I was sitting down with an executive recently, and he was sharing his passion for life which centrally involved God. The challenge he related, though, was the business world does not have that same perspective. In fact, they are skittish at the least, if not directly resistant, to religious communication in the workplace.
So, for a believing Christian, what place or role does the Bible or their beliefs have in the workplace?
Does the Bible apply to what they are doing in business? Or is it valuable because of how it speaks to their life but must be set aside or at least not referenced when dealing in the corporate or secular business world?
Simply put, I challenge business leaders that the Bible does not apply to business. In fact, it doesn’t even apply to their life.
Let that sink in. I mean that literally, just not for the reason you may assume.
The primary dictionary definition of the word “apply” speaks of making something “relevant.” The connotation would often be that something is taken out of its original environment and made to work in another suitable setting.
The Bible absolutely does not do that.
The Bible doesn’t apply to business. It defines business. It defines why things work or are ineffective. It subsumes all of life, business, relationships, the past and the future. It encapsulates everything involved in business.
The Bible is not on the outside looking in, trying to nudge its way into our existence. It is God’s kindness defining to our finite thinking what is infinitely and unchangeably true about all of life.
What role does the Bible and your belief have in your workplace?
Well, that depends on whether there is a passion to be at the front edge of business effectiveness and impact. If so, everything! The Bible is the most incredible cheat code on how and why business and life exist and work as they do.
Granted, you may not always be free to reference the Bible mandates for a particular action and open with corporate prayer, but your life and business acumen can be absolutely defined and renovated by your belief. You also don’t need to hide your faith. Live your faith in peaceful confidence in every entrepreneurial or corporate setting.
If you are clear about what the Bible communicates (an important caveat), you bring an amazing asset to the company.
Here are seven base principles of how the Bible and your faith relate to your business and life.
- The Bible does not apply to business. It defines or subsumes business.
The Bible is not primarily defining what is naughty or nice. It is defining what is true. And, even more helpfully, it is defining what is true in areas we particularly tend to get wrong.
- The Bible communicates the fundamental laws defining business and existence.
The truths the Bible defines are not relegated to what we would call religion or salvation. It defines why everything works or breaks. The next book I am writing, The Ten Commandments of Business, shows how the Ten Commandments are an HR and CEO’s dream guide to how to effectively run business.
- Business, like biology, works because of principles or laws that define how things work.
Business styles have adapted over time, but the laws of business that undergird these styles have been universal since the beginning. These laws are what God created and helps clarify for us in the Bible. They include among others relational laws, legal/honesty laws, laws of the harvest or production, and more.
- The laws the Bible defines are not initially commands. They are realities, like the law of gravity.
Every biblical command is built off of a law of reality as God created it – truth. When God gives commands, it is out of kindness not restriction. He created everything that exists. Having done so, He understands exactly how they work. Like any sport, craft, or profession, newbies to the show always have tendencies that are counterproductive. God is defining where we are in sync or harmony with what is true and where we are undermining our life and impact by being out of sync.
So, His commands arise out of what is true.
From the human perspective, it’s the same as a coach who gives very precise, even strict, directives on how their athletes are to practice, play, and even live. Basketball coaching legend, John Wooden, was known for his “Pyramid of Success” which defined how to be successful in all of life, not just basketball.
- The biblical laws of existence are universal, without limit, defining everything.
Just like gravity affects everything not just flying or bridge spans, so the laws in the Bible define everything including business interactions and pursuits.
- Being in sync with what is true is productive. Being out of sync with what is true is destructive – always.
The beauty of God’s laws is not only that they are not restrictive. They are freeing and effective. God doesn’t make up laws to watch us struggle. Recognizing our limitations, ignorance, and tendency to get it wrong, He clarifies what is true. Because He is not light about the value of you, He actually commands obedience to them – welcome to every great coach we revere.
Coaches aren’t mean when they require their athletes to follow their directives. They are the ones with the winning teams.
- Embrace your faith, don’t apologize for it.
Embrace the kindness of God to clarify what is true. Grow in your awareness and understanding of what He has communicated, and live the advantage. Be wise in how you communicate your faith, but don’t be tentative. Be confident, like you had the best MBA background and experience available.
Check out what David, the king who made Israel into an empire, thought of God’s laws – Psalm 119:97-106.