Faith vs. Fortune: The Tense Dance of Discernment in the Dog-Eat-Dog World of Business

Ever found yourself at a crossroads between your deepest beliefs and the lure of professional success? Join me, Al Ware, as I recount a pivotal moment where my faith and ethics were put to the test in the merciless arena of business. 

On this episode of Tech Almighty, we embrace the complex interplay of Christian values and career choices, exploring how these guiding principles can lead to not just a prosperous business but also a spiritually enriched life. As we traverse through my experiences and the sobering realizations that followed, we'll discover the indispensable role of God's wisdom in shaping decisions that resonate with integrity and purpose.

From the prudent insights of Proverbs to the guiding light of Matthew, we dissect how faith can inform and transform our professional engagements. We'll also discuss the power of aligning with partners who share our moral compass, and the peace that comes with placing righteousness at the heart of ambition. It's an episode rich with reflection, scripture, and a candid narrative that will inspire you to implement your spiritual commitments into your business ventures. 

Join us on Tech Almighty, where faith meets the fervor of the tech industry, and discover how to walk the path of success hand-in-hand with your beliefs.

To further enrich your understanding and engagement with my content, I invite you to visit my website: www.alwaree.com

To learn more about this podcast, go to: www.techalmighty.com

Episode Transcript

Al Ware (00:00):
Hello and welcome to Tech Almighty, exploring the
fusion of God, technology andbusiness, the show where faith
meets innovation.
I'm Al Ware, your host.
Today's topic Faith vs Fortunethe tense dance of discernment
in the dog eat dog world ofbusiness.
Join me as we navigate thecomplex interplay between
Christian values and thecutthroat realities of the

(00:22):
business world.
Back in my early entrepreneurdays, I owned a medical sales
company.
My company focused on sellingimplants and products for lower
extremity bone fractures.
I quickly learned success in themedical sales was all about
building strong relationships.
Most of my doctor clients and Ihad a common love for intense
workouts and outdoor adventures.
Our shared passion was my keyto building trust and respect

(00:46):
with them.
There is one memory that hauntsme till this day, which was my
love and excitement for success,which caused me to lose sight
of my ethical boundaries.
I have to be honest, it feelsgood when you are one of the top
salesmen in your area, and whenyou are on top, you have
moments where you feelinvincible.
That feeling of success usuallyleads people willing to do

(01:07):
anything to remain at the top.
With that said, I wasnegotiating a deal with a new
group of doctors who didn'tshare any of the same ethics,
values and hobbies as myself ormy other doctor clients.
These were the types of guysthat lived a very fast life and
wanted to party 24-7, which Iwas never into.
I ended up closing a major dealwith them and to support a new
business relationship, I gave into them, begging me to party

(01:29):
with them at a club they hadreserved at VIP section 4.
It was wild, and they had thisprivate area set up for
activities that went againsteverything I believed in.
I remember standing therelooking at a table filled with
all sorts of illegal substances.
At that very moment I felt likeI had to make a decision to
either fit in or walk away.
I felt so out of place.
My soul jumped out of my body.

(01:50):
I politely excused myself andleft the club so fast, with a
mixture of anxiety anddisappointment in myself.
That was my wake-up call, whichMatthew 624 says no one can
serve two masters.
That night I prayed so hard,promising God that I will always
stay true to my principles.
Looking back at that night, Iknew it was a major red flag,
but I chose to overlook it dueto the significant financial

(02:12):
gain.
This reminds me of a verse fromProverbs 14-12.
There is a way that appears tobe right, but in the end it
leads to death.
I was so focused on the successthat I lost track of my moral
compass and, as you might expectto deal with those, doctors
fill apart within a few weeks.
That entire experience was areal eye-opener for me, teaching
me the importance of who you dobusiness with and staying true

(02:33):
to your own principles no matterwhat.
Besides learning how to staytrue to my principles, I had to
relearn what true success reallymeant in the eyes of God and
how to transition from puttingfinancial gain first to
understanding the invaluableworth of integrity.
There are moments in my careerwhere the line between right and
wrong was blurred due to someof my client's winning favorites
that were not ethical.

(02:53):
The temptation to choose goodor bad was always there, and
some of my clients tried to putme in a tough situation to
overlook a few details, whilethreatening to drop me as their
provider, which compromised myintegrity and ethics.
This reminds me of a powerfulverse from James 1-5.
If any of you lacks wisdom, youshould ask God, who gives
generously to all withoutfinding fault, and it would be

(03:13):
given to you.
During those challenging times,I prayed for wisdom and the
ability to discern and stand bymy values.
Let me make this clear neverallow others to pressure you
into betraying your ownprinciples.
Reading Proverbs 3-5-6 was themoment I truly started to trust
in God's guidance over my ownunderstanding.
It says Trust in the Lord withall your heart and lean not on

(03:35):
your own understanding, and allyour ways submit to Him, and he
will make your path straight.
This verse was a game changerfor me.
It taught me the power ofseeking wisdom from God rather
than just relying on what I know.
As I began to put my integrityfirst, I saw my business
perspective shift.
I was making decisions thatwere good in the eyes of God.
This shift reminded me ofMatthew 6.33.

