Augsept Issue 20

KwaZulu-Natal

Kingdom Business

Complimentary copy Not for sale

Encourage • Equip • Inspire • Ignite

Dance of

HONOUR

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013 ISSUE 20

Sell or Give?

The great Christian guilt trip

The Essence of HONOUR

Correct VALUES

Godly Leadership brings

Honour & Grace in the workplace

Christian Business Magazine

is available at the following locations: Amanzimtoti Sweetwaters Full Gospel Church Kingsway Church, Life Church Durban North Living Waters Church KingsNet Ministries King Shaka Airport, Mugg and Bean Empangeni Christian Family Church Hillcrest GraceHill Church Focus On The Family Bookshop Christ Church Hillcrest Kloof/Gillitts Kloof Harvest Church, Sarepta Church Kloof Baptist Church, St. Agnes Church Kloof Methodist, Jooma, Piggly Wiggly Morningside The Olive Tree Musgrave/Glenwood Full Gospel Tabernacle Scripture Union St Olav’s Church His People Church Pinetown/Westmead Highway Christian Community Pinetown Baptist Church Doxa Deo NG Kerk Fourways Spar Pietermaritzburg African Enterprise The Coffeeberry Cafe All Saints Church Bible Centre

CONTENTS VOICE OF THE PROPHET Dance of honour

8

HEART OF THE PASTOR

Godly Leadership brings honour to the marketplace Correct Values

HAND OF THE HARVESTER The Essence of Honour The great Christian guilt trip Grace in the workplace

20 22 28

IN EVERY ISSUE

Where to find CONNECT Letter from the editor Notice board

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

14 18

3 4 7

Printing services Business networking, staff development Business strategies Biblical business training, business services, building contractor Chiropractor, audiologist, graphic designer, conference and lifestyle centre Copy writing, building contractor, business insurance Financial planner, family church, events management, business systems, short term insurance, electrical contractor, health consultant, social networker, estate agent (Queensburgh), labour consulting, civil & structural engineering Corporate gifts, master jeweller, security products, networking systems, financial planner, estate agent (Westville), financial services, travel agent Advertising in KB Connect Kingdom Business Conference

2 6 11 12 17 21

24 26 31 32

Umhlanga Umhlanga Harvest Umhlanga Christ Church Waterfall Waterfall Baptist Church Westville Church on Route 5 St. Elizabeths Church Westville Methodist Church Westville Baptist Church Westville Presbyterian Church Please let us know if you wish to distribute CONNECT magazine in your church or business.

Christian Business Magazine

is produced by: Tracey Olivier - Editor tracey@connectmagazine.co.za Belinda Peck - KBN Director of Operations info@connectmagazine.co.za Elaine Young - Sub-Editor elaine@copyeditpaste.co.za Ruth Plowman - Art Director zngirl@gmail.com Advertising Sales - 084 548 4720 sales@connectmagazine.co.za Steve Joubert - Ad Design steve.joubert@gmail.com and printed by: DNA Print (Pty) Ltd. www.kbnconnect.co.za | 3

Editor's Welcome As I look over the last 19 Another way we dishonour each other issues of Connect, I am so in business is by expecting others to give us blessed to see how we have special prices or worst still, freebies, because we grown from glory to glory. are ‘brothers or sisters in Christ’. This is not only As we bring you our 20th dishonouring of those brothers’ and sisters’ time issue (wow!) I would like and talent, but also is the leading cause of so to honour the people who have been involved many Christian businesses going under. in the Connect journey in small and large The dishonourable things we do in business ways. Those who listened to my hair-brained often come out of ignorance. I truly don’t ideas and encouraged me to go for it. Those believe that those who truly want to honour who have worked late into the night to meet God set out to do business badly. A lot of the deadlines. Those who have faithfully supported time we just don’t know any better. us financially through This is why we have advertising. launched the third | 'änәr| I am not going to name arm of Kingdom Business (Brit. honour) each of you because – KB Equip. Apart from the noun I am sure to leave Biblical Entrepreneurship 1 high respect; esteem: his portrait someone’s name out.

1, 2 and 3 seminars, we will hangs in the place of honor.

