The thief does not come except to steal, kill and to destroy, I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10
Now that we understand the importance of having our existence in Christ, as we seek to achieve the more abundant life, let us discuss walking in the abundant life. Three attributes set apart the abundant life: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Today we will discuss righteousness.
As we stated before, the more abundant life is not about achieving material prosperity, though it does not preclude it. Jesus states in Matthew 6:32b that He knows that we have need of things. After stating this, Jesus says, "...but in order to acquire these things, you must seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness," and then the material things you need will follow.
What does it mean to be righteous? You are righteous when you live your life in line with God's will. None of us lives completely without sin while on this earth, but once saved, we can live by His power in such a way that He is pleased. His righteousness in us causes us to please God through our actions, thoughts, and behavior. This righteousness is a manifestation of having an existence in Christ. When we move in Him and have our being in Him, the fruit that we bear is a righteous lifestyle.
There are two types of righteousness: a righteousness which is of God, and our own standard of righteousness. Unfortunately, many of us who have a zeal for the Lord and are serving Him in the marketplace fall prey to walking in our own standard of righteousness. The Apostle Paul states in Philippians 3:9 that he wants "to be found in Jesus, not having his own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ; a righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
He also states in Romans 10:2-3, speaking of the Israelites, that they had zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. In their zeal, they established their own righteousness because they were ignorant of the righteousness of God.
What is this righteousness that is "of the law"?
It is actions and behaviors that are based on the letter of the law but ignorant of the spirit of the law. This zealous self-righteousness is using God's word to realize one's own will and desires without taking into account the effect on others. It is a stubborn pursuit of one's rights based on scripture at the expense of love. Without any regard to the spirit of the law, it is a defense of one's rights based on scripture. It is void of faith.
Those who have their own standard of righteousness may not be involved in immoral acts such as murder, adultery, and so forth, but their actions do not please God because they are based on their own sense of righteousness rather than God's.
How do I know if I am walking in my own righteousness?
1. I always justify my position.
2. I do not operate out of love.
3. I seek more to be understood than to understand.
4.I fight for my rights rather than for what is right.
5. I am not led by the Spirit.
6. I lack compassion.
7. I am presumptuous.
Unfortunately, some of us Christians have earned a reputation of self-righteousness. This means that we have fallen into our own standards of righteousness, not God's. As a result, our message of the Good News has at times been lost and often falls on deaf ears because we are perceived to be more concerned about our agenda than caring for people.
As a Kingdom Business steward, if you are not careful, you may fall into this trap. This trap of self-righteousness will impact the success of your business. Or even if your business succeeds financially, you will lose your ability to transform the marketplace because of your self-righteousness.
How then do I ensure that I operate in God's righteousness?
1.I should not always justify myself.
2. I should operate in love.
3. I should seek to understand.
4. I should focus on what is right and not on who is right. (Ignore your rights; you have none.)
5. I should be led by the Spirit.
6. I should be compassionate.
7. I should not assume.
As Paul emphasizes in Philippians 3:9, to be found in Jesus is to operate in God's righteousness through faith. God's gift of faith enables us to lay aside worldly righteousness based on performance, self-sufficiency, maneuvering, and conniving. Instead, by faith we trust God and His goodness to justify and cover us. We rest in the love of Jesus Christ.
Walking and resting in God's righteousness demonstrates that your existence is in Christ. Once you have established the foundation of your existence in Christ, and add to that God's righteousness in your life, you are ready to build toward the subsequent steps of peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
In next week's devotional, we will discuss peace, the second attribute of the more abundant life.
Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague
ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDScripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The More Abundant Life (part II)
The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and to destroy; I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10
In last's week devotional, we defined the more abundant life as an existence in Christ that is overflowing with righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. We asked the question, "Do you desire this overflowing experience?" Assuming the answer was, "Yes" we will now address how to have this experience.
Walking in the more abundant life begins with abiding in Christ. This means that you find your existence, your very survival, and your source, in being connected to Him, the Vine. Jesus explains this when He calls Himself the "True Vine" in John 15:1-8: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
Jesus begins this statement by emphasizing that He is the True Vine, which means that there are other vines that are not true. Similarly, He states in John 10 that there are false shepherds who bring destruction, while He brings the more abundant life. These false shepherds include new age, psychics, the god of materialism, etc. These false shepherds lead entrepreneurs and other individuals to a material success that is void of a life of fulfillment and eternity.
