Living In A Loveless World Part III- How Businessowners Are Called To Run A Business.

Before we get to today’s article, I just want to mention that am writing from the perspective of a man that has experienced many of the challenges of which I write…. and those spiritual battles continue daily. The articles are implications of what it means to obey the commandment to raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. They require some reflection and are particularly for Christians who, as Peter would say, are diligently seeking to confirm their calling and are making every effort to supplement their faith. Said more succinctly, serious Christians. If you know other believers who desire to walk more faithfully with the Lord, please forward an article to them and tell them to sign up for future articles. Thanks so much!

Living In A Loveless World Part III- How Businessowners Are Called To Run A Business.

 This is the third part of a series of thinking through our experiences in a fallen world- a world that is not dedicated to serving and obeying God, but rather has their faith, trust, and love in themselves. Of course, the Christian is living in this loveless world, but our calling is to live dramatically differently by obeying the teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is through our obedience to Him that we see Him walk with us through this life, make us more like Jesus, and prepare us for the next life where there will be no more sin or suffering in the presence of our great God.

This article is based on an excerpt from a book written by the Puritan, Richard Steele. As I share Reverend Steele’s teaching on what he called, “The Religious Tradesman”, I will make several comments. I’m predicting that you will be shocked when you hear what he has to say about a Biblical view of running a business. Please note that you should substitute the word, employees” where you read, “apprentices.” Let’s begin.

Justice demands a fair treatment of your fellow tradesmen.

Richard Steele: Though every man may use all the lawful methods to increase and secure his income, charity should keep us from hindering those who are poorer than ourselves. Justice forbids gaining customers or merchants from others by any dishonorable or indirect means. Particularly, detest every unjust reflection and debasing suggestion on our fellow tradesman’s character or goods and every mean trick to increase your business at the expense of your neighbor’s. Let this always be your governing principle: do unto others as you would have it done to you. Employers should be happy when their apprentices set up their own business and carry some customers away from them since this is part of the compensation for their investment of time and money. Yet no ingenious employee will use any unworthy means to gain customers for himself, and only do what is normal and approved, either before or after his term of employment. He should remember that when he comes into the same circumstances, he himself will not be content with such usage.

My comment: when I was a small businessowner, saying something detrimental about the competition was too hard to resist. I would try to say it in the nicest possible way, but I would still get the point across to my customer. As far as feeling good about my employees leaving and starting a similar business, I never felt good and highly resented them for doing so. By the way, this is why non-compete contracts were created- to stop this from happening. But if we apply the “do unto others” principle, we realize how worldly this is.

Richard Steele: Again, whether done by societies or individuals, the monopolizing of goods for the enriching of a few is directly contrary to the laws of justice and charity. These laws command us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and not to seek our own advantage to the detriment of others. The law of nature gives to every man a right to comfortable living by labor and commerce. Those who deprive others of these advantages by covetous and self-enriching schemes are common enemies to mankind. Men may “boast when they do well for themselves; and others may bless the covetous whom God abhors” (Psalm 10:3), but the common and tender Father of all, cannot but hate these gains of oppression, and punish this method of hastening to be rich. We often see the effects of it in the fall and ruin of those who thought to enrich themselves by gains of unrighteousness.

Neither is it agreeable to justice and equity for the rich tradesmen or skilled craftsman to undersell his poorer fellow tradesmen. His resources may sustain him, but the poorer tradesmen, who lacks his stocking credit, cannot preserve their customers, or make a living at those prices. This conduct is especially criminal where the very design of it is to weaken and impoverish others. Lastly, injustice is intolerable when it’s given to your partners in trade. They reposed the same confidence in you as they do in themselves, and you are bound to them by all the strictest ties of law, conscience, and mutual confidence. For people to undermine or embezzle from each other is a crime that deserves the severest censure. It can only be practiced by those who have lost all love of virtue or fear of shame.