(03:56):
But seek his kingdom first andhis righteousness, and all these
things will be given to you aswell.
This first reassured me that byputting God first, everything
else will fall into place,including business success.
Having faith in God in thebusiness world doesn't mean you
won't face challenges.
It simply means you're notfacing them alone.
Turning to God for guidancebrings a sense of purpose and

(04:16):
fulfillment unmatched by anyworldly success.
Philippians 4.13,.
I can do all things through himwho gives me strength.
That became my mantra,reminding me that with God's
strength, I can tackle anybusiness challenge with
integrity and wisdom.
Incorporating faith into mybusiness transformed the way I
lived.
It made me more conscious ofthe impact of my actions, not

(04:38):
just in my business but in theworld around me.
Psalms 37.23-24 says the Lordmakes firm the steps of the one
who delights in him.
Through he may stumble, he willnot fall, for the Lord upholds
him with his hand.
This promise gave me theconfidence to walk the path of
integrity as a follower ofChrist, knowing that even in the
moments of doubt or failure, Iwas supported by God.

(05:00):
Now, when it comes to businesspartners, how do you know their
values resonate with your own?
The Bible speaks directly tothis in 2 Corinthians 6.14.
Do not be yoked together withunbelievers, for what do
righteousness and wickednesshave in common?
Or what fellowship can lighthave with darkness?
This scripture emphasizes theimportance of associating with
people who not only share yourbusiness goals, but also your

(05:22):
ethical and moral standards.
Aligning with partners whoreflect our values bring a sense
of security and trust.
It helps mitigate conflicts,create a positive work
environment and, mostimportantly, enables us to
remain true to ourselves and ourfaith.
We are building a businessculture where respect, integrity
and honesty are the foundationof every interaction and

(05:42):
decision.
Beyond the professional skillsand profit gains, it is
important to dive into thecharacter and ethics of our
potential partners.
In Philippians 2-3-4, donothing out of selfish ambition
or vain conceit.
Rather, in humility, valueothers above yourselves.
Not look into your owninterests, but each of you to
the interests of the others.
This teaches us to seekpartners who prioritize

(06:05):
collective well-being overindividual gains.
Assessing the honesty,respectfulness and ethical
practices of those we choose todo business with is important.
These qualities are reflectiveof the principles we uphold.
As Psalms 15-2-3 says, the onewhose walk is blameless, who
does what is righteous, whospeaks the truth from their
heart, whose tongue others noslander, who does no wrong to a

(06:27):
neighbor and cast no slur onothers.
These verses guide us to choosepartners who live out these
values in their profession.
Choosing the right businesspartners is more than a
strategic decision.
It's a reflection of our valuesand beliefs as Christian
entrepreneurs.
It's imperative to align ourbusiness practices with our
faith.
Now let's look at somestatistics and data to help put

(06:48):
everything in perspective.
A significant portion ofentrepreneurs reported that
their faith directly impactstheir business practices.
According to a BaylorUniversity study, more than 70%
of survey business ownersindicated that their faith
influences their businessdecisions to some extent.
This encompasses aspects likeethical business practices,

(07:09):
employee treatment and communityengagement.
A survey by the InternationalBusiness Ethics Institute
revealed that nearly 85% ofbusiness executives believe
personal values and ethics guidetheir leadership practices,
underscoring their pervasiveimpact of personal belief
systems in business decisionmaking.
A study published in theJournal of Business Ethics found

(07:31):
that leaders who incorporatetheir faith into their
management style often create aculture of trust, ethical
behavior and mutual respect.
According to the Society ofHuman Resource Management,
companies with leaders whodemonstrate strong ethical
values and integrity reporthigher employee engagement and
satisfaction levels.
A Harvard Business Review studyhighlighted that organizations

(07:52):
led by value-drivenentrepreneurs tend to have a
better adaptability andresilience in challenging times.
These companies oftendemonstrated a strong commitment
to their core values, whichguides them through crisis and
helps maintain stakeholder trust.
Beyond internal companydynamics, faith-influenced
business practice also haveexternal impacts.
For instance, companies withfaith-driven leaderships are

(08:15):
more likely to engage incommunity and social welfare
activities, as per a report bythe Corporate Social
Responsibility Initiative atHarvard Kennedy School.
A Nielsen Global CorporateSustainability Report indicates
that 66% of consumers arewilling to pay more for products
from companies committed topositive social and

(08:35):
environmental impact, aprinciple often aligned with
faith-based values.
Always remember our faith is nota garment to be worn on Sundays
and tucked away for the rest ofthe week.
It's a daily guide in everyaspect of our lives, especially
in the world of business.
As we navigate the complexitiesof the business world, it's the

(08:56):
wisdom of God that should beour North Star.
James 1-5 reminds us that if welack wisdom, we should ask God,
who gives generously to allwithout finding fault.
It's this wisdom that empowersus to make decisions that not
only advance our professionalgoals but also honor our
spiritual convictions.
So, as we part ways today,let's carry with us the lessons

(09:19):
and reflections shared.
Let our faith be the lensthrough which we view every
opportunity, every challenge andevery decision.
With God's wisdom as our guide,we can confidently move forward
, knowing that our choices arealigned with both our values and
His teachings.
Thank you for tuning in to TechAlmighty.
I'm Al Ware and it's been ablessing to discuss this

(09:41):
critical aspect of faith versusfortune in the cutthroat word of
business.
Join me next time for moreinsights where technology,
business and Christianityconverge.
Until then, keep striving forexcellence in all you do, guided
by faith.