Luckily for Allen, by the time he realized he’d been fired, his boss Braxton had already left their tech company to pursue a career of posting videos of his cat dancing on social media.

TIPS & TRICKS

New Year’s Resolutions for Kingdom Leaders

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Sometimes it really is simple.

Jesus told his listeners to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Admittedly, He wasn’t speaking at a marketing conference, an industry convention, or delivering a keynote. He was giving the Sermon on the Mount, and His words apply to everyone who would hope to follow Jesus. Yet even though His words are not explicitly about business, they do inform us as to how we should run our companies, lead our employees, and what kind of messages we ought to put out into the world.

This is not to over-spiritualize or pontificate. The New Testament doesn’t say whether you should buy stocks or bonds, and Job doesn’t touch on which product line you should emphasize in Q1. What these sacred scriptures do say, however, is what God’s work in the world is, and how we can partner with Him in accomplishing that work.

So don’t let the oft-repeated words like “kingdom” and “righteousness” become empty buzzwords. God’s kingdom is where His laws are observed and in effect, where His resources are readily accessible, and where the people reflect His goodness, mercy, and strength. Righteousness is the right ordering of all things – or, as St. Augustine said, “To love things… in the right order.”

We can love abundance – but we ought to love justice more. We can love the products we create and sell – but we ought to love people more.

Expediency cannot trump virtue if we want to be a light and a witness. The Christian has the potential to do more good in the world because he knows God’s word and can actively guide his endeavors with the love and justice that Christ taught us – but the Christian also has the potential to do far more harm, because if he carries on his business in God’s name and then chooses to be deceptive, oppress others, or betray someone, he dishonors that holy name. So this year, let us dedicate ourselves to the first principles of our faith, get back to the basics, and allow everything else to flow from the understanding that the Holy Spirit would have us walk in.

Resolution #1 – Start Each Day in Conversation with God

We’re all busy, but what we prioritize and what we cut out says a lot about us. In 2024, as Christian leaders, we need to present ourselves before our King each morning and align our hearts with His in prayer. This way, we have a defense against the mission drift that so often plagues us, and we can always remember our first love. This practice does not make us infallible, but it does give us a daily opportunity to get back on the path and set our minds on eternity.

Resolution #2 – Be Fair and Honest in Our Business Dealings

There’s nothing wrong with winning, being the best on the block, or coming out on top, but in 2024, we will take measures to ensure that God can be honored in the way we win. We won’t be afraid of setting aside unlawful or immoral methods that might get us ahead in the short term. We’re seeking God’s kingdom first, which means Jesus is chairman of the board, and the business will be run in such a way that it will meet with His approval.

Resolution #3 – Love People Well

Whether we interact with employees, customers, vendors, or contractors, one thing needs to remain constant: We treat them as people who were created in the image of God, imbued with inherent dignity, and worthy of love. In business, we are bound to have disagreements, find ourselves in circumstances that require us to expect a lot of people, and confrontational conversations are sometimes necessary. But no matter how uncomfortable the circumstance or how hard the task is, we will hold ourselves to a higher standard in 2024. As leaders, we will accomplish our goals without crushing or using people unjustly. We will be humble, fair-handed, decent, and wise in our interactions with others, to the glory of the Lord, as His representatives.

Here’s to 2024 – may it be your best yet.

Quick Hits

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• The Biden Administration has taken steps to remove funding from pro-life crisis pregnancy centers.
• Facebook has banned the official Libs of TikTok page in what some are calling pre-election censorship.
• The International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC) has cut ties with founder Mike Bickle after he confirmed in part and denied in part a slew of grooming and sexual abuse allegations.
• California retailers are now required by law to present toys in a gender neutral aisle.
• Barclay’s downgrades Apple, resulting in a 3% stock price tumble.