Daily Devotionals

There is something productive and enterprising about people that are business minded. Jesus famously quipped, “How is it that you sought me? knew you not that I must be about my Father’s business?” This is a very important statement because it reveals to us that Jesus viewed his work as a business. I think many people fail in their quest to make the world a better place because they fail to approach it as a business. I am not suggesting that every watchman will have to find commercial angles to their watch. The big idea here is that in order to truly succeed, one must have the discipline and work ethic demands of business.

There is a well documented trend of failure and ineffectiveness of nonprofit organizations. They are not as effective as for-profit organizations because for-profit businesses have to develop capacity and productivity at a level that commands the influence and income they want from the market. Evaluating the effectiveness of nonprofits is not so simple. There are no clear losses or shortcomings. You are left with doing whatever you can without considering what is actually required for the change you want. Businesses are famous for chasing revenue and customer targets in a way that seems irrelevant to the nonprofit organization.

As a watchman tasked with steering us towards a better future. You must ensure that that future is clearly spelt out in a way that is specific and measurable. You also have to consider how your work can be consistent and sustainable. Without this approach to the work, nothing is done. Building a business forces clarity around goals and objectives. You begin to increase your capacity and effectiveness when faced with the realities of an unforgiving market. You will perform better as an agent of change; salt and light of the world if you built a business. The most consistent and sustainable way to solve problems in society is by building a business around it.

If you want to change your world in a way that is sustainable, independently verifiable and quantifiable, the best vehicle to do so is through a business. We have created a world where good people who want to make a positive difference in their world cower away at nonprofits. Leaving the most greedy and vile of us to run proper companies. However, the most powerful forces that shape our society are companies. Every day, businesses make money by catering for our needs. If you want to steer the world towards a better future, build a proper business around your mission.

It is very easy to see the appeal of nonprofits for “holy” people that like to see themselves as uncorrupted by the ways of the world. It confers this feeling of piety. But you soon realize that real world impact is limited. Decades after operations of such nonprofits, the problems they set out to eradicate remain unsolved. Naval Ravikant once commented on this, “I was on the board of a foundation and I found it very disillusioning because what I learned was that no matter what the foundation did, they would declare victory. Every project was victorious. Every project was a success. There were a lot of high-sounding mission statements and vision statements, a lot of congratulations, a lot of nice dinners—but nothing ever got done.”

Companies are the backbone of society. Nonprofits have failed to change the world because there is no objective feedback about the impact of their work. The biggest changes in the world today are driven by for-profit companies. Every aspect of our daily life is served by companies and they have a strong grip on society. Business is simply a vehicle, the destination is up to the driver. When good people build a business around their mission, the world becomes a better place. If we want to steer our world in a way that’s meaningful, we must control the companies that serve our world.

Certain people have convinced themselves that technology is evil, and they would have nothing to do with it, and once they embrace that mind-set, they miss out on a key and fundamental nature of God – creativity and invention. The bible opens up with the words, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. The very first thing we learn about God is that he has the ability to create. The Spirit of God possesses unlimited creative powers, and some of us are convinced that that same power is available even today. And that God continues to create by working in the hearts of men.

The Bible says in Revelations 4:11 (ESV) “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” The big objection to creativity is the capacity for wickedness, lust and wanton destruction that most technologies seem to enable. However, this is an unfair criticism because it is the equivalent of blaming God for creating mankind. God created all things and judged his creations to be good, but then over time, corruption became introduced into the system. We should acknowledge that creativity and technology is merely a tool. What the tools are used for depends upon the person using the tools. 

Creativity and inventions are the premier problem-solving tools. Technology empower us to solve problems in a way that is consistent and scalable. There are diverse kinds of problems around the world today, including poverty, disease and famine. Some of these problems will be solved through the ministry of the famous five-fold offices, some of them will be solved by people channelling God’s powers through technology. There is no problem we cannot solve by praying and laying on of hands, but until we are able to solve those same problems by applying science and knowledge, we have not really solved that problem.

