God’s Sovereignty over Business

“It’s nothing personal; it’s just business.”

That line has become as common as “winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.” And the idea is that business operates under a different set of rules. Stabbing someone in the back to get ahead in business isn’t really cruel or unkind. It certainly doesn’t mean I dislike the person. It’s just that, in order to get ahead, you have to be cut-throat. Or so those who use the phrase seem to be saying.

The thing is, Christians seem to be accepting this line of thinking, as if “it’s just business” means we can put our Christian values aside and do what’s expedient.

I think this fragmentation of morals is a by-product of American pragmatism. Above all else, can-do Americans believe in what works. That’s why you find so many self-help books at Borders. That’s why many Christian stores have self-help sections.

Self-help Christianity? Isn’t that a contradiction of terms? Before a person can ever come to Christ, he must realize there is no self-help for his problem of sin.

But after salvation, maybe self-help works for the rest of life.

Not according to Scripture. “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

Of course, that “perfected” has to do with sanctification. It would indicate that back in Paul’s day, some Christians got the idea that they needed grace to begin their walk with God, but after that they could take over.

Today’s new trend seems to divorce our spiritual lives from our business lives. It’s not even the idea that I can do business God’s way on my own. It’s closer to the idea that God’s way only matters when it comes to God’s things. Just as business matters aren’t personal, they aren’t part of God’s things either.

I doubt if very many Christians would verbalize this philosophy, but from the outside, it seems like a lot of us have adopted it. Think about some of the middle class values connected with money many Christians hold in America—it’s good stewardship to save for retirement, we should invest our money wisely, we should pay our own way.

I’m not saying those ideas are wrong, but I doubt if the Apostle Paul had a retirement fund. The first century Christians were more about investing their lives than their money, and they preached that the believers with extra should provide for those in need.

Maybe I’m simplifying things too much, but it seems to me that what I believe to be true about God needs to apply to all parts of life. So if God is sovereign in the affairs of men, then He is also sovereign over business.

Consequently, no matter how I wrangle, no matter how many hours I stay at the wheel, no matter how much I promote, no matter how professional my presentation, God is the One who brings all those plans to fruition. Or not.

Am I saying writers shouldn’t promote or be professional or work long and hard? Not at all. But I don’t think any of that should come as self-effort. I should proceed with prayer, do what God leads me to do as a result of my time with Him, then trust Him with the results.

And maybe the same is true for editors and agents and publishers and association executives.