Deuteronomy 25:13-16 “Do not have two differing weights in your bag — one heavy, one light. Do not have two differing measures in your house — one large, one small. You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. For the LORD your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.”
This was written before Israel entered the Promised Land. Even with several million people, there probably was not much commerce going on during the march – walking, setting up camp, survival chores and worship. In anticipation of their arrival in a permanent location, God sets up basic business planning with a promise of longevity and a warning against dishonesty.
Principle: Integrity is a requirement for business longevity.
Don’t practice double standards in manufacturing, quality control, selling practices or pricing. Give full value as promised. Do what you say. Fairly represent the product or service in marketing efforts. Tell the truth.
There is a weekly “hall of shame” in the Wall Street Journal. It is half-page listing of brokers and principals who have lied in stock transactions. There is a new list every week. Who knows how many of these on the list are Christians!
A “ministry tour operator” was participating in a Ponzi scheme. They were selling religious tours at discount prices and going deeper in the hole with every sale, sending the firstcomers out as a loss. Then they continued their high-cost promotional and administrative work with new money. In the meantime, the owners were enriching themselves with huge salaries and benefits. They would answer the phone with “praise the Lord” and then end up not bringing anything to Him but shame. A judge froze their bank account of $300 citing $1.3 million in missing customer payments, dishonest weights and measures from a Christian company. Their unrealistic hope was to grow a large organization, quickly drive costs down by volume, raise prices for tours and become a prosperous Christian tour provider. Of course, this “house of cards” collapsed by its very nature and the legal system took over.
Discussion:
1. In a business plan, which of the following are Godly expectations? Honest practices solid economic planning – sound business principles – realistic expectations – an exit strategy.
Prioritize these and add other things that God wants.
2. How is your business doing at accurately representing the character of God?