The more abundant life is also a life that includes bearing much fruit. This "much fruit" is the overflowing experience, a life that provides you with more than enough in spiritual things and enhances your natural condition. This "much fruit," because of the power of the Holy Spirit, overflows into wise business practices and profitable long-term decision making for your Kingdom Business. This, of course, cannot be achieved outside of Christ.
How do you achieve this?
1. You must be attached to the true vine.
2. You must allow Him to prune you.
3. His Word must abide in you.
The Apostle Paul understood this because he walked in the more abundant life. Despite prison, persecution, shipwreck, and a thorn in the flesh, he was able to write more of the New Testament than any other person and touched more territory with the Gospel than any other person in His time. What was his secret? His existence was in Christ.
Here is what he said:
"But whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:7-11).
Do you want to overflow in your life and business? Get lost in Jesus, immerse yourself in His Word, and allow Him to prune your life through the trials you are currently facing so that you may bear much fruit.
Next we will discuss the attributes of the abundant life.
Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague
ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDScripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
In last's week devotional, we defined the more abundant life as an existence in Christ that is overflowing with righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. We asked the question, "Do you desire this overflowing experience?" Assuming the answer was, "Yes" we will now address how to have this experience.
Walking in the more abundant life begins with abiding in Christ. This means that you find your existence, your very survival, and your source, in being connected to Him, the Vine. Jesus explains this when He calls Himself the "True Vine" in John 15:1-8: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
Jesus begins this statement by emphasizing that He is the True Vine, which means that there are other vines that are not true. Similarly, He states in John 10 that there are false shepherds who bring destruction, while He brings the more abundant life. These false shepherds include new age, psychics, the god of materialism, etc. These false shepherds lead entrepreneurs and other individuals to a material success that is void of a life of fulfillment and eternity.
The more abundant life is also a life that includes bearing much fruit. This "much fruit" is the overflowing experience, a life that provides you with more than enough in spiritual things and enhances your natural condition. This "much fruit," because of the power of the Holy Spirit, overflows into wise business practices and profitable long-term decision making for your Kingdom Business. This, of course, cannot be achieved outside of Christ.
How do you achieve this?
1. You must be attached to the true vine.
2. You must allow Him to prune you.
3. His Word must abide in you.
The Apostle Paul understood this because he walked in the more abundant life. Despite prison, persecution, shipwreck, and a thorn in the flesh, he was able to write more of the New Testament than any other person and touched more territory with the Gospel than any other person in His time. What was his secret? His existence was in Christ.
Here is what he said:
"But whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:7-11).
Do you want to overflow in your life and business? Get lost in Jesus, immerse yourself in His Word, and allow Him to prune your life through the trials you are currently facing so that you may bear much fruit.
Next we will discuss the attributes of the abundant life.
Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague
ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDScripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Amazima -- Amazing
Yesterday I was skimming the latest news at the Business as Mission Network, and an article about a woman named Katie. She has moved to Uganda, taken in 13 orphans, and started a ministry to hundreds more: her website caught my attention and the stories of her children on her blog captured my heart.
Praise the Lord for Katie, and others like her, who have given up much and obediently listened to God's call to minister to those dear to His heart. In so doing, as Katie writes, there is great JOY!
Whether our work is business, teaching, administration, or whatever else, I am reminded that only what is done for the Lord is what will last, what has eternal value. Let us be faithful in whatever He has given us to do.
Praise the Lord for Katie, and others like her, who have given up much and obediently listened to God's call to minister to those dear to His heart. In so doing, as Katie writes, there is great JOY!
