The following is an excerpt from the book Doing Business by the Good Book: 52 Lessons on Success Straight from the Bibleby David L. Steward with Robert L. Shook
Published by Hyperion; January 2004; $19.95US/$29.95CAN; 1-4013-0062-6
Copyright C 2004 David Steward and Robert L. Shook
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
It is always darkest before the dawn, and even in the most discouraging times, I never lost my faith in God. I was in his hands, and I always knew the Lord would look after me. I constantly reminded myself that when God told Abraham to take his only son to the altar to sacrifice him, Abraham did as he was told. Imagine the confusion in Abraham's mind -- a man who was incredibly old when his son was born, and yet he was prepared to sacrifice him. At the time, Abraham didn't know God would have him sacrifice a lamb instead. If Abraham could have such faith in God, I believed I too could trust God to look after me.
Throughout my life, I have followed examples set by individuals in the Bible, such men as Abraham, Noah, and David, who had been given a charge to do God's work. And I, through my business and my daily life, have a charge to do God's work, to be obedient and find favor with the Lord.
As the Bible tells us, we are here to sow seed into people's lives. In Luke 6:38, Christ says: "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." I live my life by these words. My objective in business is not driven by how much money I may make. I seek to serve and to give to others.
In business, my biggest job as CEO and owner of my company is to serve others. My charge is to serve the employees of this organization and serve them well. In my company, I strive to nurture service and commitment to others, an attitude that places others before us. We abide by this philosophy rather than participating in a self-serving culture, and it permeates externally to customers and suppliers. Then, like a pebble cast into a lake, its ripples eventually reach the shore. Trust and loyalty communicated to others assures long-term success.
Jesus devoted his life to serving others. Even at the Last Supper, Jesus demonstrated that he was here to serve when he knelt to wash the feet of his disciples. In doing so, Jesus humbled himself, because Hebrew culture viewed the washing of feet as the lowliest of acts. Some of his disciples were so embarrassed, they argued and refused to have their Lord and Savior serve them. But Jesus was there to serve, just as he was there to sacrifice his life for us.
Similarly, the success of a business owner is dependent upon his or her desire to serve others. I believe this philosophy of servitude epitomizes the entrepreneurial spirit.
Copyright C 2004 David Steward and Robert L. Shook
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