God is a businesses man. He plays in the main stream of business as an Investor. Who is an investor? He/She is one who stakes his resources (man, money and/or material) in a venture for the purpose of making a worthwhile profit over time. This informs Jesus’ statements such as: “don’t you know I must be about my Father’s business (Lk 2:49)?” and “I must do the business of Him who sent me… (Jn 9:4 paraphrased)”. Furthermore, a stake-holder in a business is a part owner of the business. Such a person shares the risk of the business incase of a loss and the joy of it when profit is made.
Just as every business man, God’s aim in business is to make profit and He doesn’t joke with that fact. He exemplified this in the parable of talents (Mt 25). As a matter of fact, the servant who kept the initial investment intact without making any loss was regarded as Wicked (vs 26). “Haba God!” I heard someone say, “Is it all businesses that yields a profit? Capital preservation is, at least, better than capital depreciation or total loss”. “We own the business together”, I hear God reply, “why was he non-challant to the business? Attitude is more important than fact” God’s problem with this man is actually his attitude to the business they both co-own. This man’s attitude is also seen in the same Mt 25:26. he was not only wicked, he was also slothful. This man’s attitude is slothfulness which is demonstrated in his business report (Vs 24, 25)
If you consider his attitude with that of the other business partners of the Master in this parable, you will see the clear difference. He seamed to have lost sight of his co-ownership status in the business while the other two had it in clear perspective. A stake-holder in a business shares both the risks and the gains of the business. While the first two servants shared in the joy of their lord for faithfulness (Vs 21, 23) which is the product of the profit made in business, the slothful servant bore the entire loss of the business for unprofitability (Vs 30).
As Jesus was about His Father’s business, so we too must be about our Father’s business if we are joint heirs with Christ in God. God’s marketplace in business is this world. He does His business via His children on earth. Jesus completed His own business task when He breadth His last and proclaimed: it is finished (Jn 19:30). The ball is now in the court of those of us who are joint heirs with Christ to also complete our business assignment and have a similar conclusion just like Paul (2Tim 4:7) and Simeon (Lk 2: 25-30). In the make up of God’s business, God doesn’t participate in marketing. He only gives us necessary resources and has also developed the product (ETERNAL LIFE). He expects us to organize how to reach the target market (the world) through advertisements, marketing and sales. The closing of the deals is done by His Holy Spirit.
When Jesus came to this world, he completed His portion of the business as discussed earlier. One of the things He did was to train other sales executive who are to be stake-holders in this business and called them Disciples. He had the twelve (12), the one hundred and twenty (120) and a great multitude. He left them with the charge of carrying on God’s business profitably by recruiting (lead them to Christ) and training (Discipleship) a larger sales force that will globalize God’s business.
For clarity purpose, consider these cross references
The Business - The
God - The Senior Partner
Christians - Partners
Product - Eternal life (life of God)
However, in business partnership, each partner has a contribution to make. Someone might bring in the funds while another owns the Idea. Yet another may contribute his time. The reward at the end of each deal is to share the profit in proportion to respective investment and pre-agreed sharing formula. In God’s Kingdom business that we got recruited into and are part owners at our new birth, the investment equation is as follows:
Product Developer - God
Marketers and Advertisers - Christians
Sales men - Christians
Recruiting of other sales man - Holy Spirit
Training of other sales men (discipleship) - Christians
Mark 16:15-16 and Matthew 28:18-20 gives the summary of our assignment. Jesus Spoke these words at the tale end of His earthly ministry. Wisdom demands that a man’s last words are to be kept with all seriousness as oftentimes, they are his most important instructions. From these Scriptures, Jesus’ Instructions to us are: PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL CREATIONS; MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS.
Fruitfulness is another word that the scripture has to describe our part of the business. We must bring forth much fruits and not even leaves. Jesus caused a tree that brought forth only leaves to death (Mk 21:19). He further emphasizes the need for us as Christians to be fruitful. It is a fruit or die affair (Mt 3:10).
What then is my charge? Fellow stake-holders in God’s business, I charge you, God has completed His part of the deal. What He has left to do will be done as we takes steps to do our own part of the business. Remember, when we make profits, God reward us a great deal. Also remember, attitude is more important than fact. The results are not yours to determine. Just do your part. Preach the Gospel in all situations (2 Tim 4:2). In your words and actions, at home, school and work. Let your character preach Christ. Our return on investment (ROI) is guaranteed to be high – on earth (30 folds, 60 folds or 100 folds) and in the life after, we are assured words cannot describe the abundant returns we will receive as eyes have not seen it, hears have not heard it and hearts have not conceived it (1Cor 2:9).
Keep doing God’s Business!