My Comment: Again, Steele is imposing the royal command from Jesus to love our neighbors, including our competitors in business. This is a mind jarring attitude that refutes many common business practices today.

Richard Steele: Justice obliges the tradesmen to show a paternal care toward his apprentices. Prudence directs one to choose those who have sober characters, tolerable dispositions, and capacities fit for business. Prudence directs one not to choose them for the sake of gaining some extra money now, or to compensate for a slowdown in business. By doing so, you thrust a thorn into your own side which may pain you for seven long years. Justice obliges you to treat those whom you see fit to bind and receive into your families in the same manner as you would your own children when they come into the same condition.

My Comment: Treating your employees as if they are part of your family is something that I do see in some smaller businesses. I’m not sure how many of those businessowners are making caring efforts to take care of their employees solely because it benefits the enterprise versus how many are truly concerned for their employee’s welfare. However, in the larger businesses, maybe those that have more than 150 employees, the mantra may be that everyone is part of a big family, but far too often the employees are treated as unwanted orphans when the business is not doing well.

Richard Steele: Guard against undue severity and rigor toward them because it will discourage them in your service, make their time and life a burden, and bring even worse consequences. Remember that you were once in the same situation, and do not repeat what you justly esteemed a hardship on yourself. Remember that you also have a master in heaven who rules by love and just authority and not by severity and vengeance.Imitate him in this. Manage your employees so as to command love and esteem, as well as respect and obedience. Then they will feel it to be much in their interest as it is their duty to serve you. Maintain your authority over them by a life of virtue and religion. This will produce reverence and enforce respect much more effectually than any domineering austerity in words or behavior. Vice and folly naturally breed contempt under the most lordly and arrogant sway.

My Comment: Steele is speaking based on Ephesians 6:9 where Paul writes, Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.” Note the effect that loving your employees will have- that they will respond in a positive way to a loving employer, and we know that any of us would react in this way if we had that kind of employer.

Richard Steele: Do not impose tasks too heavy on them. Do not make their lives bitter by cruel bondage lest they cry unto God against you. Remember their years and bear with their frailties and imperfections. Do not charge them with faults without cause nor refuse to hear their just apologies. Remember the reflection of Job in a similar case: “if I did despise the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they contended with me; What then shall I do when God rises up? And when He visits, what shall I answer Him? Did not He that made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb (Job 31:13-15)?” Let them have food and rest fit for them. Let the quality of work be suitable to their condition. Let their quantity of work be sufficient for their necessary refreshment. Let the time and season to be the most conducive to their health and comfort. Be as fully ready to encourage them when they do well, as to reprove them when they do amiss. Then they may be aware of your good will toward them, as well as your authority over them. Thou shalt not rule over them with rigor, but shall fear thy God”(Leviticus 25:43).

My Comment: There is just a ton of gold there. Employers are to consider the frailties and imperfections of their employees and assess work to them accordingly. It is wise to set expectations properly in order to get the best results from your employees and if any have a complaint, the businessowner must be willing to listen. Employers need to take care of their employee’s physical needs as well and make the work environment comfortable for them. And another good word from Richard Steele- be an encourager and not just a criticizer!

Richard Steele: Be watchful against a weak indulgence toward them. Exercise your authority over them so they maintain in all their conduct or respect toward God and you. Do not indulge them in any known evil. Recommend to them, both by example and rules, the religious fear of God as well as justice and truth to man. Above all, diligently watch over them to preserve them from their infection of evil company, by taking an exact account of their time when they are absent from you, since this is when they make their destructive acquaintances. Especially let your authority be exercised over them for the religious observance of the Lord’s day; for many have dated their ruin from the faulty liberties they were then indulged in. How a tradesman can answer to God in his own conscience for leaving his servants at large on that day while he is delighting himself in his country retreat, is more than I can say. I hardly believe anything has contributed more to the corruption of the rising generation than neglect of this kind. How justly May God charge those with selfishness and hypocrisy who require a strict obedience to their own commands while overlooking the neglect of His holy and righteous laws? Therefore, keep them under your eye, and instead give them time from your own business to visit with their friends or do other lawful things rather than let any part of that sacred time be spent in a frivolous or unbecoming manner. They may think this restraint is too much at present, but future time and reflection will cause them to bless you and bless God for your care concerning them. Lastly, be very cautious of sending on a trip those who do not have sufficient wisdom and virtue to preserve themselves from the many temptations to which they are exposed. In this way many youths have been utterly undone.

