What do you Think of Business? 

“Lord, you previously mentioned that business is like commerce, and you appreciate commerce. I know that you monitor what people are doing, I guess like Santa Claus with a naughty and nice list. Does that also apply to monitoring business dealings, and what do you generally think about the current state of business?  Some people are against capitalism while others feel it is the best possible model. What do you think?”

“I wish I didn’t have to monitor everyone. I have the ultimate reality show. It is like a teacher monitoring their students taking an exam. The teacher must monitor what is going on because of the few who might want to cheat. I like the quote from H.L. Mencken: ‘Conscience is the inner voice that warns us somebody may be looking.’  So, I want folks to behave as if I were not watching. Similarly, I want people to engage in business as if I were not watching. That would mean their behavior was real and not simply for show.  Like the example I gave earlier with Moses.”

I popped up on the screen. The Lord had me on instant replay. I was paying my taxes. I filled out the forms correctly, but I also took the extra step to make sure everything was accurate. I was being honest with the government out of fear, but also out of my sense of what is right and wrong.

The Lord continued. “The Bible is replete with rules governing business dealings because of all the abuses I see. Proper weights and measures, not taking advantage of the poor in a business deal, forgiving loans, and numerous other laws I produced were designed to help guide business dealings. Even though I developed such rules, people violate them on a regular basis. That is one reason why governments stepped in to help monitor businesses—such as testing gas pumps at gas stations to make sure they dispensed one gallon of gas when someone buys one gallon of gas. If every business was honest and people could trust them, then we wouldn’t need so many rules and regulations.”

“Lord, isn’t it like trying to have the fox guard the hen house?”

“Not necessarily, Sam, but it can be when government agencies are not working correctly. Businesses need to make a profit, I get that. But that does not mean that businesses should not do good things for their various stakeholders. Why shouldn’t being good be part of being in business?  There is no reason… and I detest businesses—or more appropriately, businesspeople who think only about the profit rather than my bottom line. The most important proof of success for any person or organization is doing good.”

The Lord loved using his screen to help make his points and I was always excited to see what he would show next. This time on the screen popped up the 1987 movie “Wall Street,” with the Michael Douglas scene as Gordon Gekko where he said, “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” Who needs Netflix with the Lord?  The Lord shook his finger at the screen. I assumed the Lord could show countless examples from the real world to prove his point. But I also realized that so many people connect with movies and shows, and those examples might resonate more with my readers. I know that examples from The Office often drive home the best examples of what not to do in a workplace.

“I should have a talk with Michael about that scene, but it is so iconic and part of the business culture.”  The Lord looked away from the screen after his comment.

“Sam, I can give you so many examples of how industries have done bad things in the name of business. The list is almost endless. I also have a huge list of those who did bad things in the name of religion. I actually have lots of bad lists…but don’t despair. I also have a lot of good deeds lists. I can give you numerous examples of businesses and organizations that do well. When thinking about doing good, you might think about non-profit organizations or even government agencies, but I also have numerous examples of good businesses. And then there is the middle. There are many businesses that have done bad things to further their businesses, but they have also done great things for a local community, for their employees, and so on. Again, it’s all about context.”

I was trying to think of examples of each category. I thought for a second about Ralph Nader and his battle against the auto industry.

“I love Ralph,” The Lord said. He continued, “Yes, the auto industry has done some bad things—from selling poorly designed cars to the recent false emission test results and defective airbags. I especially do not like how they helped eliminate the trolleys that used to be across the United States to help push selling buses. But I digress… Even though the industry has done some bad things, look at all the good they have done, from helping to bring people to hospitals in ambulances to allowing people to see each other and enhance family relationships. Thousands of people have a solid, good-paying job with nice benefits because of auto manufacturers and then there are numerous ancillary businesses from steel companies to auto repair businesses that could not exist without cars.  Those are positives. So, I’m very pro-business, but it needs to be done correctly. By that, I mean that business should be able to make a decent profit—not outrageous, but decent. How do we define “decent?”  The Talmud has a significant debate on this topic. The Rabbis discussed the benefits of market competition and that when one raises their prices too much, others can undersell them thus reducing prices to a sustainable level. However, the Rabbis concluded that there needs to be an authority to regulate the market to prevent harm to others. Besides not gouging others, businesses need to provide for their employees, customers, and broader stakeholders to really be a righteous business. It is a competitive world out there, but it is easy to compete when you have a good product or service to sell, and you treat people well.”

