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Explore biblical passages contrasting diligence and laziness, profit and dishonesty, through parables and wisdom literature. Reflect on the importance of conducting business ethically while achieving success, resonating with timeless teachings. Gain insights on entrepreneurship, profit, and ethical business practices. A rich tapestry of lessons awaits in the intersection of faith, work ethics, and moral values.
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breaking through • with entrepreneurship
Legend of Juan tamad • Is it right? Or is it wrong?
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15 (NIV)
contrast this to: • By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. Genesis 3:19 (NIV)
What does this parable teach about profit? • What do the talents symbolize? • How did the first two servants double the talents given them? • What does it mean to bury the one talent given to you?
The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 (NIV)
He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. Proverbs 28:19 (NIV)
11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV)
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives. Titus 3:14 (NIV)
riches? • 4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Proverbs 23:4-5 (NIV)
Why work? • 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
laziness • Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest -- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. Proverbs 6:6-11 (NIV)
laziness • Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor. Proverbs 12:24 (NIV)
laziness • Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare. Proverbs 20:13 (NIV)
laziness • He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich. Proverbs 21:17 (NIV)
laziness • In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has. Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)
laziness • 25 The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. 26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. Proverbs 21:25-26 (NIV)
laziness • 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-- 34 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.Proverbs 24:33-34 (NIV)
dishonesty • The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. Proverbs 20:23 (NIV)
dishonesty • Food gained by fraud tastes good to a man; but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel. Proverbs 20:17 (NIV)
dishonesty • Leviticus 6: 1-5 (NIV) • 1 The LORD said to Moses: 2 "If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving his neighbor about something entrusted to him or left in his care or stolen, or if he cheats him, 3 or if he finds lost property and lies about it, or if he swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that people may do- 4 when he thus sins and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, 5 or whatever it was he swore falsely about. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day he presents his guilt offering.
dishonesty • He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Ephesians 4:20 (NIV)
conduct of business • Psalm 15 (NIV) • 1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? • Who may live on your holy hill? • 2 He whose walk is blameless • and who does what is righteous, • who speaks the truth from his heart • … • 5 who lends his money without usury • and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. • He who does these things • will never be shaken.
conduct of business • He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor. Proverbs 28:8 (NIV)
conduct of business • He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty. Proverbs 22:16 (NIV)
conduct of business • Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case and will plunder those who will plunder them. Proverbs 22:17 (NIV)
conduct of business • Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse. Proverbs 28:6 (NIV)
conduct of business • …He who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long life. Proverbs 28:16b (NIV)
conduct of business • A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. Proverbs 28:20 (NIV)
conduct of business • A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him. Proverbs 28:22 (NIV)
conduct of business • 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Proverbs 30:8-9 (NIV)
conduct of business • 6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. 1Timothy 6:6-12 (NIV)
conduct of business • 9 " 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:9-10 (NIV)
conduct of business • 19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. Deuteronomy 24:19 (NIV)
conduct of business • 1 The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD. 3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. 5 Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. 6 Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, 7 as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten. Leviticus 25:1-7 (NIV)
conduct of business • 17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1Timothy 6:17-11-19 (NIV)
possible range of businesses • Manufacturing • Services • Property/real estate • Trading
Group work • Group yourselves among your closest friends. • Discuss your talents or God-given gifts. • Work out with the group what you can do with these gifts. Can you work together with your group to launch an enterprise using these gifts? • Do you need more people?