Where There Is No Vision, The People Perish . . . (KJV)
Occupy Until He Comes (KJV) --Do Business Until He Comes (NIV)

(AS COMMANDED IN LUKE 19:13 - And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.)

{This message is for employees, current and prospective business owners and those that can discern the potential in others to be business owners.}

As the Body of Christ, we have been equipped to be business owners and in fact have been called to do business until Christ, our Head, returns. Traditionally, we have been taught to get a college education so we can get a good paying job where we can be promoted, be secure and have the things we have identified as symbols of our success.

However, through the changes in the economy, we are finding out that the only security we have is in Jesus Christ. Fear and despair should not grip those that lose their jobs, but their creative spirit should come forth and take them to greater career possibilities-a career that is calling. Only what we do for Christ will last.

This is a new day and we need to focus more on what we already have within us--treasure in earthen vessels. We have within us entrepreneurial spirits and ideas which will produce businesses that will last throughout our lifetimes and into successive generations.
Some have allowed the enemy of our soul, Satan, to use their entrepreneurial spirits for his purposes and advantage. We don’t have to name them, you know who they are, what they are doing and who they are influencing. But we don’t give up on them either. We continue to pray that they will come to know that they are being used by the enemy and will come to Jesus Christ and allow Him to be Lord of their lives.

The previous paragraph was outlined in order to show how even the negatives of business life demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit and how they can be turned around for the glorification of Jesus Christ.

However, as outlined in the 2nd paragraph, there are others that have been hoodwinked and bamboozled as well into thinking that working in a good job is the ultimate prize. Now I must confess that at one point, I wanted everyone to be a business owner. However, God had to calm me down and show me that there must be employees to carry out the visions of the entrepreneurs as well as fulfill the employees’ visions. There is a place for entrepreneurs and employees.

However, the fact remains that there should be many more people creating jobs as business owners rather than seeking jobs as employees. There are people who don’t want to get up in the morning to go to the job that they thought they wanted in the first place. Once they get there, they are miserable, unfocused and unproductive. You can tell how people really feel about their jobs by what comes out of their mouths to you in general
conversation. If there is murmuring and complaining, something isn’t all good. Sometimes, people are so driven, that they have not been able to realize that they are not really satisfied with their work life, however, others can tell from what comes from their mouth.

QUESTIONS TO START THE DIALOGUE:
Whose vision are you advancing? Are you the God assigned employee for that position or are you just trying to survive? Are you afraid to take off the golden handcuffs that provides for your current lifestyle? Or just what are you afraid of?

What is God’s vision for your life? Are you pursuing the manifestation of God’s vision for your life or are you just suppressing it or just flirting with it? Can you continue doing what you are doing for the rest of your earthly life? Is it well with your soul? . . .

God gave me a heart for entrepreneurs. I didn’t realize it at first even though I’ve worked with business owners all of my professional career. Now I realize that part of my assignment is to call out entrepreneurs wherever they are to where they should be-building businesses that last throughout their lifetimes as well as into successive generations. My mission is to help those that hear my words as a clarion call - that have an entrepreneurial spirit - remove the obstacles that have hindered them from moving to the next level. By doing this, ultimately there will be an increase in the number and quality of businesses.

Also, I’ve come to learn that you don’t have to have a great business idea in order to start a business or for it to last a lifetime and beyond. More about this in my next article.

Copyright© 2003 by Bonita M.W. Shelby
Used by permission, BlackandChristian.com

Bonita M.W. Shelby is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Business Manager. A graduate of Howard University, Ms. Shelby is a member of Jericho City of Praise and a Breast Cancer survivor. She helped establish the Howard University Hospital Breast Cancer Support Group. Ms. Shelby is the principal and business life coach of Kingdom Business, Inc. Responses are encouraged and for more information, I invite you to visit our website or contact us:
http://www.kingdombusiness.biz/
bonita.shelby@verizon.net
301-445-0398 (Tel)