Whether our work is business, teaching, administration, or whatever else, I am reminded that only what is done for the Lord is what will last, what has eternal value. Let us be faithful in whatever He has given us to do.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The More Abundant Life
The thief does not come except to steal, kill and to destroy; I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10
I will be honest, when the Lord first gave me this theme, my first impression was that it had to do with bringing us as an organization into abundant material prosperity. But with further study and prayer, I concluded that even though the more abundant life does not preclude material prosperity, it is deeper than that. Material prosperity is merely one of the benefits of the more abundant life, but not the goal. You can have a materially prosperous life without an abundant life, but you cannot have an abundant life without material prosperity. Material prosperity is not defined by a certain lifestyle or a certain income, but by the quality of your lifestyle and income. Jesus was materially prosperous but had no income other than the financial gifts He received from His followers to support His ministry. Many of us today would not want to have the lifestyle He had since He did not live in a castle, drive a luxurious car, or wear fancy clothes and jewelry.
But He lacked nothing and was the most prosperous man who ever lived. Of course, there is nothing wrong with all those things I listed above. The problem is when you begin to use them to serve as a measurement of your spiritual well-being or self worth. So what is an abundant life for the kingdom business steward and why is it so critical in today's uncertain business environment?
Notice that Jesus began His statement in John 10:10 by contrasting His work with the work of the enemy. He stated that the thief, meaning the devil, comes for three reasons only: to steal, kill, and destroy. So where there is theft, killing, and destruction, it is either the direct work of Satan or the result of sin which is caused by cooperating with the work of Satan.
Yes, I realize that the economy is still bad. But you do not have to buy into the lie that suggests you have to be a victim of the recession. If you do so, you are cooperating with the works of darkness that are seeking to bring an end to the plans of God in your life by destroying you and your business. As someone stated, you can choose not to participate in this recession and the devil cannot force you.
Of course, not all bad things we go through are caused by the enemy; some of them are caused by our own bad choices and sin in the world, but whatever the cause, God does give us a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). The more abundant life is an existence in Christ that is overflowing with righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not say you will have life, which is mere existence, and He did not say you will have an abundant life which is an existence that is above the norm. Rather, He said you will have a more abundant life; a life that overflows with more than you need.
Do you have an overflowing experience right now? Do you want an overflowing experience? Join me next week as will discuss how to get that experience. This experience will not only bless your business but your personal and family life as well. It will cause you to have a bountiful rest of the year in the midst of a drought, a harvest in the midst of a famine, and hope in the midst of despair, but you have to want it and seek it.
Do you agree? Comments and discussion are welcome!
We are now at the midway point of this year. I felt led to recycle the devotional series that we shared with you at the beginning of the year so you can use it to evaluate your year-to-date to determine if you are walking in the abundant life we discussed when we began the year. As for Nehemiah, we are extremely grateful to the Lord for all that He has done for us so far this year; expanding the Biblical Entrepreneurship Program to more states than last year to date, protecting us from the devastation of the recession, providing us with the largest financial gift in our 10-year history - thanks to Bryan Mendez and Barbara Santiago, and giving us continued opportunities to serve His people and His church in the marketplace. Unfortunately, there are many kingdom businesses and ministries that are suffering the pressures of the recession with loss of revenue; some have even closed their doors. I am not sure where you are but I want to encourage you to remain steadfast in what the Lord has called you to do, reflect on this devotional series, and by faith, believe that God will bring you into His abundant life, no what matter your financial circumstances may be.
For the next several weeks we will discuss the more abundant life which has been our ministry theme for this year. I pray you will be blessed as we journey together into how to walk in the more abundant life that Jesus promised all those who will believe in Him.
Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Happy Father's Day!
by Patrice Tsague, RCE Partner
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. Matthew 1:19 (KJV)
A father is not only a man, but also a husband, a dad, a son, and a brother. He must demonstrate total faithfulness in all his relationships. Let us look to the scriptures to identify a man we can learn from. The Bible does not say a lot about this man, but the little that is said about him gives us a clear indication of the type of person he was. Just imagine that you are God and you devise a plan to save humanity from destruction and eternal punishment. Your plan involves impregnating an engaged woman who will raise the Savior of the world with her husband. The problem is you have to do it within an environment and culture where there are certain religious laws and customs that can hinder your plans. For instance, the woman you choose to impregnate can be put to death for having committed adultery if her husband does not cooperate; her husband may not take responsibility to be the father of a child who is not his biologically.
Your plans cannot work unless you find a woman who is engaged to be married to a just man. Just means: Righteous, Precise, Balanced.
A just man is one who is right with God and seeks to live his life in accordance with the Word of God by the leading of His Spirit.