When the theme for also be running ongoing this issue was stirring in my workshops and seminars • [ in sing. ] a person or thing heart, I remembered why (including a 3-part seminar that brings credit: you arean honor this magazine was birthed with Adam Bright on to our profession. in the first place. One of the “Dreaming in Business”) • adherence to what is right or to first arguments raised when and a 1-day Kingdom a conventional standard of I talked about starting this Business Seminar with conduct: I must as a matter of honor magazine (Bruce Wilkinson Patrick Kuwana. Keep an avoid any taint of dishonesty. calls it a “Border Bully” on eye on our Facebook page our journey to our dream) for news on workshops, was this: “Nobody will support the Christian focus groups, seminars and courses that businesses you advertise in the magazine will equip you to be a shining light in the because Christian businesspeople have such a marketplace. bad name for not doing business well.”

We hope you enjoy this special issue on I started to challenge people about this Honour in Business, and we pray that the loving mindset because I firmly believed that this wisdom of our writers will speak the Father’s is largely a myth. Most of the time when I Heart into our business and life. questioned people, the story didn’t happen to them but to their ‘friend’. And if it did happen to them, it could have been averted by being direct with the person and communicating their dissatisfaction about the job in an honouring way, then holding that person accountable to honouring their original contract. Taking your FOLLOW US ON TWITTER business elsewhere when you’ve had a bad Twitter.com/Connectbizmag experience – or bad-mouthing the business BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK when you’ve got a gripe – is not honouring www.facebook.com/connectbizmag1 your Christian brother or sister in business.

honour

4 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

Hettie Brittz, Pretoria, South Africa Hettie is CEO at Tall Trees Profiles and Evergreen Parenting. Her goal is to use all she knows and is able to do to make a difference in as many lives as possible, planting hope and giving skill to improve relationships - professionally, personally and spiritually.

Ed Ramsami, Johannesburg, South Africa Ed is the founder of SHIFT, a company that specialises in helping companies, churches and individuals to shift from their current reality to a vibrant, effective and productive future reality.

Adam Bright Durban, South Africa Adam has been involved in organisational development for fifteen years. He is a Strategic Interventionist, Coach Trainer and active public speaker. He also coaches at an individual and organisational level, both nationally and internationally.

Since his return to South Africa from the United States, he has started a key company around strength development, evaluating and re- establishing culture within companies. He is HR director of the Juiced Group and founded Juiced Strategies (Pty) Ltd, which he also directs.

Gary Kelly, Pinetown, South Africa Gary is a Pastor and M.D. of an Energy Saving business situated in KZN which provides solutions country wide. Gary is a strong visionary and has a passion to develop leaders in their gifting areas. He is also a life coach and mentor to various businessmen and women throughout SA.

Download all 20 issues of KB Connect for FREE! issuu.com/ connectbizmag

Patrice Tsague, Portland, Oregon, USA Patrice is author of the Biblical Entrepreneurship Weekly Devotional, Biblical Entrepreneurship Certificate Course and Nothing but a Jar of Oil. He is an international speaker, author, business trainer and coach.

Mark Ellwood Pickering, Ontario, Canada Mark spent many of his former years in the shipping industry in Durban, South Africa. After being called into the ministry, he served as a pastor in a local church for a number of years. Having a heart for the nations and called of God, he relocated to Canada in 2005.

He leads a church called “The Bridge”- Church for All Nations.

Mark has a passion to see men take their ordained place in the kingdom of God, and also to raise and train leaders to extend the Kingdom of God.

www.kbnconnect.co.za | 5

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VOICE OF THE PROPHET

Dance of Honour

W

hen you hear the word “honour”, your mind conjures up pictures of knights in shining armour, princes, white horses, gladiators, and military men giving their lives for their brothers.

