CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
Competition and Opposition
The nature of free trade allows for more than one supplier of a product or service. It allows for competition and this is good as it ensures quality of product and service. As businesspeople we do not always welcome competition and would, at times like to use Old Testament solution to deal with opposition – put them to the sword – but alas, in this day and age we cannot, so the reality of competition has to be squarely faced and tackled in other ways.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
(1Pet.5:8-9)
What an apt description of competition or opposition. Sometimes they come at you, roaring and shouting, trying to frighten you away. Other times they come stealthily, trying to catch you off guard. ‘Be vigilant’, I suppose is the best advice anyone can give, be prepared – if you have done your homework, you would have taken note of the competition before you started, made yourself aware of his products, his prices, his marketing strategy, and if possible, the resources available to him.
Most times in the competitive world of business, the first thing that happens when a new player comes on the market, war is declared and prices are lowered. Be careful of a price war. In your preparations, you should have worked out what the minimum price is you can sell your products for, without making a loss, know that figure and stick to it. If he sells at a loss, he will be lost. For a short while he may be able to sustain those losses, but no business on earth can survive doing this indefinitely, shareholders will make sure of that.
If the opposition does not succeed with those tactics, the attack will probably shift to your products, the quality and availability thereof. In the book of Nehemiah, we read how the opposition came together to mock the wall Nehemiah was building, unable to physically assault the city, they stood off away and denigrated the work being done.
Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.(Neh.4:3)
These are words designed to undermine morale, to turn people away from their endeavors, either by a cessation of operations, or better still, to have the Israelites break down what has already been built and restart, which would have given the forces of the opposition time to muster. Nehemiah’s product (the wall), stood the test of time and the opposition was forced to back off and concede defeat. The Lord tells us:
The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. (Ex. 14:14)
Be still, I will fight for you.
Theodore Roosevelt in a letter wrote, “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.” There is no greater weapon than the forces of heaven. In dealing with competition it is always better to deal from a position of strength, not necessarily only monetary strength, but moral strength. If, however, you do not have the advantage and are competing from a weak position, do not let the competition know. ‘Be still!’ what they do not know will not hurt you.
Gideon with only three hundred men outwitted a Midianite army of thousands, deceiving them into thinking that he was much stronger than they. With the help of the Lord he gained an impressive victory without firing a shot. (Judges7)
Deal with opposition decisively.
In the book Ezra, we read about the Israelites who returned to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon. Their dream was to settle in the city and rebuild the temple. But they encountered opposition and allowed that opposition to gain a stronghold in their minds and a position of strength in the palace of the king and the work came to a standstill. No attempt was made to counter the opposition and no attempt was made to question the motives and tactics of the forces arrayed against them and it was to take another twenty years before the temple was completed. Be thorough in your preparations, be decisive, and leave nothing to chance when it comes to competition.
Competition there will be, but remember, to them you are also competition, your presence will also be working on their minds, you will also be troubling them, but the difference is your strength is in the Lord, know that He will sustain you.
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.(Isa.48:17)
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. (Prov.2:6-7)
Keep yourself blameless - let no finger be pointed at you or your business, because victory is for the upright.
Do not be afraid, He is with you always; He will protect and guide you.