Comments on: Working out your faith in the business world http://www.gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/14/working-out-your-faith-in-the-business-world/ News and happenings from around Gospel.com Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:17:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Chris Salzman http://www.gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/14/working-out-your-faith-in-the-business-world/comment-page-1/#comment-1074 Chris Salzman Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:32:20 +0000 http://www.gospel.com/blog/?p=1310#comment-1074 Stephen, excellent thoughts! Regarding your second point, one of the greatest pieces of advice I ever received from a boss was to "never ask anyone to do something you're not willing to do yourself." He backed that statement up by continually doing his best to serve us in everything he did. It's the best example of "foot-washing" that I've ever encountered. Stephen, excellent thoughts!

Regarding your second point, one of the greatest pieces of advice I ever received from a boss was to “never ask anyone to do something you’re not willing to do yourself.” He backed that statement up by continually doing his best to serve us in everything he did. It’s the best example of “foot-washing” that I’ve ever encountered.

]]> By: Stephen Dynako http://www.gospel.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/14/working-out-your-faith-in-the-business-world/comment-page-1/#comment-1026 Stephen Dynako Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:30:40 +0000 http://www.gospel.com/blog/?p=1310#comment-1026 There are at least two ways to consider how one's job fits "into the big picture of Christian life": 1) on the macro level, we can choose to work for employers who do business with honesty and trust and provide products and services that advance society, and 2) on the micro level, we can approach our work in a Christ-centered way, putting in our best efforts out of a sense of service to others instead of ego. As it relates to the first point, here is an excerpt from a writing of mine from 2007: <i>"Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, 'Teacher, what shall we do?' And he said to them, 'Collect no more than you are authorized to do' " (Luke 3:12-13). John instructs here simply not to abuse the authority of one's position for material gain. If John were delivering his message at the turn of the 21st century, he might very well be directing this sentiment at the CEOs of the world's large corporations. The accounting scandals and their ill-gotten gains are tantamount to the extortion John warned against in his day. In this age of free enterprise, many more of us -- not just chief executives -- have opportunity to abuse the material power entrusted to us by employers, business partners, shareholders, etc. John's teaching on this point is relevant to all of us.</i> As it relates to the second point, here is an another excerpt from the same piece I wrote: <i>In the business world, one of the most difficult transitions to make is to become a manager of the very people who were once peers. . . . Above all, to be successful, the new manager must be willing to serve the individuals on his/her team as much as he desires to lead them: "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you" (John 13:14-15).</i> There are at least two ways to consider how one’s job fits “into the big picture of Christian life”: 1) on the macro level, we can choose to work for employers who do business with honesty and trust and provide products and services that advance society, and 2) on the micro level, we can approach our work in a Christ-centered way, putting in our best efforts out of a sense of service to others instead of ego.

As it relates to the first point, here is an excerpt from a writing of mine from 2007:

“Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Collect no more than you are authorized to do’ ” (Luke 3:12-13). John instructs here simply not to abuse the authority of one’s position for material gain. If John were delivering his message at the turn of the 21st century, he might very well be directing this sentiment at the CEOs of the world’s large corporations. The accounting scandals and their ill-gotten gains are tantamount to the extortion John warned against in his day. In this age of free enterprise, many more of us — not just chief executives — have opportunity to abuse the material power entrusted to us by employers, business partners, shareholders, etc. John’s teaching on this point is relevant to all of us.

As it relates to the second point, here is an another excerpt from the same piece I wrote:

In the business world, one of the most difficult transitions to make is to become a manager of the very people who were once peers. . . . Above all, to be successful, the new manager must be willing to serve the individuals on his/her team as much as he desires to lead them: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15).

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