It’s summer, and lots of kids are starting lemonade stands. To get started they borrow the table, borrow the chairs, borrow the pitcher, and borrow the spoon. They may have mom and dad float them a loan for the change, the lemons, the sugar, and the ice – or not.
Now, if you are a business owner, you are on to me here. If not, I’m trying to paint a picture of what our business owners are facing.
Imagine if our pretend lemonade stand had to sell enough to pay for all that stuff they borrowed? Now imagine that they make a profit, and they have to pay taxes. They also need to keep up with a pile of paperwork to stay in business. If they hire anyone, in addition to their salary there is more paperwork, and more taxes.
Now image the tax rates go up, health insurance rates go up, and the price of gas that those lemons are shipped on just went up. Times are tough, and folks don’t have the money to buy lemonade any more.
Somebody is going to get let go. Assuming the lemonade stand stays in business, they won’t be hiring any time soon. They also may have to raise their prices to cover the cost of shipping those lemons.
When government requires more money from the business owners, the businesses have even less money to hire. Production slows because there are fewer workers. Sales are down because other businesses quit hiring and folks are not spending.
It’s a cycle. Jobs are only available when businesses succeed.
Our government needs to figure out how to make doing business easier for our honest hardworking business owners – and I am not talking bailouts. Our leaders need to seek the Lord.
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:2-7
Pray for our business owners. Many companies go out of business because of the lack of cash flow.
You don’t see it as an employee, but it is tough to be a business owner. When I used to work for someone else, all I could see was the money coming in. I had no concept of the money going out. I did not think about the equipment they had to purchase to go into business. I did not think about meeting payroll, and the rent they had to pay every month.
LIFE APPLICATION
Key Focal Verse:
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:24-25
Today’s challenge is to pray for revival for our country. Pray for our leaders to seek the Lord. Pray for our business owners to seek the Lord too. Pray for those who are looking for employment, and for those who’ve had to take part-time work. If you are a business owner, don’t pray for money. Pray for wisdom and guidance.