The man the Lord found was Joseph, the son of Jacob, from the lineage of King David. Joseph was a young businessman from Nazareth, who operated a carpentry business. He was engaged to Mary, a young virgin and was looking forward to getting married. However, Joseph's world is turned upside down when he is informed by Mary that she is pregnant. Knowing that he is not the father, Joseph begins to make plans to cancel the engagement.
As Joseph contemplates how to deal with the situation, he gets a visit from an angel of God, through a dream, to inform him that the child his wife is carrying is of the Holy Spirit. In other words, God Himself is the father of his child and the child's name is Jesus who came to seek and save the lost. Wow! How would you handle this type of news? What was it about Joseph that God could trust him with such an assignment? What made Joseph such a Just Man?
· He was righteous - Joseph lived a life that reflected complete obedience to the scriptures. He was a Just man. Matthew 1:19
· He was gracious - Though Joseph thought that Mary potentially had sinned against God, he was careful not to do anything to embarrass her or hurt her. He planned to put her away secretly. He exemplified the scripture that says love covers a multitude of sins. Matthew 1:19
· He was sensitive to God's Spirit - As he contemplated how to handle the situation, he left himself open for the Spirit of God to speak to him. Matthew 1:20-21
· He was obedient - When God spoke to him, he did not hesitate to act on God's instructions. Matthew 1:24
· He was disciplined - Most of us look forward to getting married so we can enjoy our new bride sexually. Joseph demonstrated great discipline by keeping himself from his bride until she gave birth to the baby Jesus. Matthew 1:25
· He was a protector - Once he recognized, through the warnings of God's angels that the child Jesus was in danger, he moved quickly to protect him and his new wife by traveling to another country. Matthew 2:13-15
· He was a provider - Joseph was a businessman. He provided for his family through his carpentry business. Mark 6:3
Ask yourself these questions:
What type of father am I?
Can the Lord trust me with an assignment that will impact eternity?
Reflect on the characteristics that made Joseph just, and seek the Lord as to how you can enhance your own character to reflect those attributes. If you are a woman, seek the Lord for how you can help your husband develop those attributes.
(Editor's note: I think we as women can also examine our character and strive to reflect these attributes as well. Certainly we want our husbands to, but whether married or unmarried, we too should be trustworthy as we desire to be used for eternally-valuable assignments. We too must be righteous, sensitive to God's spirit, obedient, disciplined, protectors of the vulnerable, and providers for those who depend on us--if married, in harmony with our husbands.)
Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDScripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. Matthew 1:19 (KJV)
A father is not only a man, but also a husband, a dad, a son, and a brother. He must demonstrate total faithfulness in all his relationships. Let us look to the scriptures to identify a man we can learn from. The Bible does not say a lot about this man, but the little that is said about him gives us a clear indication of the type of person he was. Just imagine that you are God and you devise a plan to save humanity from destruction and eternal punishment. Your plan involves impregnating an engaged woman who will raise the Savior of the world with her husband. The problem is you have to do it within an environment and culture where there are certain religious laws and customs that can hinder your plans. For instance, the woman you choose to impregnate can be put to death for having committed adultery if her husband does not cooperate; her husband may not take responsibility to be the father of a child who is not his biologically.
Your plans cannot work unless you find a woman who is engaged to be married to a just man. Just means: Righteous, Precise, Balanced.
A just man is one who is right with God and seeks to live his life in accordance with the Word of God by the leading of His Spirit.
The man the Lord found was Joseph, the son of Jacob, from the lineage of King David. Joseph was a young businessman from Nazareth, who operated a carpentry business. He was engaged to Mary, a young virgin and was looking forward to getting married. However, Joseph's world is turned upside down when he is informed by Mary that she is pregnant. Knowing that he is not the father, Joseph begins to make plans to cancel the engagement.
As Joseph contemplates how to deal with the situation, he gets a visit from an angel of God, through a dream, to inform him that the child his wife is carrying is of the Holy Spirit. In other words, God Himself is the father of his child and the child's name is Jesus who came to seek and save the lost. Wow! How would you handle this type of news? What was it about Joseph that God could trust him with such an assignment? What made Joseph such a Just Man?