My Comment: Clearly, today’s businessman does not have the kind of control over their employees they had many years ago, but the point is still one that deserves a great deal of consideration: the businessowner, out of love and obedience to the Lord, is required to diligently love and care for his employees in all areas of life, especially his employee’s religious life. However, one thing has not changed- sending immature or morally weak employees on business trips can result in all kinds of sinful and destructive behavior while they are away.

Well, that’s it for Richard Steele and “The Religious Tradesman” for now. I have shared plenty of thought provoking truths from Steele that I found on only 3 of the 104 pages that he wrote. I am hoping that I will receive permission from the publisher to record the entire book. In the meantime, please think deeply about these things if you’re a businessowner and if you know others, please pass this along. Just think how different the world would be if things were done God’s way. Unfortunately, we know that we can’t expect the world to follow these Biblical principles, but we do know that God blesses Christians when they do.  

THIS WEEK’S SPOTLIGHT! Unfortunately, how we run a business is often driven by a love for money.  Does God have something to say about money? Check out “Choose Your Master: God Or Money”and you will be greatly encouraged. The links are directly below-

Choose Your Master: God Or Money. The links are immediately below-

Description: This is one of the most written about topics in the Bible because it is one of the most dangerous to the Christian. Listen in on the good and bad experiences of the author and strongly consider the Bible’s teaching on stewardship.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-choose-your-master-god/id1683382182

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQiHoB3-tBm1qDDbxxpQAvTl

Title: All Things For Good Written By Thomas Watson And Read By Michael Lee

Title: Critical Considerations For Christian Parents About Your Child’s Education, By Michael Lee

Description: As we search the Bible for answers to the question: How shall we raise our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,” we can see that the system for educating children was done primary by the parents in the home. However, the world in which we live now is quite different and the vast majority of parents use an educational system that is outside of the home and is that system is called the public schools, or the government schools.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-critical-considerations/id1678162250

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQjnvjc7QuytT2V3lVr53oqa

Title: From Religion To Christ, Written By Peter Jeffery And Read By Michael Lee

Description:  Tired of the many systems of religion that you have observed or been part of in the past? Are you ready to say goodbye to religion? The author Peter Jeffery, agrees! Doing “religion” is empty and will not get you to heaven. There is something more-something much greater. Take a careful listen through this podcast and discover what a real relationship with God actually looks like.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-from-religion-to-christ/id1687134464

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQg_lCngBTcjs_dXT1VYvYWA

Title: Rediscovering The Lost Treasure Of Family Worship. Written By Jerry Marcellino And Read By Michael Lee

Description: Family Worship was once the normal practice that most Christian parents led in their homes. Led by either parent, the children would be taught daily from the word of God, pray and sing songs. It was considered to be a vital part of the Christian life.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-rediscovering-the-lost/id1692401602

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQgNq7asslVBsKyq0FC3arMs

A Call To Prayer By J. C. Ryle.  Although these words were penned more than 100 years ago, the need and application for today’s Christian is greater than ever.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cherish-ephesians-6-4-presents-a-call-to-prayer-by/id1672880807

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAh2MVKU1VQjaXXgO8P1U-bBFkEMCwdYR

Title: Why Should I Believe Anything About Jesus Christ? Written By Various Authors And Read By Michael Lee

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Last modified: December 29, 2023