Well…that’s what my mind begins to see. The gladiator picture is what stirs

8 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

me the most because I know that in business it takes gladiators to win the game. The latest statistics say that only 1% of businesses make it for one year in South Africa. That tells me that only serious gladiators will survive. Those numbers are quite harsh, but they are reality. Even the global numbers aren’t

that much better – worldwide, around us look better than ourselves. only 1% of businesses will In business we often want to look survive beyond the ten year like the heroes. We get our need for mark. significance or even our connection Outside of sound and simple to others met by being the one with business principles, like ‘convert the answers. But if we are able to shift your profit to cash’ (because profit the focus from ourselves to others, is theoretical), what is the one thing and pour into the lives of those on our that I could encourage business teams so that they may be the shining gladiators to do for the longevity and stars, we will move our businesses viability of their business? This is the firmly into the Kingdom realm. Honour question which has stirred me to write in business will make us the extreme this article, and the answer that springs gladiators we need to be to bring to mind is this: Honour. heaven to earth AND to convert profit Honour is best seen in what to cash. the early church fathers called the In John 14:15 Jesus gives us a key perichoresis. This stems from the insight into honour. He says, “If text in John 14, 15, 16 and 17. you love me, you will keep my The word “perichoresis” commands.” If we are not The best thing actually means mutually careful we will read this inter-penetrating, as a rule to obey. Yet about this dance is permeating and in the dance, there that there are no rules. indwelling. There are no rules. Only one There is simply one is a similar word driving motivation: to driving force: make the in the Greek, make the other look “perichoreuein”, good. What Jesus is other look good, lift which means “to saying here is captured the other higher. dance around”. The well by my friend Danny early church fathers read Silk in his book Culture of these passages and saw this Honour: “dance” and ongoing indwelling “If you love me, it’s going to show of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. up in how you treat the things that I This dance is a dance of honour. If told you are important to Me. The way you read this passage you see the you manage yourself in our relationship Father honouring the Son, the is going to be a clear indicator to Me of Son honouring the Father, the your love. What are you going to do? I Father honouring the Spirit, the don’t want control over you. This is why Spirit honouring the Father, the I’ve given you a spirit of self-control.

Son honouring the Spirit, the Spirit It is your attention to our relationship honouring the Son…and then in and your ability to manage yourself in chapter 17 we are invited into the this relationship in order to create and dance. The best thing about this dance sustain intimacy that manifests the law is that there are no rules. There is simply of life in Christ.” one driving force: make the other look What would happen if we handled good, lift the other higher. This is what our employees in this manner instead honour is really about. Making others of all the HR controls of policy www.kbnconnect.co.za | 9

the way we engage people.

It becomes about protecting the relationships in order to make others look good.

Honour brings a freedom in the business versus the commandand-control idea we have now.

Jesus is not about command and control. He is about protecting our relationship with Him and His with us. He makes us look good and in turn we make Him look good.

Being a gladiator in business is not about being hard and brutal. It is about pouring ourselves into those around us to make them shine. It is about protecting the relationships we have with everyone on our teams.

Gladiators win because they manage their spirits and their psychology better than anyone else.

Enter into the dance with the Father, Son and If we are able to Holy Spirit. Move with shift the focus from the music of life, allow this kingdom ourselves to others, and and discipline rhythm into your procedures? I’ve pour into the lives of those business. Read had experience in on our teams so that they through John this and have had may be the shining stars, we 14-17 and see the to retrench or fire beautiful dance. several people in will move our businesses Allow it to shift your the last two years. firmly into the thinking and draw One of the people Kingdom realm. you into the dance of I had to release was honour. ! in tears because, in her words, “You have given me my life back.� When was the last time you fired someone and they were so happy that they cried? This is what Adam Bright honour can do in a business. It changes adam@juiced.co.za

10 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

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HEART OF THE PASTOR

Godly Leadership brings

HONOUR

to the Marketplace

W

hat the world needs today is more than just business leaders or even spiritual statesmen and women. We need men and women who do not conform to the status quo of businessas-usual; men and women who are prepared to rise above their personal agendas to lead people to follow the principles of business as laid out in God’s Word.

In South Africa our President and national leaders are facing a situation where there don’t appear to be many good choices. This in itself is not new. We read in God’s Word that the leaders in the Old and the New Testament faced exactly the same 14 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

challenges. The leaders who excelled were the people who portrayed more than just ordinary leadership – they were men and women of Godly character, honourable leaders.

In Luke 20:46 Jesus warned, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.”

Spiritual men and women who are regarded as honourable leaders in the marketplace have certain characteristics that set them apart from other leaders.

