PROFIT & LOSS
Day 140: As small business owners, we are very concerned about profit and loss. It is more than just "nice" to make a profit, the livelihood of our employees and their families depend on it as much as we do. To compete, we have to make enough to keep a healthy cash flow, invest in capital improvements and maintain a competitive edge. It is more than just numbers on a ledger. Profit or loss translates into real consequences for a lot of people.
That being said, not every decision made at our business can be determined solely by how it will add to the bottom line. I admire my husband's willingness to take a financial hit when something he values more is at stake. It isn't always the most profitable choice to give someone extra time off, but sometimes it is the right thing to do to meet their needs. It isn't always profitable to meet a customers unreasonable demands, but it might be the most powerful thing to do. The business would certainly make more money if our work hours were extended, but employees would lose. Bigger bonuses could be given if charitable giving were cut out, but returning a portion of the blessing is a bonus. Over billing insurance could pad the bottom line, but what's common isn't honest.
Every week there are a myriad of choices made that have a direct impact on the profit and loss of the business - but more importantly reflect outwardly the values that we hold inwardly. That holds true when we make good decisions and bad decisions.
In fact, regardless of what any one of us says we value, how we manage our money reveals our true heart. Actions in this area speak so much louder than words and there is no hiding what we value most from the eyes of those around us.
Today's reading proved this out as people confronted with the gospel reacted in ways that revealed what they considered most profitable.
In the town of Ephesus, Paul was not the only person using the name of Jesus. Seven brothers, whose father was named Sceva, were traveling about and casting out demons and attempting to do so in the name of Jesus.
Acts 19: 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
It didn't take long for that story to spread though the city, and with great impact. Jesus' name was greatly honored after this, and even feared.
Acts 19:18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.
One of these sinful practice was sorcery. But they did more than just confess it. What had been an evil practice that undoubtedly brought them profit when practiced for commerce, now they counted as a loss compared to the salvation in Christ.
19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.
Can you just imagine what their neighbors and fellow citizens must have thought! It must have seemed crazy to them that this group would destroy their livelihood and so much of their material wealth. But as the REASON for why they would do such a thing began to sink in, the effect was unmistakeable.
20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
Their actions spoke louder than words. How different it would have been if they had accepted faith in Christ but continued to value their trade and profit more than their salvation. It would have been counted as worthless - if they had treated it as worth-less than Christ himself. But their new profit was in pleasing their new Savior and the loss was inconsequential.
Contrast that with the actions of another group. When the silver guild realized that the "powerful effect" of the gospel was hurting their trade in idol making they started a riot.
25 “Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. 26 But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!
And with that they dragged Paul's travel companions into the amphitheater to demand that they be stopped. Was there any doubt what they valued?
I am reminded reading these incidences that as a believer I am compelled to calculate profit and loss by a completely different standard than the rest of the world. How I calculate profit and loss has real consequences. It isn't enough to say I value Christ and all that He values. My life cannot have a powerful effect with words alone. If what I do at home, at work, in the marketplace and in my church, does not prove that I value Christ above all then it profits me nothing - and might actually cause loss.
Day 140 of 365
2 Kings 15
2 Kings 16
Acts 19:13-41
Psalm 147:1-20
Proverbs 18:4-5
That being said, not every decision made at our business can be determined solely by how it will add to the bottom line. I admire my husband's willingness to take a financial hit when something he values more is at stake. It isn't always the most profitable choice to give someone extra time off, but sometimes it is the right thing to do to meet their needs. It isn't always profitable to meet a customers unreasonable demands, but it might be the most powerful thing to do. The business would certainly make more money if our work hours were extended, but employees would lose. Bigger bonuses could be given if charitable giving were cut out, but returning a portion of the blessing is a bonus. Over billing insurance could pad the bottom line, but what's common isn't honest.
Every week there are a myriad of choices made that have a direct impact on the profit and loss of the business - but more importantly reflect outwardly the values that we hold inwardly. That holds true when we make good decisions and bad decisions.
In fact, regardless of what any one of us says we value, how we manage our money reveals our true heart. Actions in this area speak so much louder than words and there is no hiding what we value most from the eyes of those around us.Today's reading proved this out as people confronted with the gospel reacted in ways that revealed what they considered most profitable.
In the town of Ephesus, Paul was not the only person using the name of Jesus. Seven brothers, whose father was named Sceva, were traveling about and casting out demons and attempting to do so in the name of Jesus.
Acts 19: 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
It didn't take long for that story to spread though the city, and with great impact. Jesus' name was greatly honored after this, and even feared.
Acts 19:18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.
One of these sinful practice was sorcery. But they did more than just confess it. What had been an evil practice that undoubtedly brought them profit when practiced for commerce, now they counted as a loss compared to the salvation in Christ.
19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.
Can you just imagine what their neighbors and fellow citizens must have thought! It must have seemed crazy to them that this group would destroy their livelihood and so much of their material wealth. But as the REASON for why they would do such a thing began to sink in, the effect was unmistakeable.
20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
Their actions spoke louder than words. How different it would have been if they had accepted faith in Christ but continued to value their trade and profit more than their salvation. It would have been counted as worthless - if they had treated it as worth-less than Christ himself. But their new profit was in pleasing their new Savior and the loss was inconsequential.
Contrast that with the actions of another group. When the silver guild realized that the "powerful effect" of the gospel was hurting their trade in idol making they started a riot.
25 “Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. 26 But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!
And with that they dragged Paul's travel companions into the amphitheater to demand that they be stopped. Was there any doubt what they valued?
I am reminded reading these incidences that as a believer I am compelled to calculate profit and loss by a completely different standard than the rest of the world. How I calculate profit and loss has real consequences. It isn't enough to say I value Christ and all that He values. My life cannot have a powerful effect with words alone. If what I do at home, at work, in the marketplace and in my church, does not prove that I value Christ above all then it profits me nothing - and might actually cause loss.
Day 140 of 365
2 Kings 15
2 Kings 16
Acts 19:13-41
Psalm 147:1-20
Proverbs 18:4-5
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