Business Through the Eyes of Solomon: Plan Ahead

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads to poverty. Proverbs 14:23

Passage to be read: 1 Kings 4; Proverbs 15:22, 11:14, 19:20 and 27


A little over three years ago we took a memorable family vacation to Disney World and Disney Cruise to the Bahamas. Towards the end of our trip, while walking the ship, Angie and I began talking about the legacy of Walt Disney. How did it come to this? Mickey...Snow White...Amusement parks...Television....movies...now ships? How did it start? The words of Walt, “If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.”...became real to us! We left wanting more! We were fans of Disney before our trip, but after our experience in Florida we were sold! A matter of fact we took another Disney Cruise a year and half later to the Mexican Rivera for a week! We love Disney! I came back and began to read Walt Disney's biography. I wanted to know what made this guy become successful. As you read his story you come across a man who was determined to think out of the box. He had adversity and times of depression. Yet when you look at the beginning years of Disney, it was his team that made his dreams come true. When he walked the orange grove in Anaheim the for the first time, he saw a place that would be called "the happiest place on earth". People laughed at his dream. Told him it could not be done. Yet he surrounded himself with people to fulfill that dream. People that would give him sound advice. Walt stated, "You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality."


This leads us to our challenge for this week. Proverbs 15:22 (KJV) reads

Without counsel, plans go awry. But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

Solomon lived that out! As a king and business man he surrounded himself with people who would help him fulfill his God given responsibility. In 1 Kings 4 we are given a list of his chief officials/team. They included a priest who would enter the temple and speak to the king on behalf of God. Solomon had secretaries, recorders, commander in chief, officers, personal advisor and governors. His "team" was so impressive that even Queen Sheba was overwhelmed!

When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cup bearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. 2 Chronicles 9:3-4

In order for us to be effective with the call God has placed in our lives as business owners, we need to take the wisdom of Solomon, and ask ourselves, Who am I surrounding myself with? In Proverbs 15:22, two words stand out to me. In the King James Version, it uses the words "awry" and "established". The word "awry" means to go away from the expected or proper direction. That means when we seek the counsel/advice of our "inner team", it will help us to stay focus on the "dream". When it seems that we are drifting away from that goal, it is the job/responsibility of our inner team to keep us accountable to the dream. Look at what Solomon wrote.....

Proverbs 11:14
For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.

Proverbs 15:31-33
He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.
He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.
The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 19:20
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.

The word "establish" means...to found, institute, build, or bring into being on a firm or stable basis; to bring about permanently. That means that the dream/vision that God has birthed in you becomes permanent with the counsel of your team! Oh, there will be obstacles. There will be the doubters. There will be the mockers! But you will become unstoppable because of those who you have surrounded yourself with! Look at Queen Sheba's response in 2 Chronicles 9:5-8...

She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness."

Solomon became unstoppable in his generation in such away that people of other kingdoms who worshipped other gods, gave praise to the true living God!

King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 2 Chronicles9:22-23

As Christian business owners, may we surround ourselves with Godly men and women who are gifted in wisdom and discernment. Men and women who will hold us accountable to the God given call we have...to use our business/wealth for the glory of God!


His call. His gifts. Your purpose. UNSTOPPABLE!


What does Apolo Ohno, coaches, trainers, physcial therapist, team mates with the same goal, and 12hr workouts = GOLD MEDAL!