The characteristics that set spiritual people apart as honourable leaders in business are:

1

Spiritual leaders honour God: First and

2

Spiritual leaders embody integrity:

foremost, spiritual leaders prioritise honouring God in business rather than people. In 1 Samuel 2:35 God says this about honouring Him: “Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever”.

Spiritual leaders are men and women who have the heart and mind of God. They continually invest their lives in the things that God values; they seek to honour God amidst the pressure of constant temptation. A clear example of this is found in 1 Samuel 2:30 where God says, “I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise me will be disgraced”. Honouring God in the marketplace ultimately means that you entrust your reputation to Him, living and doing business in a way that pleases Him.

Integrity prevails in every detail of business and encompasses all that spiritual leaders do. Noah’s life provides a perfect example of this. Genesis 6:9 says that “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries. Noah walked with God.” What an honourable biography for a leader! According to the standard of Noah’s day, no fault could be found with his conduct. At the end of Samuel’s

leadership tenure he stood in front of Israel and uttered the following words: “‘Here I am. If I have done anything wrong, accuse me now in the presence of the Lord and the king he has chosen. Have I taken anybody’s cow or anybody’s donkey? Have I cheated or oppressed anyone? Have I accepted a bribe from anyone? If I have done any of these things, I will pay back what I have taken.’ The people answered, ‘No, you have not cheated us or oppressed us; you have not taken anything from anyone.’ Samuel replied, ‘The Lord and the king he has chosen, are witnesses today that you have found me to be completely innocent.’ ‘Yes, the Lord is our witness’” (1 Samuel 12:3-5).

Integrity means more than just talking a good talk or maintaining a shiny image…. Integrity signifies that people remain blameless throughout the most thorough investigation of their words and actions. People with integrity can withstand intense scrutiny because they have nothing to hide. Their actions are the same in private as they are in public.

3

Spiritual leaders embrace truth: God has

always expected His children to speak the truth whether it hurts or not. Godly leaders’ words are not hollow rhetoric but are beyond reproach and can always be validated. Godly men and women do not hide behind double meanings. What they say is what they mean – exactly as Ephesians 4:25 says. www.kbnconnect.co.za | 15

4

Spiritual leaders glorify God: Pastors and

missionaries are not the only people who should glorify God in their daily work. Christian leaders are also called to glorify God in their daily lives, and in business they must live accordingly!

It is very sad to see that the world does not honour spiritual leaders in the same way it did many years ago. Instead, successful business people have become the heroes of today. The upside of this is that every spiritual business person has the opportunity to influence the marketplace to operate in the way that God originally intended it to. This is because Godly business men and women who glorify God in their daily business practices have more influence in the marketplace than other leaders who do not glorify God. In addition to this, Godly business people also have a platform for exalting our Saviour Jesus Christ.

5

Spiritual leaders are trustworthy:

Leaders that serve God continuously and steadfastly build a track record that invites trust. They keep their promises and live out their faith, and this is demonstrated in their relationships with their colleagues and peers. Unfortunately there are no short cuts to building a solid track record!

16 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

Every year there are many athletes who temporarily play at a level that is above average in their sporting code. But one good game in a sport code does not ensure an athlete’s inclusion in a hall of fame.

Rather they need long periods of consistency where they can be measured. The same goes for business people. One good deed does not imply that they are trustworthy; many good deeds and consistency over a period of time does.

6

Spiritual leaders demonstrate wisdom: Godly

business people see opportunities when other leaders are cluttered, consumed and distracted by current issues. God says to us in the book of James 1:5, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking�.

As a child of God and a business person, you are called not to sway when the going gets tough, but rather to turn to God in your time of need and He will give you all you require for breakthrough. By doing this godly leaders are able to discern what is important and what is trivial.

The world definitely needs godly leaders in the workplace as we are empowered to do what many preachers and pastors cannot do. !

Gary Kelly gary@enisave.co.za

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HEART OF THE PASTOR

Correct Values “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

2 Corinthians 3:18

“...who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

Philippians 3:21

T

hese two scriptures are powerful in helping us to understand that God’s intention in our lives is that we become more and more like His son Jesus. Our father is all about transforming us. Right back in Genesis, we are told that we have been created in His image. We realise more and more that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, that there is a glory realm that we are able to tap into and walk in. However we are often so earthly bound, that we can’t or won’t see it. Mostly because it’s not something that we can accomplish or make happen by ourselves. It’s based on what Jesus has done for us.

