Certain businesses will require more than one owner in order to become successful. In such cases, the choice of who to partner with cannot be taken lightly. After all, one person's decision can cause a company to sink or soar.
Praise God that His word gives clear instructions that must affect a believer's choice in who to partner with in business. 2 Corinthians 6:14 tells us to not be yoked with unbelievers. This verse is typically mentioned when believers are being ministered to on the importance of marriage and a marriage partner. However, the choice of a business partner is no less crucial.
Business partnerships are akin to marriage partnerships. It is not enough to partner with a "great" person. It is not enough to partner with a very experienced and intelligent person. Or a person with great potential. Thank God for such people. We each may have been those people before we gave our lives to Christ and were set apart for the Lord. God has called His people to apply Godly wisdom and understanding when doing things. This includes the decision on who to establish an entrepreneurial enterprise with.
Having Godly business partners should be the standard for believers. If not, the individuals in an enterprise may work against each other spiritually. And as much as we focus on the physical realm, it is what happens in the spiritual that really matters.
This may seem harsh, but is it? As believers in business and/or seeking to start businesses, we all aspire for successful ventures. We want the works of our hands to prosper. Well, if we want the full benefit of God's blessings upon the things we do, we have to listen to and apply God's word. Failure to do so might not mean the business fails, but there will be an obstacle. Some may be fine with this. I, on the other hand, have learned to let God tell me what to do via His voice and word.
In light of the importance of God's voice and word, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the obvious. Just as Believers should allow God to be their matchmaker in marriage, so also should they let the Lord be their matchmaker for business partnerships. We've previously discussed the importance of who we work with but focusing on a business's hiring choices. God takes these things very seriously. He never randomly selected someone to work for Him. Each of His 'hires' (think the prophets, disciples and other great men and women of God in the Bible) were quite intentional. Even those who eventually flamed out (King Saul, Judas etc.) were still a part of His ultimate plan.
And as for His partners - Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit - the Trinity is equally yoked, what with the Son and the Spirit encapsulating the Father's characteristics and beliefs. They couldn't work in perfect harmony otherwise.
Let us take God's instructions to heart, seek His guidance on who to partner with and enjoy the promise of 2 Corinthians 6:16 - “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” We, His believers, who obey His word enjoy the benefit of walking with a God who will bless and guide us in not just our businesses but every aspect of our lives.
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