“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to those who enjoy his grace!” (Luke 2:14) As we approach Christmas, we explore how business can contribute to building the shalom that Jesus came to establish.
Business and shalom are rarely included in the same sentence. “Shalom” is a word heard more often in church than in the marketplace.
Shalom provides a great framework for a holistic, multi-benefit kingdom-building business.
But after visiting Liberian entrepreneurs, I am more convinced than ever of the important role of business in bringing true shalom, the shalom that God is calling us to build on this earth. Shalom should be the driving force behind every business mission, and shalom provides an excellent framework for a holistic, multi-benefit kingdom-building business.
The Bible’s vision of shalom goes beyond our common understanding of peace. Christian philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff wrote: “Shalom is a person who lives at peace in all his relationships with God, with himself, with his fellow man, and with nature…Shalom is not simply the absence of hostility…At its best, it is the enjoyment of human relationships.”
Relationships are at the heart of shalom
Relationships are at the heart of shalom, and the marketplace is a place for relationships. Without achieving shalom in business, we cannot achieve the vision of true shalom. As Christians in business, we need to lead in the pursuit of God’s purposes.
Wolterstorff goes on to explain in his essay that shalom is a state of right relationships (justice), the joy of serving God, human society, and the creation around us in a state of abundance and joy.
Shalom is not simply a peaceful spiritual state where physical needs are not met, people still go hungry, injustice is rampant, and jobs are gone. Rather, our right relationship with nature includes work and reward.
Wolterstorff recalls that Biblical shalom includes “shaping the world with our labor and finding fulfillment in doing so” and enjoying the fruits of our labor and celebrating with “a rich culinary banquet for all.” (See Isaiah 25:6)
So how can this vision of shalom guide business? After hearing a long discussion about the mission of business, I am reminded of the advice of a friend from Zimbabwe who said, “We just need to do business like Jesus.”
Shalom is a valid framework for how Jesus does business.
I think shalom is a valid framework for how Jesus does business. You can evaluate whether the business you own or are involved in is driven by and results from a right and joyful relationship with God, yourself, others, and creation.
Returning to my visit to Liberia, I witnessed examples of business and shalom. Liberia is a country still emerging from the devastation of two decades of civil war and, more recently, the deadly Ebola outbreak. The people of Liberia have experienced life without shalom and are now deeply committed to the peace and restoration of their country and people.
The entrepreneurs I saw (clients of LEAD, INC, or Liberian Entrepreneurs for Asset Development in the Name of Christ) were a beacon of hope in pursuing not only peace but complete shalom for Liberia.
Businesses make money by educating children, feeding families, caring for the sick, and building churches.
In Liberia, I saw businessmen who were proud of growing their businesses and employing dozens of people in an economy with over 85% unemployment. There were testimonies of business profits from educating children, feeding families, caring for the sick, and building churches.
A rural women’s cooperative generated so much economic activity within its community that it was able to attract and become a shareholder in a community bank, the first bank established in the town after the war.
Another businesswoman used the front of her retail store to offer a small vending space for young people to do business for free, “just to give them something to do other than hang out on the street.”
Every business story we heard had beliefs woven into the fabric of how they do business and how they treat those they do business with. The owner of a small clinic said: “This is all about being able to serve people in the community. That gives me joy every day.”
These entrepreneurs are agents of shalom, working in and through the market to rebuild Liberia’s right and joyful relationship with God, self, others, and creation.
How can you and the companies you work with respond to God’s call to actively participate in building God’s vision for shalom?
Originally published by BAM Global. Republished with permission.
Roxanne Addink de Graaf is Director of Strategy and Impact at Partners Worldwide and Editor of the BAM Global Report on BAM at the Bottom of the Pyramid. She has worked for 20 years at Partners Worldwide, pursuing the organization’s vision of a world without poverty where all people have life and live well, with an incredible global network of partners serving more than 300,000 entrepreneurs in more than 30 countries. Her passion is to unleash the creativity and compassion of entrepreneurs around the world to create prosperity for everyone, everywhere.