When I was in business (like I don’t have a real job now), there were not only the daily tasks and workload to get through, but for most people in the industry there was also the will to improve. To change, to climb the corporate ladder, to better oneself, to gain a promotion, to excel and succeed.

18 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

A study was conducted on the factors for success, and it put three questions to a team of aspiring doyens in industry. They were: What percentage of “Job Knowledge” is required to be successful?

What percentage of “Experience in the Work Place” is required? What percentage of “Attitude” is required?

The true result was most enlightening. Contrary to what most people would think, they responded as follows: Work Experience 1%, Job Knowledge 2%, and – yes you guessed it if you can do the math – Attitude was 97%.

Often, in our walk with Christ, we have the wrong value system in play. We still think that we must perform, and that Christ’s love for us is dependent on how well we do. However He has already done it all. He has promised that as we look with unveiled faces upon the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into the same image – the image of Jesus – from one degree of glory to another. We are living a supernatural existence, being changed by the Spirit of God. Like the parable of the growing seed, “we know not how”. A lesson I have learned, and am still learning, is that my part in this is my “attitude”. Our attitude will dictate our altitude. Our attitude to believing the word of God, the promises that Jesus has spoken, our love toward all men. Our attitude when things go wrong and we have no control over them.

Ephesians 4:23 exhorts us to “be made new in the attitude of your mind” and Hebrews 4:12 says,

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any doubleedged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Be blessed as we are all changed into His image from one degree of glory to another. Allow the process of metamorphosis to do its work through Christ. !

Mark Ellwood mark@thebridge-can.com www.kbnconnect.co.za | 19

HAND OF THE HARVESTER

The Essence of

HONOUR

T

oday’s generation has done a great job at ruining the concept of honour. We have confused it with respect. We think honour is something we can withhold from someone based on his or her performance. Based on how much we like them. But that’s not biblical honour. In the Bible, honour is weight.

Honour is value. And it’s something freely given.

When you honour something you protect it.

There is a great, challenging verse in the Old Testament book of Isaiah. God was often challenging the people of Israel regarding their honour of Him (see Malachi 1:6) and also of the people in leadership over them. In Isaiah 66:2 He takes a different angle in tackling this issue.

He gives us an indication of the kind of person He values – because what you value you will honour. The level of honour you give someone or something is determined by the value you perceive it/them to have.

What does God value and what kind of people will He honour? "This is the one I

esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66:2).

1

HUMBLE – “When others matter so

much that we adjust our lifestyles to care.”

Paul set Jesus Christ up as an ideal model for our humility in service. Our thoughts, attitudes and actions are to become more and more like 20 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

those exhibited by Christ during His earthly life.

His willingness to humble Himself is a great example for us. As we reflect honestly on our lives, we can be humble enough to admit our faults. Then we can begin to change our sinful habits.

If we can follow Jesus Christ in humility, learning to admit our failures without hesitation, we can look forward to spiritual growth and recognition from God.

2 CONTRITE

– this means broken.

A broken heart and a contrite spirit are also preconditions to repentance. When we sin and desire forgiveness, a broken heart and a contrite spirit allow us to have “godly sorrow [that] worketh repentance” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

A broken heart also serves as a divine shield against temptation.

The level of value you receive is determined by the level of honour you give.

3 TREMBLES AT MY WORD

I want to encourage you to do the following three things with the Word on a regular basis: • Take it in – Be deeply grounded in the Bible • Live it out – Obediently follow its directions • Pass it on – Faithfully share what you have learnt with others. !

Ed Ramsami ed@shiftthefuture.co.za

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HAND OF THE HARVESTER

The great Christian

GUILT TRIP: TO SELL OR TO GIVE?

D

o you find yourself a victim of Christians looking for discounts or free services simply because you are a Christian business? Is there a biblical basis for this? Do you value the products and services of other believers enough to pay what they are worth?

Let’s explore this topic together.

