In the Old Testament, in the Book of Daniel, Chapter 3, Verses 1 – 18, we find the story of Shardrach, Meshach, and Abednego. It affirms the faith of three young men who refused to bow and worship a statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had made and had ordered all to worship. Even facing death, all three remained steadfast in their faith.
Such faith and conviction is admirable and awe inspiring. When King Nebuchadnezzar finds out that there are three you Jewish men refusing his orders to worship his statue, he has Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego brought to him. He gives them another chance to obey him and his decree, and threatens to throw then in a fiery furnace if they choose not to obey.
What transpires at that point is the stuff that sermons have been built upon for hundreds of years. The young men refuse by saying,
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.”
This alone is a powerful statement. But the verse that follows, is even more powerful and gives a model in which we should try to live our lives and conduct our businesses.
“But if not, let it be known to you, O King, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
In reading that verse, one only has to hone in on the statement, “But if not…”
So often in life we find ourselves faced with doing what is right or accepting another path. When we accept another path, we potentially disregard the basis upon which our integrity has been built. In believing, we choose to accept that God may not immediately intervene to help us out of our crisis. Yet we have to be strong enough to wait. When faced with that choice, many of us decide to wander and stray. But as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego teaches us, faith is the willingness to accept the consequences. And to remain steadfast in our belief, even if we are not delivered from our dire situation at that moment. So, how does this relate to business and business ethics?
Business Ethics
This is true in business. So often, we are faced with the dilemma of doing the right thing or cheating. Many choose cheating. While there may be short-term gain in deception, in the long run, you business will come tumbling down like a house of cards. The idea of “But if not…” isn’t driven in one belief or another. The point here is that though goodness may never intervene on our behalf, we still choose to do the right thing.
Our character is not built by how we act or behave when people are looking. It is build on how we choose to conduct ourselves and our businesses when no one is around. There isn’t a separate set of business ethics to conduct our entrepreneurial behaviors.
The next time you find yourself in a tough situation remain strong and faithful in your beliefs. And remember the three Hebrew young men and repeat to yourself, “But if not..” and know that you will be ultimately rewarded for your conviction to what is right.
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