· He was righteous - Joseph lived a life that reflected complete obedience to the scriptures. He was a Just man. Matthew 1:19
· He was gracious - Though Joseph thought that Mary potentially had sinned against God, he was careful not to do anything to embarrass her or hurt her. He planned to put her away secretly. He exemplified the scripture that says love covers a multitude of sins. Matthew 1:19
· He was sensitive to God's Spirit - As he contemplated how to handle the situation, he left himself open for the Spirit of God to speak to him. Matthew 1:20-21
· He was obedient - When God spoke to him, he did not hesitate to act on God's instructions. Matthew 1:24
· He was disciplined - Most of us look forward to getting married so we can enjoy our new bride sexually. Joseph demonstrated great discipline by keeping himself from his bride until she gave birth to the baby Jesus. Matthew 1:25
· He was a protector - Once he recognized, through the warnings of God's angels that the child Jesus was in danger, he moved quickly to protect him and his new wife by traveling to another country. Matthew 2:13-15
· He was a provider - Joseph was a businessman. He provided for his family through his carpentry business. Mark 6:3
Ask yourself these questions:
What type of father am I?
Can the Lord trust me with an assignment that will impact eternity?
Reflect on the characteristics that made Joseph just, and seek the Lord as to how you can enhance your own character to reflect those attributes. If you are a woman, seek the Lord for how you can help your husband develop those attributes.
(Editor's note: I think we as women can also examine our character and strive to reflect these attributes as well. Certainly we want our husbands to, but whether married or unmarried, we too should be trustworthy as we desire to be used for eternally-valuable assignments. We too must be righteous, sensitive to God's spirit, obedient, disciplined, protectors of the vulnerable, and providers for those who depend on us--if married, in harmony with our husbands.)
Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDScripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Friday, June 19, 2009
7 Business Lessons From The Master
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. Matthew 25:19
There are lessons that the master of the servants, who represents our Lord Jesus Christ, can teach us based on how he managed his servants. Usually, we tend to focus on how the servants handled their talents, but the real businessman in this story is the master. What business lessons can we learn from him?
1. He had some assets to invest - The master gave his servants his assets to
invest; he made sure they did not remain idle while he was traveling, Mathew 25:14.
An asset is something valuable you have that can generate revenue. Make sure that you are always aware of your assets and how to put them to work. Revenue generation begins with proper asset allocation.
2. He prepared his servants - He gave them talents according to their abilities,
Mathew 25:15-16. He made sure that his servants were equipped to handle the talents he gave them. He did not give them more than they could handle but what he knew they could manage. We must ensure that our staff members are properly trained and equipped to do what we expect of them.
3. He diversified his investments - The master put his investments in the hands
of his most trusted servants. He could have given all the investments to the servant who was able to multiply them the most, but that would increase his risk of entrusting all of his eggs to only one basket. Thus, he diversified them. Diversifying ensures that you minimize your risks, maximize your returns, and protect your assets against possible loss.
4. He delegated responsibility - After he gave them the talents, he went on
a journey, Mathew 25:15. He left them to take full responsibility of their assignments.
We must not micro-manage our staff members, but rather, demonstrate our trust in their abilities by allowing them to handle their responsibilities.
5. He held them accountable - After a long time the master came and settled
accounts with them, Matthew 25:19. Although he trusted their ability, he kept them accountable. A lack of accountability produces a lack of performance and even hurts morale.
6. He rewarded them for their productivity - Individuals are driven by incentives.
Hopefully you have a strategic plan with clear measurable goals and objectives.
Tie those goals to a reward system to teach your team that productivity will be rewarded. Do not reward people for what they should be doing already and do not delegate their rewards to eternity, they need them now.
7. He disciplined the unproductive servant - The master rebuked the unproductive
servant and gave his talent to the one with the 10 talents, Mathew 25:26-28. He confronted the unproductive servant, explained his disappointment, told him what he should have done, and administered the appropriate discipline. In the name of Christian love, we tend to create an undisciplined workplace. Remember, God chastises those He loves, Hebrews 12:6. If you do not have the courage to discipline your staff, you either do not love them or you are operating out of fear, which is not of God for "perfect love casts out fear," 1 John 4:18.
