I read an article in a Christian magazine entitled “Three Marketplace Worldviews: The secular marketplace view, the non-biblical compromised Christian view, and the biblical marketplace view.” This article really caught my attention, and I want to share with you some further good information from it.
A worldview is simply the way we look at things, the paradigm through which we see our world. A marketplace view is the way you look at your job, career, or business. It’s part of your worldview, but it could be very different from other parts of your worldview. Basically, your marketplace view is the way you think about the whole issue of work, careers, and your particular job. The Bible tells us as we think in our hearts, so we are, so your marketplace view has a very strong influence on why you get up and go to work each day, how you perform once you get there, and what you hope to achieve as a result.
Let’s look at some further differences between these three marketplace views. How does a secular marketplace view understand the moral foundation and guidelines for business? That view says, “The ends justify the means.” A secular view rejects the Bible as truth and considers it irrelevant to business. They would consider anyone with a biblical marketplace view as a bit weird, certainly radical.
You’ll find a wide variety of behavior among those who hold a secular marketplace view. Many are just out for themselves, using whatever means necessary to achieve their aims. They are into office politics, underhanded deals, deceitful sales pitches, or tweaking numbers—whatever it takes to reach their goals of more money, more success, more promotions.
Others, on the other hand, will recognize there is merit in being honest and helpful. People who are not believers in Jesus Christ can still benefit greatly when they choose to live by biblical principles. I know people who would never call themselves Christians, but who also would never be dishonest in their business dealings.
I read an article about a man who got a tax refund that was grossly in error. Instead of a small amount, the check was for over two million dollars. Knowing he had no right to the money, even though he had the check in his hands, he returned it because it was the right thing to do. Even a non-believer can operate out of right principles, but they still hold a secular marketplace view and are in the job to get the most they can for themselves.
What is the non-biblical compromised Christian view of the moral foundation and guidelines for business? This person thinks, “God is more concerned about our church than my job or my business.” He is not sure the Bible has much to say about how to do business. After all, it was written too long ago. He may think it impossible to live by Christian principles on the job because nobody else does, and it’s a dog-eat-dog world. He or she sees his or her work as a separate from life and faith.
Why do far-too-many Christians have this compromised view of their jobs—this unbiblical attitude toward work? Because they don’t know the Bible well enough. Because they don’t spend time truly searching God’s word and applying it to their lives. Because they’ve never heard a message like this, challenging them to have a biblical view of their work. Because they so easily fall into the world’s mold and are not willing to pay the price of living for Jesus on their jobs. There are many reasons.
We have an enemy of our soul who is going to use every tactic possible to keep Christians from being effective witnesses for Jesus Christ, and this is certainly one weapon he uses. He deceives us into thinking incorrectly—after all, lying is his specialty—and once we think wrongly, we act wrongly.
How wonderful it is to find a Christian with a Biblical marketplace view. This person understands God’s principles and precepts for business and is committed to doing business God’s way. This person truly studies and applies what the Bible teaches regarding business and money. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, a biblical marketplace view causes this person to see her job as part of her mission in this world, even if persecution and suffering may result from doing business God’s way.
I have a friend whose family owns a successful business, begun by his father and now being passed on to his sons. This business is based on biblical principles, and everyone who works there knows it. There are many employees, and though it is not required for an employee to be a Christian, the owners are not hesitant to make it known that the business belongs to God and is operated to bring him glory. I’ve been there to give a brief Bible study at lunchtime, and the employees I met love to work there. It’s really a testimony to what it means to have a biblical marketplace view.
I have a friend who is a very successful attorney, and he has frequently told me operating by biblical principles as an attorney has been a great benefit to him, not a handicap. My brother owned a business and over the years he established a reputation for honesty. Others could rely on his word, and his honesty was known throughout his industry. That’s because he ran his business by Christian principles.
Another friend and one of our board members has a high-level career as a patent attorney. She sees her job as the place God has put her, and she prays daily about all her encounters with her coworkers, clients, and anyone she interacts with. She not only prays for wisdom and success, but more importantly, she prays that with every interaction, she will show the love of Jesus to others—in the way she conducts her business, in the tone of her voice, in her care and concern for others. She has a biblical perspective of her workplace.
Do you see your job as your mission field? A person with a secular marketplace view wouldn’t even know what that means. A person with a non-biblical compromised Christian view might be fearful of trying to combine their faith with their business or career. After all, they might get sued for mentioning God in the workplace—right? Or their employees or coworkers might get upset with bringing God into the business.
But a biblical marketplace view understands a Christian should be called to their life’s work, should know they are doing what God has intended for them to do. Therefore, their business and career are part of their ministry—a big part. Their workplace is their mission field, and they see their financial success as a way to fund kingdom ministries.
I served on the Board of Trustees for LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas for about 12 years. This school was begun by Mr. R. G. LeTourneau, who was a very successful inventor and entrepreneur in earth-moving equipment. Mr. R. G. believed God gave him success to help others, and he donated 90% of his earnings to God’s work, keeping only 10% for himself. The good he did for the Kingdom of Christ is incalculable. He has left a heritage of good things, including this wonderful university which is training Christians to go into the work world with a biblical marketplace view.
You may be thinking that incorporating a biblical marketplace view could be costly. You’re right. Jesus told us when we follow him, there can be a price to pay. I know situations where Christians have lost their jobs because they refused to compromise their Christian principles on the job. I have a friend who knows she is treated unfairly in some ways because of her Christian principles; she’s not one of the “in-crowd,” so to speak.
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name…So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good (1 Peter 4:14-16, 19).
Truly suffering for the name of Christ should be a cause for rejoicing that you are considered worthy. It is a badge of honor, not one of shame. Certainly, suffering is not something we seek or desire, but fear of it should not keep us from living by biblical principles.
Let me encourage you to pray about your own perspective of your job. Do you see it as a drudgery or a necessity or maybe as your own road to success as you climb the ladder? Or do you recognize as a follower of Jesus Christ, you report ultimately to him? Therefore, you are working to bring honor and glory to him.
When you have a biblical view of your job, it truly makes it so much easier to get up and go to work! It won’t always be fun or full of what the world calls success. There are truly hard days, but a biblical perspective will give you great satisfaction and contentment to know you work for Jesus. What you do each day matters to him.