Fourteen Biblical Rules to Follow For a Successful Business

One of my favorite books is J. Oswald Sanders’ Spiritual Leadership. This book has helped encourage and motivate me ever since I first read it nearly a decade ago.

Although it was written in 1967, Spiritual Leadership is a timeless classic, full of words of wisdom that are applicable to every walk of life. In addition to his own thoughts on leadership, Sanders also includes anecdotes and insights from Godly men and women throughout the years past.

One of the chapters on the responsibilities of leadership contains a practical list of rules for life by a former Archbishop of Canterbury, Edward White Benson. Benson’s rules are wonderfully simple, but if followed, are guaranteed to make you and your business a success. I’ve jotted down the list below, plus included some even more influential insights from the Bible, the best textbook in the world for business management.

Rule #1 – Eagerly start the day’s main work.
“Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.” Psalm 143:8

Rule #2 – Do not murmur at your busyness or the shortness of time, but buy up the time all around.
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16

Rule #3 – Never murmur when correspondence is brought in.
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” Proverbs 27:23

Rule #4 – Never exaggerate duties by seeming to suffer under the load, but treat all responsibilities as liberty and gladness.
“Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;” Romans 12:11

Rule #5 – Never call attention to crowded work or trivial experiences.
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” Colossians 3:23

Rule #6 – Before confrontation or censure, obtain from God a real love for the one at fault. Know the facts; be generous in your judgement. Otherwise, how ineffective, how unintelligible or perhaps provocative your well-intentioned censure may be.
“With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;” Psalms 18:25

Rule #7 – Do not believe everything you hear; do not spread gossip.
“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:8

Rule #8 – Do not seek praise, gratitude, respect, or regard for past service.
“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.” Proverbs 27:2

Rule #9 – Avoid complaining when your advice or opinion is not consulted, or having been consulted, set aside.
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” Philippians 2:14

Rule #10 – Never allow yourself to be placed in favorable contrast with anyone.
“. . . but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” 2 Corinthians 10:12b

Rule #11 – Do not press conversation to your own needs and concerns.
“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Philippians 2:4

Rule #12 – Seek no favors, nor sympathies, do not ask for tenderness, but receive what comes.
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Rule #13 – Bear the blame; do not share or transfer it.
“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” Hebrews 12:5-6

Rule #14 – Give thanks when credit for your own work or ideas is given to another.
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

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