Competition is a part of business, as much as it is a part of life. But is being competitive something that we should practice as Christian business owners? Are we to be competitive only to a certain degree? What types of competitive behavior are okay with the Bible?
The short answer is no. Christian business owners are to be separate and different from the world. Competition is a system of this fallen world. Being competitive means we are relying on our own flesh instead of God. Each time competition is portrayed in the Bible, something bad happens. There’s Cain and Abel, Sarah and Hagar, Isaac and Ismael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, Moses and Pharoah, David and Saul, John and James against the other apostles.
In business, there are some practices that, while not downright illegal, are not the “love your neighbor’ type of behavior that Jesus expects from believers.
1. Under pricing
Selling your products below cost so that your competition is forced to sell at a loss or lose customers. Big companies dump their products in an area to bring down the prices. Small businesses who cannot compete are forced to sell too low, sell sometime else, or close down.
2. Stonewalling
Crowding out other products so that they don’t get shelf space. A place to display your products to give people a chance to buy them is very important. Shrewd businessmen give supermarkets big discounts and other rewards so that the selves are only stocked with their products.
3. Cornering suppliers
You corner all supplies so that the competition will run out of raw materials. There are several ways people do this. Big companies can afford to pay more for supplies or pay months in advance. They can also threaten to cancel the accounts of suppliers if they sell to the competition. There are also exclusive supply contracts that prohibit the supplier from selling to other businesses.
4. Pirating or poaching
You unethically hire your competitors’ most important employees. Startups often lose talented people to bigger companies because of more pay and better benefits. Small firms don’t have deep pockets. I’ve heard of companies willing to buy out the employees’ contracts so they can pry them away from the employer.
These are just a few. We are not even talking about the illegal stuff like spreading malicious rumors about other products, commercial piracy or stealing trade secrets.
But how do you survive as a business owner when the competition is after your throat? You have all these plans of giving to the church and helping people through your business. Being competitive helps you make profits. Without profits, can your business be of use to God?
God can use your business without you seeing any profit
To be frank, God can use your business even without profits. God is sovereign. He doesn’t need anyone’s permission nor need to explain his actions. He certainly doesn’t need money to change lives. It’s kind of unsettling as a Christian business owner.
We, Christian business owners, want God to use our business by catching a windfall of blessing from heaven. We expect to start a business where God will swoop in like a genie and grant our wishes. Because when we become rich enough that’s when we are ready to give to others.
But the love of money has shown that enough never comes.
Jesus cited the example of the poor widow. (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4). It is when we give out of poverty, when we still share despite being broken, that’s when we can truly become a blessing to others. Even more, our gifts become even more precious to God.
We don’t like not having money. Or else, we take matters into our own hands. We become competitive, thinking we can help God. Just like what Sarah did (Gen. 16:1–16; 21:8–21). As soon as it was done, she instantly regretted it. And we are now to this day, witnessing the conflict between the sons of Ismael and Israel.
God is our boss
God wants us to be better. We should strive to be the best in everything we are doing. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ that you are serving. — Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
Don’t mind the competition. Mind God. Always put your heart into what you are doing. Because you are working for God. He will take care of you In this world and in the world to come.
Competition is not your concern. Paul writes “,Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves” ( Philippians 2:3 KJV)
Here are things that can happen when we mind God instead of the competition.
1. You strive for excellence in all that you do.
Who wouldn’t when you know that God is your boss and he is watching over your shoulder.
God is a God of excellence. When he created the world. He looked around and saw everything was good. He breathed into man the breath of life. We have our maker’s image, When we do something with excellence, we honor God by harking back to his original plan for man.
2. You are careful with your testimony
Christians are always under the microscope. The world is watching, waiting to point a finger at each mistake that we make. You are a book that is being read. “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone” (2 Cor. 3:2).
With God as our boss, and we are being read by everyone like a book, we have to be very careful with our testimony. Our work ethic, choice of words, and professional relationships must be beyond reproach. Our life reflects the work of God. Make sure people like and respect what they see.
You are no exception as a Christian entrepreneur.. Employees are also watching their Christian bosses. The world is only too eager to expose the next fallen Christain leader.
The list of Christians leaders who fell from the heights are endless. You only have to go online to find out. And the list keeps growing each year.
3. You produce better products and services
Matthew 7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” is actually a pretty good standard for products and services. Think about the customer as you. Are you going to be delighted when you buy your product?
People are more conscientious in their buying behavior. They want a product that is quality in terms of form and substance. They want to know how the product was produced, where it was produced and who produced it. They don’t want something that was produced by an exploited worker in a third world sweatshop. They don’t want anything to do with animal experimentation. They want something that helps people and the environment.
4. You make others around you better.
People who strive to please God, excel in what they do, and maintain a good testimony make those around them better. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works;” (Hebrews 10:24 KJV)
Joseph was one such man. He did not let the situation control his life, he knew God was in control of the situation.
Joseph’s main concern was being faithful to God. He was always surrounded by people who would do him harm at moment’ notice. Joseph went about his daily life pleasing God in whatever he was asked to do. As a result, those around him were pleased as well, such as Potiphar, the warden, and Pharoah.
Joseph didn’t seek vengeance against the save traders, Mrs. Potiphar, or his brothers. Even by the time he was the second most powerful man in Egypt, the day’s superpower, he wasn’t looking over his shoulder to find out who would be the next plotter against him.
We all know how God used Joseph as a wise businessman, and administrator. Joseph was able to save thousands, including his family, from starvation. Egypt became even more powerful as a result of Joseph’s leadership.
5. Less stress and worries
There’s less things to worry and stress about. You’re not losing sleep over the competition, what they’re up to and how to counter them, You just trust and please God in your business.
Business owners already have a lot of concerns to fill up today all the way to Sunday. It’s useless worrying about people you can’t control. You can pray for them and trust God to do the rest. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Final thoughts
“And I saw that all labor and achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind,” (Ecclessiastes 4:4 NIV). That was Solomon, the wisest and richest man alive during his time.
Everything that he had, money, power, and a thousand wives and concubines, were all meaningless. You’re chasing after something you can’t have, like chasing the wind. Let’s take it from someone who knows.
If you are serious about God using your business, then you have to realize that it’s not about making money. It’s still about the Greatest Commandment, love God and love people (Matthew 22:37-40).
