6/1 Devotional

250-300 words There is certainly a theme in Proverbs that a hard-working righteous person will be rewarded more than the lazy slackard.  Many of the mega-churches today preach what is sometimes called prosperity theology or the “prosperity gospel” in which blessings are expected by those who believe. Success in this world is the just reward of believing in God and supporting various ministries that are in need of financial support, the kind that can only be found from the donations of a large number of cheerful givers. There is a subtle message, and sometimes not so subtle, that if you are not successful, you are probably not working hard enough and are not faithful enough in supporting the church. This is certainly a popular message for those who are successful and want to minimize their possible feelings of guilt. It’s also a popular message for those who wish to have success and hold out hope that hard work and faithful giving and service will lead to both temporal and everlasting rewards. But are those thoughts and feelings correct? Are they spiritually healthy? You identified a company or industry of interest for your degree program. Consider these questions and share your thoughts on them. What is the relationship between righteousness and success in business in that industry of interest? Are some industries more suited to righteous leadership and management? Why? What is inherently right or wrong about trying to grow a successful and therefore profitable business in your industry of interest? Is business growth a gift, a task, or a reward? Why?