“Lord, does it matter whether they are in a competitive industry?  I mean, if an organization is not facing competition and can do their job correctly as you say, versus a very competitive industry, should there be a difference because it is easier to be good when you do not have to worry about others trying to steal your market share?”

“Sam, competition makes the world go around. I feel sorry for any business or organization that does not have any competition because competition can make them better. Think of it like athletics. If you are the best at what you do, like Mohamad Ali or Usain Bolt, then it is harder to get ready for competition because you are not pushed as much. When you are pushed by strong competition it forces you to do better. Competition can focus the mind. When there is opposition to an idea, people become more zealous in defending their idea. You also need assistance from others. As I stated in Ecclesiastes, if two work together they can help one another, but if one works alone and falters there is no one to help them.”

The Lord thought for a second and continued. “Competition is like life. There are good parts and bad parts. You must take the good with the bad. You must know when to hold them and know when to fold them….”

The Lord was trying to channel his best Kenny Rogers, but he could not carry a tune. That did not stop his enthusiasm.

“I know Sam, many of my creations have a wonderful voice and make great sounds…but not me. I can play the harmonica…a little…but I am more of a tambourine player.”

“Sam, make sure you mention in the article that I cannot sing. That might make me more approachable as I can do almost anything I want, but even I cannot carry a tune as well as some of the contestants on America’s Got Talent.”

He then continued on to more relevant topics, though I couldn’t help wondering how Simon Cowell would feel if he dinged the Lord on his shows. There’s always winners and losers. The Lord has many victories, but many losses too.

“Sam, competition can be both good and bad. Competition, like life, is like water. There are ups and downs, flows and ebbs. Water nourishes and helps things grow. There are so many prayers about water because it is so important to the agricultural economy. I wish there were more people who were into agriculture—it is the noblest profession because a farmer or gardener can share in the creation process. The first profession in the bible is farming, but I digress… Throughout the Bible, I reference water and how the Bible can be compared to water as a tool to nourish the soul and help it grow.”

“Sam, people need nourishment, and my words can serve as that nourishment. A plant without water will die and a soul without spiritual nutrients will also fail. Businesses also need to incorporate such elixirs in their business dealing. Forget about nourishing your business’s soul and you will falter and go astray—such as Enron, FTX, and numerous other examples. Competition is good so long as companies don’t cross ethical lines, but when companies cross ethical lines to compete, then they’re abusing the reason they were given the ability to compete in the first place.”

“Son, think about the tree. In many of my writings I examine how important a tree is, and I even prohibit cutting down fruit trees during a war. I have some majestic trees such as the ‎Sequoias. who can live to be several thousand years old. The question you should be asking is how can a business survive and thrive for 2,000 years like a Sequoia? The answer is that a tree that is top heavy with lots of leaves and no solid roots will blow over in a storm. In contrast, a tree with a very strong root system that is not top heavy can withstand most storms. Water will nourish a tree and help it grow and thrive. Bad water can deteriorate the roots and eventually kill the tree. The tree can be harmed by fire, but sometimes a fire can actually help trees in the forest and allow new trees to take over for older trees.”

“Getting back to competition Sam, similarly to a tree, a business or organization that has a strong ethical base and a mission focused on doing good will survive better than ones who are all fluff and no substance. Operating in an ethical environment will help the organization grow like how water helps nourish a tree and a person’s soul.”

I was starting to get thirsty with all this talk about water. As if there was a miracle, my glass of water filled up again. I took a long sip and relished the nourishment I received in a way I had never felt about drinking before. I thought I would never again undervalue the joy and benefit of a nice cold glass of water.