It is our responsibility to apply these principles in our business affairs otherwise we will suffer the consequence of being disciplined by Our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. That discipline may manifest itself in business failure and maybe eventually in eternal punishment, as it did with the servant who had the one talent.
Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague, NPIM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
There are lessons that the master of the servants, who represents our Lord Jesus Christ, can teach us based on how he managed his servants. Usually, we tend to focus on how the servants handled their talents, but the real businessman in this story is the master. What business lessons can we learn from him?
1. He had some assets to invest - The master gave his servants his assets to
invest; he made sure they did not remain idle while he was traveling, Mathew 25:14.
An asset is something valuable you have that can generate revenue. Make sure that you are always aware of your assets and how to put them to work. Revenue generation begins with proper asset allocation.
2. He prepared his servants - He gave them talents according to their abilities,
Mathew 25:15-16. He made sure that his servants were equipped to handle the talents he gave them. He did not give them more than they could handle but what he knew they could manage. We must ensure that our staff members are properly trained and equipped to do what we expect of them.
3. He diversified his investments - The master put his investments in the hands
of his most trusted servants. He could have given all the investments to the servant who was able to multiply them the most, but that would increase his risk of entrusting all of his eggs to only one basket. Thus, he diversified them. Diversifying ensures that you minimize your risks, maximize your returns, and protect your assets against possible loss.
4. He delegated responsibility - After he gave them the talents, he went on
a journey, Mathew 25:15. He left them to take full responsibility of their assignments.
We must not micro-manage our staff members, but rather, demonstrate our trust in their abilities by allowing them to handle their responsibilities.
5. He held them accountable - After a long time the master came and settled
accounts with them, Matthew 25:19. Although he trusted their ability, he kept them accountable. A lack of accountability produces a lack of performance and even hurts morale.
6. He rewarded them for their productivity - Individuals are driven by incentives.
Hopefully you have a strategic plan with clear measurable goals and objectives.
Tie those goals to a reward system to teach your team that productivity will be rewarded. Do not reward people for what they should be doing already and do not delegate their rewards to eternity, they need them now.
7. He disciplined the unproductive servant - The master rebuked the unproductive
servant and gave his talent to the one with the 10 talents, Mathew 25:26-28. He confronted the unproductive servant, explained his disappointment, told him what he should have done, and administered the appropriate discipline. In the name of Christian love, we tend to create an undisciplined workplace. Remember, God chastises those He loves, Hebrews 12:6. If you do not have the courage to discipline your staff, you either do not love them or you are operating out of fear, which is not of God for "perfect love casts out fear," 1 John 4:18.
It is our responsibility to apply these principles in our business affairs otherwise we will suffer the consequence of being disciplined by Our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. That discipline may manifest itself in business failure and maybe eventually in eternal punishment, as it did with the servant who had the one talent.
Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague, NPIM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The Economist's Online Debate: The Role of the Private Sector in Development
I'm working on getting our newsletter out (Global News version).
Found that The Economist has an online debate that started yesterday on the role of entrepreneurs, charities and governments in development. See debate here.
What do you think?
Found that The Economist has an online debate that started yesterday on the role of entrepreneurs, charities and governments in development. See debate here.
What do you think?
To change the world...?
(From Fortune Magazine)
Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO of Acumen Fund and author of The Blue Sweater, begins:
As a 25-year old banker, I decided to leave my career and change the world. This sounds like a move that a 25-year-old banker might make today–to escape the chaos.
But this was 1986. I thought I might start my new life in Africa. I discovered soon enough, though, that most Africans didn’t want saving, thank you very much. Certainly not by me–a young, unmarried American woman whose French was pathetic and whose understanding of the continent was limited to reading a few books.
I know, this is from a couple of months ago... but interesting!
Read the full 'postcard'!
Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO of Acumen Fund and author of The Blue Sweater, begins:
As a 25-year old banker, I decided to leave my career and change the world. This sounds like a move that a 25-year-old banker might make today–to escape the chaos.
But this was 1986. I thought I might start my new life in Africa. I discovered soon enough, though, that most Africans didn’t want saving, thank you very much. Certainly not by me–a young, unmarried American woman whose French was pathetic and whose understanding of the continent was limited to reading a few books.
I know, this is from a couple of months ago... but interesting!
Read the full 'postcard'!
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