Business and the bible

The Scriptures provides us Inspiration, Motivation, Encouragement, Guidance,

Advice and Suggestions to become very good in Business and be great

Entrepreneurs.

  14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' 21His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.[You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.'

  23His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 24He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

How we should use the various gifts (natural, spiritual, material) God gave us. The term talent in the story was the largest denomination at that time and a single talent was said to have been equivalent to the wage of an ordinary worker for 15 to 20 years. This makes what was given to each servant very considerable.

It is not immoral to profit from our resources, wit and labor, in fact, loss of wealth especially if due to lack of initiative does not constitute good stewardship. The story is about entrepreneurship, investment and capital including the proper use of scarce economic resources.

Burying the talent or in business – Breaking Even is considered to be a loss which was expressed in the parable on the way the master reacted to the third servant.

The parable emphasizes the need for work and creativity. Likewise, it also promotes taking risks as what was done by the 2 servants, to face the future with courage and a sense of opportunity.

The parable also emphasizes that to be fair is not for everyone to receive the same amount of reward but rather for each to receive what he deserve.

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. – Prov. 10:9

Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. – Philippians 4:8

Don’t cheat when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use honest scales and weights and measure. I am God your God. I brought you out of Egypt. – Leviticus 19:35

You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you. For everyone who does these things, everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to the Lord your God. – Deuteronomy 25: 15-16

Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it. – Proverbs 1:19

INTEGRITY is regarded as honesty, being truthful, reliable, respectful and fair. It is keeping commitments and meeting

obligations.

Go from the presence of a foolish man, in whom thou perceivest not the lips of knowledge. – Proverbs 14:7

Do not be mislead: “Bad company corrupts good character” – 1 Corinthians 15:33

Give everyone what you owe him: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; If respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. – Romans 13:7

For the Scriptures says: “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” – 1 Timothy 5:18

Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. – James 5:4

You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until morning. – Leviticus 19:13

If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. - Exodus 22:25

Masters, give unto (your) servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. – Colossians 4:1

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. – Romans 12:17

Sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. – Titus 2:8

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. – Proverbs 21:5

Our plan serves as our map and direction to our goals, our vision

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work., neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant , nor your animal, nor the alien within your gates. – Exodus 20: 8-10

He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. – Proverbs 12:11

From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him. – Proverbs 12:14

All hardwork brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. – Proverbs 14:23

The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. – Proverbs 21:25

He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. – Proverbs 28:19

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge, nor wisdom. Ecclesiastes 9:10

If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks. - Ecclesiastes 10:18

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hardwork we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said; “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” – Acts 20:35

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure , pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Luke 6:38

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. – Hebrew 6:10

A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. – Proverbs 22:9

The Bible offers a tremendous amount of knowledge and wisdom that can be applied to business conduct which makes It a required reading for entrepreneurs. It covers all aspects of running a putting up, running and even closing a business. It goes into each and every detail.

Wealth in the Bible is considered as evidence of God’s blessings which shows that becoming successful in business is not in contradiction to living a Christian life.

We are provided similar advise/guide on how we must live life and how we must do business which makes the statement – “walang personalan, trabaho lang.” totally untrue and wrong. The way we think, decide, act and carry our selves in business, in a big way, defines us. At the end of each day, one thing remains, regardless of the type of faith one belongs to, and that is, that we are able to achieve what we are meant to and what we are placed in this world for.

THANK YOU.

The Parable of the Talents: The Bible and Entrepreneurs by Robert A. Sirico

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The Holy Bible