Mark owned a chain of dry-cleaning stores. One day Mark discovered a valued employee had been stealing money from his business. His initial reaction was anger and a desire to fire her. But Mark decided to gain understanding first. Mark learned that this employee’s husband was an abusive drug addict, forcing her to steal money to support his drug habit. ...
In business, many people may betray you, mock you, or cause you pain. This can lead you to consider them as enemies. The world will encourage you to destroy your enemies, but God’s ways are different. The story of Jonah is a great example. Jonah viewed Nineveh as the enemy, and he harbored deep hatred for them. Even after God ...
In his book, Soul Keeping, John Ortberg writes that we are created with souls that crave to be loved, secure, and significant. Given the time and energy we spend at work, it can be easy to turn to our work to meet those needs. But Ortberg writes that only God can satisfy the needs of our soul. “My soul yearns, ...
For many small businesses, cash flow anxiety can cause them to be very reluctant to make financial commitments. At times, they may even be tempted to break their promises. The Apostle Paul was concerned that the Corinthian church was about to break their promise. In 2 Corinthians 8, the Corinthians had made a pledge to help other struggling churches. Due ...
When I was a single young banker, I attended the wedding of a friend. As I struggled to find a seat, the only person I knew was the new President of the bank where I worked at the time. I had been in this President’s office previously and saw him frequently in loan meetings, so I slid in next to ...
With hindsight, I can remember thousands of times when I acted selfishly or without integrity when dealing with coworkers. When I caught myself in those times, it was easy to pull back, feel like a failure, and stop trying. Yet God doesn’t define us by our failures. He is a God of compassion and restoration, as Moses told the Israelites ...
My wife, Kathy, regularly calls business leaders asking how our team can best pray for them. Over the last year, Kathy has noticed one common request. They often ask for prayers for their adult children. Many speak of children who have “ghosted them” due to political or social disagreements. When Kathy delicately probes about the underlying issue, most share one ...
After twenty years in vocational ministry, Kathy and I have a habit of forewarning new hires at UBN to expect trouble. The enemy doesn’t want our ministry to succeed. It’s not uncommon to watch new employees experience significant challenges. Challenges may be health related, household appliances breaking, or event persecution. One of our employees recently shared that it was ...
Recently, I asked my friend, Steve, about the rising number of airplane crashes. As a pilot for over 40 years, Steve had an interesting perspective. “The beauty of the air travel process,” Steve said, “is that every aspect has standard operating procedures. There’s a detailed process for each step. Most pilots and air traffic personnel know that if they deviate ...
It can be so easy to bounce from one urgent task to another at work. But the book of Exodus illustrates the value of thanking God in the midst of our day. Immediately after safely escaping from the Egyptians through the opening of the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites begin a song of praise for God and his ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
