MARKETPLACE FACTS
BUSINESS ETHICS AND THE LOVE OF GOD Module 307 I Mario Denton Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Overall purpose of this series on Marketplace To understand and learn from various marketplace facts so that you can: • Be more effective and anointed wherever you are in the marketplace. • Adapt and benchmark your marketplace practices and principles discussed in this series. • Use these material to facilitate the work of evangelism.
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
If you are a nice guy, you probably ought to forget business Is is so that pleasant guys get stepped on. And they finish last.
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
How can you as a businessperson and follower of Christ love others and survive?  Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Christian love • If you are honest, Christian love often seems like “a blank check with no limits.” • Such love is possible only when we see God, rather than ourselves, as our ultimate protector and provider. (Psa. 27:1; 37:25) Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Your business practices must mirror God’s character
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Three prominent characteristics: • From Alexander Hill’s, perspective, the application of Christian love to business has three prominent characteristics+:
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
#1 EMPATHY • Seeking to understand and emotionally identify with others. From Hebrews, we observe Jesus’ empathy for us,
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
#1 EMPATHY • “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. • Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Heb. 4:15, 16) Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Question • In your business practices, are you seeking to empathize with those who are weak or hurting? • Or are you ignoring, squashing, or washing them out?
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
#2 MERCY • Expressing kind or compassionate treatment toward an offender, when it is in our power to do otherwise. • Jesus’ illustrates mercy in the parable of the king who canceled the debt of a servant. (Matt.18:21-35)
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Question • How are you treating those over whom you have power or authority? • Are they getting what they deserve, or is there mercy in your actions?
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
#3 SACRIFICE OF RIGHTS • Exhibiting “the willingness to give away the very right that justice bestows” The account of Abraham deferring to Lot over prime land illustrates this truth. (Genesis 13)
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Question When was the last time you relinquished to another what was rightfully yours?
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Prayer Focus • Father, In the name of Jesus, I surrender myself to walk in the Word in the marketplace. Your word living in me produces the Life in this world. • The word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. It makes my way plain before me. • I boldly and confidently say that my heart is fixed and established on the solid foundation – the Living Word of God! Amen Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Learning, application and commitment: James 1: 22-25 • “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. • Do what it says. • Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. • But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does.” (NIV) Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Learning, application and commitment • One of the principles that I have learned from this lesson was … • I intend to apply this principle in my marketplace by: ….. • With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will begin applying this truth immediately. Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Jesus said: Take what I have given you and change the world!
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Sources and acknowledgement CHRIST@ WORK NEWSLETTER • •
Copyright Notice Limited permission to copy without altering text or profiteering is granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice. Copy is limited to member and/or FCCI small group use. Unauthorized use of FCCI, Christ@Work, Crown Companies, their trademarks or logos is strictly prohibited.
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The “Facts of the Matter” is also available through the Internet: www.factsofthematter.org. R. Dwight Hill. Slides compiled by Dr Mario Denton. Please commit yourself to inform us of the results regarding the effectiveness thereof should you wish to use this material.
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Blessings from Mario Denton
Let's keep the good marketplace vibes alive. Let's network. Become a member of the Crown Companies Marketplace Coaching Forum. Â Tel (w) + 27(0) 82 88 29903. e-mail address:mario@crown.org.za Website: www.crown.org.za Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God
Marketplace facts: Business ethics and the love of God