What are Biblical Business Principles?
Its one thing to say that we are founded on Biblical Business Principles, its another to live that out. In order to be held accountable to this standard, we have to be transparent in defining what this means exactly, not only for our team, but also our clients. How our business is run impacts our clients on a daily basis, and we believe that the Bible has a lot to say on how to run a business the right way.
Biblical Business Principles Defined:
The Bible is God’s word revealed to mankind.
In it, God gives direction for how He expects the Christian to live their life. While the Bible may not state specifically a certain way to accomplish different business practices, we believe there are principles given that apply even today.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
- 2 Timothy 3: 16, 17
A principle is a “fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.” As Christians, God has given us foundational truth that can be applied in our every day life, as well as in business, defining a right and wrong way to operate, through His Word. We are accountable not only to our clients, but to God himself, in what we do, and how we operate. Because of this, our first goal is always to do what pleases Him.
Some of our Foundational Business Principles:
Communication:
Matthew 5:37 says “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” Jesus was telling the people to stop swearing that they would or wouldn’t do things, and just let everything we say be completely true. Our communication starts with unyielding honesty, every time. Built on that foundation, we have created efficient methods to ensure our communication is timely and proactive. We stay available for our clients, both homeowners and tenants.
Proverbs 25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”
Psalms 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, o Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”
Matthew 12:36 “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
Integrity:
The quality of morality that each individual places on this word directly impacts how they will live out its application. Our benchmark is God’s Word. That means that we will always seek to do the right thing, no matter the cost, and when our humanity causes us to fall short, we will own up to it and make it right. Just as we represent our property owners to tenants, we also represent our Savior, as ambassadors for Jesus Christ, to everyone we interact with. It’s more than a job, it’s our testimony.
2 Corinthians 5:20, 21 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Proverbs 28:6 “Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.”
Psalm 26:1 “Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.”
Diligence:
To be diligent is not only to work hard, but to care about the work. God has a lot to say about His expectations on how Christians are to work: the Bible is clear that we are to be above reproach, we are to work as unto God himself, and we are to put everything into it that we should. We apply that by managing every property to the best of our abilities and continuously striving to surpass what we have done before. All for God’s glory, and not our own.
Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men:”
Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Proverbs 22:29 “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”