We cannot watch over the world in any meaningful way while ignoring economic realities. If you want to steer the world towards a better future, you need to realize that a better future begins with a brighter economic outlook. Anything less than that is superficial. Some christians insist they are only interested in spiritual transformation, but then we can see the trajectory of true personal transformation. A truly transformed life will become more productive, transformed lives will produce a transformed society. Increased productivity has a positive effect on the economy of such a society. It is always about the economy.

Several news outlets reported that references to a gay relationship in “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” were edited out of the movie by Warner Bros. for the film’s release in China. Over the years, the Chinese Market has made it clear that they would not allow references to homosexuality on screen. Several movies have been edited with such directives in mind. China’s economic might is the reason they are able to do this. Other countries have had similar calls for censorship ignored, with the movie studio opting to not release the movie in such countries altogether. Such double standards are due to the economic might of the countries in question.

Economic power is the prime moving force in today’s world. Economic power makes it easier to enforce your values and principles. You can secure political power with economic power. Traditionally, we have known that whoever controls the gold makes the rules. The watchman cannot ignore the economy and be content to focus solely on spirituality and character moulding. The end goal of everything spiritual and intellectual is for greater fruitfulness and productivity. Economic matters are matters of fruitfulness and productivity. Spirituality and sound character should mould us into the stature of someone whose activities have an effect on the economy.

Real changes are driven by the people that possess economic powers or can influence economic activities. You have not really done anything until the economic conditions of your world improves. We must understand that our mission to steer the world towards a better future has an economic component. You cannot drive any real change for as long as you ignore economic realities. This is because after all is said and done, the economic wellbeing of people is top of the mind for them. People need an environment that empowers them to grow, prosper and create economic opportunities under visionary leadership and strong governance.

Whatever spiritual or intellectual powers you possess that do not translate into economic influence are not relevant. You must resist any effort to sideline you away from the economic arena. You can not function as a salt and light of your world if you are irrelevant to the economy of your world. Spiritual and intellectual prowess are not an end in themselves. They are a means to an end by increasing your efficiency and effectiveness.

You need to position yourself to wield economic power if you wish to make real changes to the world around you. You must be able to influence the economy of your world. The first step is to understand production and commerce. There must be a desire to develop productivity, stimulate productivity in others and then use it as a leverage. There are a lot of agendas been championed in the world today that might vex your soul but you there is little you can do without economic power. Do not stop at spiritual proficiency. You need to consciously build up economic power.

The mission is simple. Solve problems profitably. It is time to discard the idea that the best way to change the world is through a non-profit organization. And that is because it is not true. When you compare the impact of for-profit companies with nonprofits, you see that for-profits are the better model. There is nothing wrong with making money. You can make all the money you want as long as you remember to keep your God-given mission in your spirit at all times. (Deuteronomy 8:18, Psalms 62:10). We have a big problem when you shy away from making money.

It is an oversimplification to claim Bill Gates is now a philanthropist. In the real sense of it, he is hard at work, solving problems. The excellent 2019 three-part docuseries; “Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates” explores the mind and motivations of this celebrated tech visionary, business leader and philanthropist. You will see how Bill Gates is able to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems, ranging from water, sanitation and hygiene to clean energy. He runs all this through a complex web of several for-profit and nonprofit entities. This is not about making money for him, it is about making a positive difference.

What we learn from Bill Gates is that solving problems in the real world is more efficient when you approach it as a business. Solve problems profitably. Make money from doing it. The consistency and sustainability that comes with for-profit businesses will be a real blessing to your world. If your current ideas of change and making a difference are all nonprofit, set them aside for now. Think about products or services that could be offered to solve problems profitably within that space. You may begin by manufacturing the products you planned to handout for free through your nonprofit. Do business.

One of the major reasons a vision fails is due to lack of enough business being generated around the vision. It is not enough to develop a vision statement. There must be serious business being built around it. You need to understand that without shrewd business acumen, you will not be able to transform the complex world into the image of your vision (See Matthew 10:16). A vision should be a tool that gets translated into strategies and behaviors that drive our everyday business. You will not accomplish much with your vision if you do not approach it as a business.

For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.

(Ecclesiastes 5:3 ESV)

A vision requires a business-minded approach. Whatever your objectives might be, you must approach it as a business. Whether your goal is to educate young girls on the evils of sugar daddies or to preach the gospel of Christ, a business-minded person will get more done. Whether operating in a Christian ministry, nonprofits or governance, a business-minded person will always perform better. A genuine vision comes with much business. When we approach vision without the work ethic demands of free enterprise, failure is inevitable.

