Honor Your Family and Friends –
5. Honor your parents, family, and friends
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exodus 20:12
It’s easy to get so busy in your business that you forget to honor your friends and family. When I say friends, I’m also including acquaintances and folks you know through business. Neglecting relationships will eventually cause problems that will touch your business if in no other way than to keep you upset because of the situations that will arise.
One of the most important relationships to maintain is the one with your parents. Yes, if you are grown your spouse comes first, but nevertheless you do need to remember your parents. They raised you, and they did for you when you couldn’t. Care for them, and keep track of them so that you won’t have any regrets.
Friends are important too! Yes, there may be times when either you or your friends get busy, but it is important that you make the time for them. Good friends are rare and special. They don’t come along often, and you need to make sure you don’t let them slip by.
If it’s a business relationship that you neglect, it will of course directly touch your business through a falling off of referrals and business deals.
6. Do not kill ideas, creativity, reputations, etc…
Thou shalt not kill.
Exodus 20:13
I know that God was referring to physically killing someone. However, I once heard a preacher mention killing someone’s reputation. He made a good point. A reputation is hard to repair. We can also kill our own reputation.
If we insist on doing things a certain way, we risk killing the creativity or ingenuity of others. When we encourage creativity and ingenuity in business, many new products and services are developed that can move a company ahead. We need to be careful not to throw cold water on an idea just because it is rough around the edges or doesn’t sound like something that we’d be interested in doing.
7. Be faithful to your spouse & keep things special
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exodus 20:14
Next to God, the relationship with your spouse is the biggest single most important relationship you will have. When it’s right, the whole world seems like a better place, and you’ll have the support you need to encourage you when you have rough days. Be sure to keep that relationship special.
Where business is concerned, a faithful spouse often finds the other spouse willing to help if possible in times of need.
If, on the other hand, you cheat on your spouse, your business will also suffer because your attention will not be where it needs to be. You may find yourself dealing with all kinds of new situations that have nothing to do with business. These new issues will also drain your time and energy – and potentially, your pocketbook!
LIFE APPLICATION
Your challenge is to honor your parents, family, and friends by keeping your relationships up-to-date. Your productivity will soar when issues are kept to a minimum. Where business is concerned, referrals come through those who like you and know you and your product and services best.
Ask God to show you where you need to update your relationships, not just as a business decision, but because you really do care. Seek ways to help those around you get what they want, and you may find down the road that you’ll reap what you have sown.