Modeling good Christian values in life and in business can be challenging, but also incredibly fulfilling. But you can be both: a good Christian and a successful businessperson. In fact, Warren Buffet would agree. The multibillionaire believes that integrity and ethics are essential to success. As you pursue your own path, hold fast to your beliefs and treat your employees, customers, and even your competitors the way you would want to be treated. And if you have any doubts on how to apply your Christian values to your business dealings, turn to the Bible.
Be Honest in the Business Setting
Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool. Proverbs 19:1
Whether you have an entry-level position or are on your way to a C-level suite, honesty should be at the foundation of all you do. It is the easiest way to apply your Christian values to any business setting. It also sets an example for others and provides consistency in the workplace. Especially as you progress in your career, when others know they can trust your word, you’re more likely to be considered for advancement, opportunity, and colleagueship.
Treat People Right in Business
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12
The golden rule is one of the first lessons we all learn as children. It’s a North Star that guides many people regardless of faith. It is also one of the cornerstones of good business. Companies that treat their employees well also happen to be quite successful. In fact, some of the largest, most successful companies are also among the most ethical. In its 2021 list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies, Ethisphere included such familiar names as AT&T, Aflac, Dell, Hanes, IBM, Pepsico, Prudential, and Sony.
Be Fair in Business Practices
And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another. Leviticus 25:14
While it may be instinctual to take care of your employees, it’s also important to be fair in business dealings with your competitors. Doing what’s right may not always be easy, but being fair and honest enhances your reputation and helps you to build business relationships that could serve you far into the future. Companies that consider their competitors to be enemies exert energies where they shouldn’t and sometimes end up spending millions of dollars in courtrooms when they should be in the board room.
Invest Wisely in Businesses
For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Luke 14:28
Businesses exist to make a profit. There isn’t anything unchristian about earning money, striving to succeed, and taking care of your family. But the Bible teaches us to be wise in these endeavors. Make short and long-term plans that will help build your own career and add to the worth of your organization. That means choosing good advisors, living within your means, investing with care, and planning for tomorrow—whether for you personally or the company for which you work. When you invest wisely, you reap rewards that that can serve you and others.
Donate to Worthy Causes
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed 2 Corinthians 9:6
Just as companies that treat its employees well tend to do better than those that do not, those organizations that give back to the community also reap rewards that are both altruistic and financial. Generosity, whether that comes in the form of giving money, expertise, time, or care is a bedrock of Christian ethics. When you support causes that align well with your principles, you demonstrate good personal and corporate citizenship.
Many business leaders understand that faith and success need not be mutually exclusive. You can bring your Christian principles into work and be someone who leads with authority, compassion, and integrity.
At the Bluefield University Caudill School of Business, we offer a variety of business majors and minors at the graduate and undergraduate level. Enjoy small class sizes, experienced faculty, and a sound faith-based perspective on success in a business career. We pride ourselves on teaching you professional skills, while also helping to nurture the values that help you live a fulfilling life.