Bible insights on business: Choosing and focusing...

God teaches his children to be focused and precise in their decisions and choices. He encourages them to choose what need they would present to him as a request in prayer. Before we tackle the business insights of this truth, we should already admit that we struggle with focus and precision at the very initial point of all we do and the way we do it, which is our mind set. Let's look at this reality in the word of God (I) and in the business world (II).

I - Choice and Focus In the word of God

I will take an example that has always been funny to me while growing around church folks. You will hear some people ask something to God in their prayer, then conclude by saying “If it is your will let it be done so; if it is not, you decide what will happen and I am ready to accept your verdict Lord”.

This way of praying, usual to many Christians, seems to be a good one because people who do so, feel like it follows the pattern of the prayer that Jesus himself prayed in Luke 22:42; Matthew 26:29 or elsewhere in the gospels. People don't know that this way of praying is unfortunately not according to Gods plan or will for them. Nor, is this way of praying a perfect reproduction of what Jesus is reported to have prayed in the Gospels. Many don't understand what Jesus was talking about and the sense of what he said in that prayer. They think they are praying like Jesus prayed when he wasn't sure of what the will of God was. That's not the case! Jesus knew what was the will of God and he was really submitting a very precise request to God, just like the bible says to do.

God teaches us to be precise and focus. About our needs, he said for us to ask what we need or in other words, to present our needs and to make sure they are conform to his will. He said to present our own needs that are according to his will in the form of requests: Philippians 4:6 (NIV) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD." He didn’t say we should ask him to choose what his will for our needs is. He encourages us to know him and to leave in a relation of love with him. That’s why he made his word available, so that by studying it and changing our mindset, we will KNOW WHAT GOD’S WILL IS — HIS GOOD, PLEASING AND PERFECT WILL (Romans 12:2). God will choose what is good for his children. However, he wants us to know his will and to present our needs accordingly. Failing to present a very precise request when you need to do so doesn't make you look more godly. It doesn't even portray a strong relationship of faith from you to God.

God has made known his will and now, he wants us to pray that will to be done on earth in our lives, our communities and our nations, like it is in heaven. He says to ask it with faith without doubting anytime a need that is conform to that will pops up.

It is already an obvious doubt for us to say, “if it is your will”. This means that we do not even know if what we are asking is his will. We are saying “we doubt if what we are asking pleases him”. This shows a breach in our relationship with God. At this moment, we present God as a father who has not been around and whom we do not know how he feels if we asked this or that. That doubt manifested by our hesitation is portrayed in the epistle of James. In this book of the new testament that is deep on the demonstration portion of faith, the word of God presents doubt as lack of focus and the incapacity to choose and decide. In other words, James chapter 1 simply says that doubting is being double minded. Which is not being precise or focus on one single thing. James 1:6 through 8 says “ 6 BUT WHEN YOU ASK, YOU MUST BELIEVE AND NOT DOUBT, BECAUSE THE ONE WHO DOUBTS IS LIKE A WAVE OF THE SEA, BLOWN AND TOSSED BY THE WIND. 7 THAT PERSON SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THE LORD. 8 SUCH A PERSON IS DOUBLE-MINDED AND UNSTABLE IN ALL THEY DO.”

The lack of faith hidden in us shows up here in the form of "being undecided". It also goes like being unable to choose. All these are manifestations of doubt and a demonstration that we are operating out of faith. We have a lot to share in this light.

This is just one example of the truth that needs to be known when it comes to achieving goals and visions in this life.

God ask us to be focused in everything we do. Focus is a big asset in life. God even holds as nauseating people who are lukewarm. You got to choose. The more your choice is focused and precise, the more achieving you are going to be in whatever you’ve chosen. This truth plays a major role in many if not all aspects of life. Let's throw some light about this truth in the business world. You may have many business ideas or project, but it is good to know which one to give up at least for the moment, and which one to focus on. Focusing on one will eventually achieve great results and potentially help bring the rest you gave up to life.

II - The power of choice and focus in Business

In this post we will only touch two little aspects of this truth in business: Let's look at it in Marketing and in Operations Management

A)- In Marketing Management: A person who wants to do or who is doing business has to be focused as to yield success. Let’s take Marketing planning for example.

1- What product or Service you want to sell and why did you choose that instead of another?

2- Is it an innovative product or service that nobody has or if people already have it how will you differentiate yours for better sales? Focus on your product differentiation.

Focus and precision also shows when it comes to the segment of the market you are targeting? There are four market segments that you have to know, and you have to purposefully choose your segment and focus on it for a better impact, for Jesus said in Matthew 6:24: “No man can serve two masters”

3- ; one would be despised for the benefit of other. If you focus on one and make it big you can diversify your production by strategically adding your Product Mix. You must know how to choose your product mix.

4- You must define your target market

5- What do you consider as your positioning? It is effective?

6- Focus will help you determine your target market profile.

B)- In Operations Management:

1- Here you need to check out the level of inventory you are going to have. This level of inventory is aligned with the process design you have chosen for your business and your chosen Planning strategy. All this must be planned along with thorough capacity management.

2- It is important to know in advance how you intend to source your business.

3- A precise knowledge of what you intend to achieve as far as the atmosphere or ambiance in your business will give you orientation when you start engaging in human resources. The personnel you recruit is specifically chosen based on the sense you are giving to the company. What I mean is, is it a social value business or a service efficiency type of business? More often our people fail in their businesses because they are double minded from the get-go. Because they are Christians, they think they must make their businesses look like a Christian one. All depending on what they think a Christian business should look like. Then they get social in their business but in their head the business was intended to be effective driven. Being Christian in our business is not forcefully being social in the business. We can remain all concentrated-on efficiency and invest a part of our profit in the community or in a mission after our results.

The point at conclusion, however, is that to be good in the business doesn’t work with being double minded either. This can be shown in all aspects of life. Focus is an asset that is taught in the bible. Let's discuss more on this topic. on our "Go Hard 4 God" Facebook page linked to this website on the upper right links. also feel free to visit us this coming Sunday. It will be a pleasure to worship with you!

You are blessed and you are a blessing!

#God #nature