Do you have companies like Exxon Mobil, Unocal, Chevron, and Monsanto in your stock portfolio? More importantly, are investments in these companies (and others) consistent with a Biblical investing approach? Mining, oil, and chemical companies have been accused on more than one occasion of the economic plunder, rape, and pillage of Third World countries of their valuable natural resources, returning a pittance in compensation. Uncovering the facts of each individual case goes beyond the scope of this writing but the religious moral and ethical underpinning does not.
Year: 2010
Know It All Know Nothings (Proverbs 16:18)
Like most of Solomon’s proverbs, Proverbs 16:18 says a heck of a lot in very few words. Let’s listen in while the voice in our head reminds us…
“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.â€
Wickedness is a Low Profit Endeavor (Proverbs 10:2)
In the words of Proverbs 10:2 “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; but righteousness delivereth from death.†There’s something very strange at work in the world when non-Christians and those who claim to be so, but have been corrupted, fear the laws of police and government more than they do God. Are you really more afraid of disobeying rules and regulations passed a tribunal of men than the word of the Ultimate Authority?
Proverbs 24:16 – The Righteous and The Wicked Fall Down
Let’s read King Solomon’s words in Proverbs 24:16 as written in the New Living Translation.
“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster us enough to overthrow the wicked.â€
Small Business Advice for the Greedy
<a href="https://solomonsuccess.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/greed-Muffet.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-206" src="https://solomonsuccess.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/greed-Muffet-150×150.jpg" alt="small business advice" width="150" height="150" /></a>The Bible has a little book called <em>Proverbs</em> that, among other topics, offers small business advice for the greedy. In particular, <em>Proverbs 1:19</em> says: “So are the paths of every one that is greedy of gain: it taketh away the life of its possessors.†You'd think that avoiding greed would be a no-brainer for people who open the Bible for guidance to life's troubles but even Christians fall woefully short in this area.
When it Came to Splitting Babies, Solomon was the King
As well known as Solomon was for being, perhaps, the richest man in history, it didn’t escape the attention of Hebrew Bible writers that the man was pretty wise too. Is there anyone who has forgotten the story which spawned his claim to fame? It is told in 1 Kings 3:16-18. We’ll hit the highlights.
How to Study the Bible and…Credit Cards
For the religious person, the Bible is the first choice when it comes to figuring out this crazy thing called life but sometimes it’s hard to figure out exactly how to study the Bible in order to apply it to the issue at hand. Let’s take credit cards. We’re pretty sure there were no credit cards around in the days of King Solomon so we’re at a loss as to whether or not the Bible is in favor or against. In the absence of direct guidance, what the heck, it must be okay, so max ’em all out, right?
King Solomon’s Wealth More Than Mr. Gates?
Everyone knows King Solomon’s wealth surpassed anything the ancient world had seen but was he richer than the world’s current richest man, Microsoft founder Bill Gates? Right now, Gates net worth is estimated at around $40 billion. To his credit, he’s signed a pledge to give half of it away and is at the forefront of a worldwide effort to eradicate AIDS and distribute computers to Third World countries. That aside, let’s take a hypothetical look at the numbers between the two men.
Solomon Proverbs a Pipeline to a Successful Life
What are the Solomon proverbs and what do they have to do with anything happening today? Quite a lot, in our opinion. The qualities of wisdom and foolishness are timeless and lessons about them ring as true today as ever, especially when considering the divinely inspired nature of the writings. Proverbs is a book in the Bible that is usually included when the discussion turns to “wisdom literature.†Others are the Book of Job, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, and Psalms.
To Put it Bluntly, God Hates a Cheat
If you can point to a scripture where the wisdom of God encourages cheating and dishonesty, we’ll be glad to reevaluate our opinion, but to us it appears that, in the Bible, business morals and ethics are held to a high standard. In fact, Proverbs 11:1 plainly states, “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord but a just weight is his delight.†While today’s ultra-modern business climate does not place a heavy demand on those who use