Bono and his organization, One, have done a ton of work in Africa and the world, both looking to battle the AIDS epidemic that has riddled the African nations for decades, but also working to alleviate poverty! His work in alleviating poverty is well-known and that has been something that has interested Bono sincerely for decades, too. However, what Bono found through these generations of charity work was that simply giving money was not enough to alleviate poverty. Bono found that the answer, quoted from the man himself, was actually entrepreneurial capitalism. It’s business!
Business often gets a bad rap, as Erik discussed in the video. The businessman is often painted by the shadow figure that represents the underside of the business world – the crooked, corrupt, and selfish figure that steps on small businesses and stands above the downtown area from his high-rise apartment. However, this was not God’s idea of business. Of course not!
God made work part of human life, dating way back to the garden of Eden. Man was put into the garden to “work and keep it” (Genesis 2:15), which means that work is God’s idea! And the world has been using business for decades now to connect people to goods, services, and products that can add value to a person or community. However, as Christians, we know there is more to the story! So, the question becomes, as Erik notes, “how can we engage the Great Commission in business?”
Erik gives us three points:
First, we go back to the beginning.
As I mentioned above, God was the first one to assign us work! It all began here.
Second, we must reimagine business through the lens of the Great Commandment.
If we see business as part of God’s design, then we are able to realize that every day, even at work, we now have the chance to 1. Honor God, and 2. Love our neighbor. This is the Great Commandment!
Third, because of all of these things… the marketplace is a way to engage the Great Commission.
Erik notes, “when we are adding value, and pouring out from ourselves for the sake of others, profit becomes the byproduct…”
When we begin to reimagine the marketplace, business, and entrepreneurship through the lens of the Gospel, we will not only come to understand what Bono has discovered through his years of charity work… but we will see that God-honoring and God-fearing businesspeople will be able to serve, add value, and proclaim the name of Jesus through business.
Watch the full video here!