That is why I am making a case for you to be business minded. Approach this with the mind-set of building a business that solves the social and economic problems that keep you up at night. When people approach their vision without this all-important enterprising spirit, everything is just smiles and games. Nothing ever gets done. They become professional fundraisers and rent seekers. You need to avoid that trap by looking for an angle to your vision that could yield consistent revenues within a “free enterprise” system. Are you building a business? You should.

You do not need to be a genius to realise that the real goal of a business is to solve a specific problem in a specific way at a scale that makes it worthwhile. We see then that it is not so different from the person that aspires to operate as a salt and light of the world. You are also supposed to be in the business of solving a specific problem in a specific way at a meaningful scale. Please understand that to solve a problem at any meaningful scale, you have to build a business around it.

I remember a chance meeting with a young man many years ago. He regaled me with stories about his efforts to improve his community. In reality, all he had were poorly thought out ideas that were having little to no impact. He framed it as giving back to the community. I pointed out that he had not taken anything from the community in the first place. So, what was he giving back? The young man was simply a product of a system that convinced him that this was the best way to do good. The problem with such a system is lack of objective feedback. You keep designing programs that do not accomplish anything.

We need to stop thinking about getting a job to make money and then start a non-profit organization on the side as a way to do good. You should align your daily business with matters of your watch. That is how to position yourself for long-term growth and impact. Businesses that are making an impact in our world today were first and foremost conceived to solve problems. While it is true that not every problem in society can be solved by building a business. People who engage in “free enterprise” develop a robust skillset and mental clarity that makes them better at the non-profit stuff.

Business is a tool and like any tool, its impact and legacy is determined by the people directing the affairs of the business. A business can be a vehicle for crime and corruption. However, it can also be a vehicle for long-term change in the community. For anyone interested in building a consistent and sustainable system around their solutions, a business could be the best structure for it. The big idea here is that you do not need to choose between making money and doing good. You can really do good by solving problems in a way that is self-sustaining and profitable.

Henry Ford famously said, “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business”. A business cannot simply focus on the bottom-line without giving thought to the impact and legacy in the society. Some of the biggest changes to the way we live, work and play over the past fifty years have been driven by businesses. Corporations such as Microsoft, Facebook, and Toyota Motor Corporation have proven beyond any doubt that one can make money and have an impact at the same time. You see these businesses solving problems and increasing the productivity of nations.

If you are serious about your role to watch the world and steer it towards a better future, you would need to be business minded. You are not doing anyone a favour when you dream up “passion projects” that are not self-sustaining. The idea that you would always need to beg for money before executing projects should be abandoned. You can build out a business around any cause that interests you. And that business makes money and enables you to offer your ideas, services and support to even more people.

Our vision for a better future must evolve beyond handing out money or food to the poor and vulnerable. Handing out money to people is like the “fast food” version of change. It provides instant gratification and a sense of accomplishment. However, we all know nothing has really changed. You will always need to give money handouts to those people. The problem is that handouts are not sustainable and it cannot be consistent. You must be ready to take a long and thoughtful look at a problem and then build systems to solve it.

Apostle Paul writing in Romans admonishes us not to fit into the accepted norms of the world without thinking about it. You will find out that there is so much you can do if only you are ready to take time to think through. Strive Masiyiwa and his wife began a non-profit organization after a staff member of their business died, leaving behind small children. They were compelled to start offering scholarships to orphaned and vulnerable children because it was clear that nobody else was doing so at that time. Scholarships are not handouts, they are a handup. They help people get on their feet in order to lead a better life.

If you want to help people, start a business and employ one more person every year. It looks small, but it is more impactful in the long term. That is real charity. You must develop a deeper understanding of philanthropy. You must discover for yourself what it really means to love people enough in order to think through social and economic problems. And then build a system that will solve the problem in a way that is consistent and sustainable. Real biblical charity will make you invest ten years or more into getting your PhD so that you can be better equipped to invent cures to diseases that have claimed lives.