As a Chamber of Commerce, we support businesses, and we know profits are essential for businesses to remain viable.
So when I was asked to speak about profitably at a recent conference, it should have been a no-brainer, right?
But it’s not.
In my corporate experience, I learned that profits without purpose were tied to a trapdoor — a door I fell through.
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? (Mark 8:36, NLT)
According to the standards of the world, I was successful — but what I had to give up to achieve that worldly success left me empty and morally bankrupt.
Over time, I learned that profits could be a bridge to legacy, a tool to advance the Kingdom of God, and provide meaningful gain.
As I prayed to find the best way to explain this concept, I was reminded of the story in 2 Kings 4:1–7 about the widow whose deceased husband left a large debt. What she did to save her sons from being sold into slavery to pay off that debt can help all of us gain profits but avoid that trapdoor.
A Widow with a Debt
The condensed version of the story is this: The widow had a problem, reached out to Elisha, and told him all she had was a small jar of oil. On his instructions, she borrowed empty jars from her community and filled them with oil from her little flask. She sold the oil, saved her sons, paid off the debt, and lived on the money that was left over.
This story offers seven key lessons to help you gain profits with a greater purpose.
- Every storm has a purpose. Problems and challenges can create significant opportunities for your business. How you see problems will determine your ability to experience innovation and profitability. How you see God will determine your ability to experience supernatural innovation and profitability.
- Seek wise counsel. The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom. Develop a posture of lifelong learning, seek Godly counsel through prayer, read the Word of God, and do not discount wise advice.
- Know what oil you have. Identify what strength you have that is unique to you. Celebrate small beginnings. Mighty things start small — David defeated Goliath; 5,000 were fed with a small amount of bread and fish; Gideon defeated the Midianite army when he went from 32,000 to 300 soldiers.
- Get in community. Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Read my article about Why a Christian Chamber to understand the inherent value of community among the body of Christ.
- Take action. Don’t sit idle. You have to take action. Imagine what would have happened if the widow knew what to do but didn’t do it. How often are you sitting on a great idea or have the urge to do something, yet you allow fear to hold you back? We see many miracles in the Bible because the person stepped out in faith.
- Create Kingdom commerce. Experience the multiplier effect and double your Kingdom contribution by doing business with Kingdom business owners.
- BAM! Think of business as mission. Get real about why you’re doing what you’re doing. Business is a means to advance the Kingdom of God through the marketplace.
Let these seven lessons guide you to reach greater profitability that will act as a bridge to legacy, a tool to advance the Kingdom of God, and provide a meaningful gain.
Find out where God is moving, and join Him there!
