
business, and turning it into what resembles a church service? No, it means
that all of our business decisions and operations should be based on Biblical
principles. Diligence is one of those principles. When we are diligent, honest,
fair and just with our employees and our customers, just practicing those
virtues will make the business a success. We can offer Christian things at
our businesses, like hold a prayer meeting after work hours, witness at staff
meetings, share literature and Bibles with our employees, and other things that
the Lord may lead us to do. However, the main thing that will witness to unsaved
employees is to demonstrate kindness through our actions, such as being understanding
when they have problems, being generous with bonuses when possible, investing in
a safe work environment, being kind in correcting mistakes, serving our
customers with a heart, instead of just pleasing them to make a buck. These
things speak volumes to our employees and our customers.
When Christian
businessmen work hand in hand with Christian employees, by Biblical work ethics
and standards, it produces a just and fair work place. In the past when our
nation had a strong Christian influence, this combination led to our nation being
known for quality workmanship. Other nations were seeking to buy merchandise
with the "Made in U.S.A." label. Because our nation as a whole has turned away
from its moral standards and we have failed in our Christian influence in the
workplace, everyone is suffering.
Christians are mocked
because we do not exemplify a Biblical standard in our business
lifestyles. Corporate scandals are rampant with heads of companies
raping their companies because of their lust and greed. Many
employees are lazy, thieves and disloyal. How are we to witness and
share the gospel of Christ if our work habits are not exemplary?
Many of the younger
generation were not taught proper work habits and now have difficulty in
holding a job. We are a world in a hurry, which is a big hindrance
to good workmanship. Slothfulness, shoddy workmanship and
disorganization reflect a lack of caring. Many people take short cuts
that hamper the quality of the job, just to finish the task so they can
eliminate any problems of the moment. Later the job must be repeated,
which wastes time because the job was not done right the first time.
If we have been
deceived or perhaps have just become negligent in any area pertaining to
our work ethics, we could be guilty of hurting our witness for the Lord.
The Lord promises that diligence in business will bring recognition of
people in ruling positions and that they will be able to stand before
them in honor, not disgrace. Many businessmen who have practiced evil
in their corporations are now paying the price for it. However, a
faithful Christian businessman will stand out as a shining example of
what a godly business should look like, and they will not go unnoticed
before men and kings. That is true business success!
Prayer for the Day:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for showing us how to live our lives in our businesses. Lord, may we
be examples of integrity and honesty in all that we do. If we are a boss, help
us to be the best boss possible, showing our employees and customers the nature
of the Lord in all of our affairs. If we are working for someone, let our
work habits be exemplary as a witness to Your grace in our lives. Let us
be considerate of our workmates and may they see Jesus in us in all that we do.
Lord, return our nation to godly business practices so that we can be proud of
our work as Americans and find satisfaction in the job that we do. Most of all,
let us remember that ultimately we are working for You and may all that we do be
pleasing in Your sight. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
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