This post is part of the Bible and Business series on Christian ethics for Christian Business Owners.
What values does the Bible prescribe for a Christian business owner to adopt and bake into his business? Happily, comparisons in the Bible teach us what to value. These values are presented as valuing one thing over another. The following table outlines that which all Christians – including Christian business owners – should value.
| Value | Biblical Citation | Potential Core Value Names | Opposite Core Value Names |
| Faith more than money | 1 Peter 1:6-7 | Faith in God | Faithlessness Disloyalty |
| God’s commands more than money | Psalm 119:72; Proverbs 3:14, 8:10 | Trust in God | Doubt Distrust |
| God’s wisdom more than money | Proverbs 16:16, James 1:5-8; Ecclesiastes 4:13 | Wisdom | Ignorance Thoughtlessness |
| God’s kingdom more than wealth | Matthew 13:44-45 | Eternal Perspective | Transient Temporary |
| Hard work over empty boasting | Proverbs 12:29; | Diligence | Sloth Laziness |
| Relationship with God over earthly relationships | Matthew 10:37 | Stewardship | Carelessness Negligence |
| God’s praise over man’s praise | John 12:43 | Humility | Pride Arrogance |
| Knowing Christ over achievement. | Philippians 3:4-20 | Stewardship | Carelessness Negligence |
| Wisdom above all other desires | Proverbs 8:11 | Wisdom | Ignorance Thoughtlessness |
| Obedience to God more than religious traditions | 1 Samuel 15:22 | Holiness | Wickedness |
| Being with God more than doing anything else | Psalm 84:10 | Intimacy with God | Enmity |
| Fear the Lord over great wealth | Proverbs 15:16 | Fear of the Lord | Pride Arrogance |
| Poor with loving relationships than to be rich with much hatred and strife | Proverbs 15:17 | Honesty Integrity Authenticity | Show proper respect rather than extravagant revelry. |
| Poor with peace and quiet over wealth with strife | Proverbs 17:1; Ecclesiastes 4:6 | Honest Peace | Strife Discord |
| Good name/good reputation more than wealth | Proverbs 22:1 | Reputation | Ill Repute |
| Walk blamelessly and yet be poor than to be wealthy with perverse ways | Proverbs 28:6 | Holiness | Wickedness |
| Contentment with what one has more than discontentment with what one does not have | Ecclesiastes 6:9 | Contentment | Discontentment |
| Being killed than causing a follower of God to sin | Luke 17:2 | Holiness Purity | Wickedness Impurity |
| Trust in God rather than trusting in man | Psalm 118:8-9 | Trust in God | Trust in Man Trust in Self |
| Patience over a display of strength; self-control over domineering others | Proverbs 16:32; Ecclesiastes 9:16-18 | Patience Self-Control | Impatient Impulsive |
| Diminishing oneself in the presence of the powerful than lifting up oneself in the presence of the powerful | Proverbs 25:6-7 | Humility Respect | Pride Arrogance Disrespect |
| To not vow than to vow and not fulfil one’s vow | Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 | Reliable Prudent | Unreliable Imprudent |
| Listen to the rebuke of a friend more than the praise of those who don’t know you. | Ecclesiastes 7:5 | Teachable Coachable | Stubborn |
| Show proper respect than extravagant revelry. | Ecclesiastes 7:2 | Respect Decorum | Disrespect Rudeness Impropriety |