“For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages.’” - I Timothy 5:18 If you are a Christian entrepreneur doing business with other Christians, you have most likely been a victim of the old “Can you hook me up” question. Christians have a tendency to prey on other Christian entrepreneurs looking for a deal, and yet they are willing to pay full price to non-Christians, because of a backward worldview that says Christians should do business with each other at the lowest rate possible.

I have actually heard Christian entrepreneurs complain about ministries that were unwilling to do business with them

22 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

simply because they did not want to provide their products or services for free, even though these entrepreneurs were actually offering better rates and quality than their non-Christian competitors. This is wrong and inconsistent with sound biblical teachings.

What about those instances when Christian entrepreneurs provide lesser or poorer quality services and expect to keep the business just because they are Christians?

This too is wrong. Christian entrepreneurs should hold themselves to a higher standard.

Christianity should not be used as a tool for manipulation. Just as it is wrong to expect Christian

entrepreneurs to offer their services for free through tithes and free love offerings which or at a lower price, it is also unacceptable for spring out of generosity and gratitude. The them to expect to gain business because they other is compensated through a fee that is are Christian businesses, especially when attached to the product or service. Just as their quality and service is poor. Though there kingdom entrepreneurs must understand are times when we should go the extra mile the value of generosity in God’s economy, to support each other in business as other we all, especially those who depend on the communities do, this should never be at the generosity of others for their provision, must expense of quality and excellence. understand and teach the value of fair wages I’m proud to say that a number of Biblical in doing business with Christians so they can Entrepreneurs I work with not only go the extra be equity in our micro-economy. mile to do business with Of course, there are other Christians, but they times when Christian Why is it important to pay a fair price also will gladly pay full Entrepreneurs are in doing business with other Christians? price. They understand compelled, out of that doing business with a sense of personal It enables us to honor others Christians keeps dollars generosity and for their products and services circulating within our conviction, to give - I Timothy 5:18, Romans 12:10 micro-economy and their services for free It enables us to pay for our own also indirectly supports or at a reduced rate to provision - 2 Thessalonians 3:10 various churches and ministries or certain ministries through tithes individuals. This should It allows Christian entrepreneurs to and offering. In addition, be encouraged, but not provide for themselves and their doing business with nondemanded. One should families - I Timothy 5:8 Christians takes dollars not compromise his or It allows us to support each outside our microher business model or other - Philippians 2:1-4 economy, and it is often behave out of a sense used to support causes of guilt or obligation.

It enables us to build profitable that are inconsistent You also must be businesses - Matthew 25:28-30 with our values. careful not to give that It enables kingdom entrepreneurs In I Timothy 5:18, which God has given to be generous through their the Apostle Paul, as he you to sell, unless it is giving - Ephesians 4:28 attempts to instruct us under the appropriate in the value of providing circumstances, and of It enables us to be good for our church leaders course you also should stewards over the resources and those who minister not sell that which God God has entrusted to us to us spiritually, borrows has given you to give.

- Matthew 19:21, I Corinthians 4:2 a statement from Jesus My prayer for you to make his point: “The today is that God will laborer is worthy of compel you to support his wages.” This statement is a marketplace Christian entrepreneurs by paying them what principle that both Jesus and Paul used to they are worth and that He will give you the emphasize the fact that those who devote wisdom to know when to sell and when to give themselves to prayer and teaching of the without compromising your business model Gospel are laborers, and they too deserve or the principles of generosity. ! to be compensated for their labor. The only Copyright © 2013 difference between those laborers who are Patrice Tsague devoted to ministering to us spiritually and ALL RIGHTS RESERVED those who provide us with natural products Scripture quotations are taken from and services is that the former is compensated the King James Version of the Bible.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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HAND OF THE HARVESTER

Grace in the C

ould we as Christian business folk be dedicated to absolute values and being unashamedly s of ethical, yet find ourselves in the shoe I er? rath als, sand r Pharisees – or in thei believe so.

The Christian faith is the only one that e promises heaven to sinners and grac for lify to those who could never qua then mercy. Shouldn’t Christian business e sam this ristic have as a key characte gem – grace? I believe so.

Can being just and fair be a loveless I way of dealing with people? Again, believe so.

