CHAPTER EIGHT
Mine, Mine, it’s all Mine
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? (Luk16:12)
Most of us who go into business have dreams of magnificent riches, of being able to say, yes that is my business, that is my name on the shingle, check out the name on my car plates, or, that is my other car and have you seen what my wife is driving? Look at these designer suites I’m wearing, and have you seen my great house? Those heads turning to look, oh, they’re looking at me; see the wonder in those eyes or is it envy because of my success? It is good to remember the words of a wise man:
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Prov.16:18)
Proverbs goes further and tells us what the Lord thinks of pride and the proud:
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:(Prov.6:16)
And top of the list is:
A proud look,…(Prov.6:17a)
The bible tells us of a man who fell into the trap of looking at the work of his hands and saying ‘mine, mine, it’s all mine, I did all this, I am great.’
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
(Dan.4:28-30)
Nebuchadnezzar had not taken heed of Daniel’s advice to remain humble before God. Time dulled his humanity and success made him arrogant. The result was a high price that he had to pay for his pride.
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.(Dan.4:33)
It was only when he remembered Who had given it all to him, Who had given him the victories and made him great amongst the nations, Who had clothed him in splendor, Who had given him the fine palace and beautiful city that his circumstances changed:
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation(Dan:4:34)
As a believing businessperson it is good to remember
The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1)
All those beautiful things that you have or desire are the Lords, but more than that, so are you. Your success, your wealth all belong to the Lord.
The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. (Psalm.115:16)
He has given it to us, placed it in our care, for our use, not abuse. Yes, you might ask, but what about the unbeliever, he has success; he becomes wealthy without any restrictions being placed on his conscience?
Asaph in Psalm 73 had the same questions and wondered the advisability of doing things the biblical way, whether in the circumstances it would not be better to follow the way of the world:
But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. (Ps.73:2-3, 22)
Asaph looked at the unrighteous and was jealous that they seemed to do whatever they wished and get away with it. This caused him to almost give up on God, but prayer and meditation brought him the answer that the picture seen is not the full canvas:
Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
(Ps.73:17-20)
But the problems of the proud and haughty do not end there. In fact God has a special plan for them:
but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. (Eccl. 2:26b)
Yes, the sinner has restrictions. He is being directed, the only difference being that he does not know it. Even the successful unbeliever is such because God has need of him. He too, is a steward, but his reward, or rather his legacy, is not what he would like it to be:
This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.
If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. (Job.27:13-17)
It is wonderful to be seen as a success in the eyes of men, but a far greater triumph to be seen as a success by God.
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. (Is.43:7)
Your success is God’s glory; He made you, gave you your talents and all the things you possess. He placed it in your care, taught you to profit from it, so that you could glorify Him therewith. Your success is His success. He trusted you with His earth and His creation, so that one day He can give you an exalted position within His kingdom.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:(1Pet.2:9)
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Rev.1:5b-6)
There is an old joke that goes –
A secretary asked her boss: “A man just called and would like to know the secret of your success.”
The boss replied: “Well, is he a journalist or a detective?”
What would your reply be, curiosity or fear, a willingness to answer or shame, pride in your accomplishments, or humility as a result of God’s faith in you?
In our business dealings, God wants us to rise above the norm, above the dark, dirty dealings of a world lost in depravity. Earthly success is only temporary. God wants our success to be eternal, our reign to be everlasting. For this He has called us to be kings and it is for us to behave as such.