There are many ways to conduct a business. And as Christian home-based business owners, you are fairly independent in determining how you will conduct your business. You will decide what practices to employ and what limitations you will impose to run your business. There is no boss telling you what to do.
But that isn’t entirely true, because as a Christian home-based business owner, you do have a boss – God! As a Christian, you must take into account your own set of morals and beliefs and hold yourself accountable to God.
When determining how to conduct your business as a Christian business owner there are some Biblical commandments that you should definitely consider first. They include:
The Golden Rule which essentially says, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” Treating your employees, customers and anyone else you interact with in your business with respect and patience is the first step to conducting your business in a Christian-honoring manner.
The Ten Commandments located in the book of Exodus. Particularly consider “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.”. Let’s be honest, as Christian home-based business owners, we must have some limitations on how much time we spend on our businesses. Setting aside Sundays to focus on the Lord is a great way to remember what is most important and have a day of rest.
Other Commandments that we should uphold in our business are “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” and “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Both commandments tells us how we should deal with other people, including fellow business owners.
Sometimes we can have negative interactions with other business owners, whether we feel threatened by them, wish we had what they have, or we feel belittled by their accomplishments. It is never right to say things against them just because of our jealousy or to be jealous in the first place. God will reward us in our own time if we are obedient to Him.
Therefore, commit your business to God and He will bless you. As Psalm 37:5 says “Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.”. As you set out to determine your Christian home-based business practices, take all of these biblical commandments into consideration. Be sure that your business dealings honor God first before worrying about success or profits and watch how God will bless you.
©2009 by Carrie Balrok, owner of The Christian Woman