A number of years ago I had my first us run-in with the question of grace vers my n whe ext cont ness justice in a busi a intellectual property was taken by d coul I sue, d coul I e. agu colle er form and ent, stop her publication of my cont of king thin I was sick to my stomach to the injustice of it all. I had the right of ning plan my in but ce, exercise justi ness hard the at e cring t spiri my it, I felt it produced inside of me. I became

28 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

convinced that God wanted me to let go of justice and to choose grace. But my rational, Western capitalist mind rebelled.

Rational arguments surged through my mind: “If no-one stops her, she’ll just do it again. I should m. stop her for the sake of the next victi en.

-giv God was stole she ent cont The It I should fight for what God gave me! hip. ards stew is a way to exercise good The book I would have published now can’t be published so she steals from my income. I should defend it for my ys children’s sake as my royalties are alwa ngs savi y deposited in their universit fund.”

Still no peace! A list of my own offences, many of which went either to undiscovered or unpunished, came the that mind. Along with the reminder be will with same measure we measure nt. eme judg own used to determine our very a ting crea be may I I realised that

workplace small space for myself while trying to close in the prison walls around her. It made no sense, but I obeyed the prompting of God to just let it go.

All of the anguish and bitterness left the minute I did that. Why did getting justice hold so little peace, and why did grace bring total relief?

A year later another injustice took place – this time ver y real mo ney was at stake. The legal and just rou te beckoned again and I desperately wan ted the law to run its course. I had leg al advice, nasty meetings, and drafted those mails one reads three times to ma ke sure one gets the point across as strongly as is still decent. And again, all I felt was pain and resentment. Even tho ugh I

was acting within my rights, I was not content with the outcome. Cle arly I was going around the same mount ain – a tell-tale sign that I had not yet passed the test or learned the principl e truth at stake.

In my quiet times Matthew 5 to 7 came up again and again. Wo uld God really expect us to be so wea k that we allow others to slap both che eks, to win court cases they should lose and to walk an extra mile when we definitely have better things to do? If the re is no second-level message here, and Jesus means this literally, then He is saying something ver y powerful: “I don’t want you to become so tough tha t no- one can ever hur t you; I want you to become so gentle and unselfish that no- one can hur t you.”

An image came to mind as I read this passage over and over aga in: a little gecko hunted by a predator.

Wisely, it lets go of its tail and escape s. We are that gecko, and when hun ted by injustice we can duct tape our tail in www.kbnconnect.co.za | 29

-one will place with an attitude of “no can let it we or !”

ME of age ant take adv tail, we can go. If we fail to shake off the lose our ver y lives. y Who can let go of the tail? Onl ws gro it t tha w kno those of us who gdom of back! Christians live in the Kin n and lose God, where what we have, gai Kingdom ics. has more to it than econom our ur, favo ’s economics include God the of ers ght dau position as sons and as es cipl prin tion lica ltip Most High, mu We es. abl par us’ Jes of ny ma told in so t is why live beyond mathematics! Tha our w kno we can let the tail go. We not are on visi welfare and future pro our not are y The n. in the hands of me ir the e, stic inju ir The is. source – God se abu ir the s, our is at wh of grabbing uld sho t tha and unfaithfulness – none of ose cho to ans faze us. That is what it me ose it for grace. Because when we cho es. selv our for it others we choose ssman ine bus a of s tell 18 w Matthe justice on who had every right to exact ravagant ext his employee, but gave him the do to d grace. The employee faile 30 | www.kbnconnect.co.za

subjected same to his colleague. He was his r ove disc ld cou he so to torture ure tort of life A e. tak mis foolish result of today, I believe, is often the Christians ny making that fatal error ma es, but selv our make: taking grace for others. to ice just extending only cold for us e don has God at Separating wh ers. It is oth for do uld sho we from what spiritual a symptom of separating our ming that lives from our secular lives, clai l in wel rk wo spiritual principles don’t es stic inju the of business. On the back the of e som e cam I mentioned above, I ever had! I most fruitful business deals e gained gained more than I would hav ce as a pea and re, mo ch mu – in court bonus. ke Perhaps that is why Jesus spo any ut abo n more about money tha a trust, and other entity… It is a test, it is tform pla the be will It it’s temporary. you and er eth wh rly clea st displaying mo grace. !

I have truly chosen to live by Hettie Brittz gmail.com de@ gui parent

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