By Dr Kudzanai Vere
Theme Scripture: Proverbs 20:4 Sluggards do not plow in the season so at harvest time they look but find nothing
The first command God gave to humankind in Genesis 1:28 is, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Be fruitful! Plow in season. Exploit opportunities in the marketplace. Don’t be a sluggard who expects to reap where they didn’t sow.
Entrepreneurship is all about exploiting opportunities. You don’t expect profit from a field you didn’t plow. Remember God says, be fruitful. Have the capacity to bear fruits. Solve that challenge. Feed the nation. Produce that product. Sell those merchandise.
The Proverbs 31 women in verse 13 selects wool and flax with her hands to make linen garments and sell them. She also sells lashes to merchants. Adding value to raw materials is all she does. What are you also doing?
“She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 15 She gets up while it is still night; 16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 18 She sees that her trading is profitable.”
The Bible says on verse 14 – 18
What an entrepreneurial spirit in this woman of virtue. She makes a profit in trading. After all, has been done, an entrepreneur has to realize a profit.
She’s certainly an inspiration for aspiring female entrepreneurs today.
I like King Solomon’s entrepreneurship spirit. The wisdom God gave him is seen at work in his business endeavors. He had various business interests including merchant ships and international trade (1 Kings 10:22-29, 2 Chronicles 9:13-14)
Solomon exhibited unique traits among all the Jewish kings. He made good use and profited from the geographical location of his kingdom. He utilized the trade routes that ran through his empire, which brought a considerable amount of wealth to the nation (1 Kings 10:27). He made profitable alliances with nearby kings and queens, such as the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-13).
You stay in a gold-rich town with one of the major highways of the country. What are you doing about it? You stay in the capital city where 80% of the people come and buy from. What are you doing about it? King Solomon didn’t spare a minute. He made use of these opportunities. He utilized his endowments.
Abraham and Lot came to a point of separation because they had outgrown their land with herds of cattle, and had plenty of gold and silver. Genesis 13. Cattle ranching, pen fattening, they did all that. They managed to sustain themselves and others and their economy functioned so well.
Even the Apostle Paul, trained as a Jewish lawyer and later became an entrepreneur by making and selling tents (Acts 18:3). If you can’t make something, then be able to sell at least those that are made already. A sluggard does not plow in season. Wake up and be entrepreneurial.
We have Lydia, a dealer of purple cloth in Thyratira, although we only get a few verses about Lydia in Acts 16:14-15, 40, we do learn that she extensively traded in purple clothes. She was in business.
As Christians, stand strong and do exploits. Entrepreneurship is Biblical. A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. Proverbs 10:4.
I have seen pastors sweating out the word of God at pulpits. Telling people to go out there and make things happen, but very few take heed.
In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty as said by King Solomon in the book of Proverbs. Learn the skill of auctioning your talks, otherwise, it will be a talk show.
Christians! Let’s lead on all fronts. Entrepreneurship is the way to go. God is always by our side.
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.
Isaiah 48:17