June 19, 2026

Business by the Book

Matthew 4:20  And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

For centuries people have wondered about the immediacy of Peter and Andrew leaving their business and following the Lord. They did not sell their business, made no arrangements for others to manage it; they may not have even properly stored their nets or other fishing gear. When invited to do so they simply left their business and followed the Lord.

This may not be the best verse to use for teaching proper decision-making technics. They did not receive good counsel, consider the cost, speak to their wives about it, or even pray about it. They made a very quick, life changing, far reaching, and financially questionable decision.

Sometimes a quick answer is needed. On rare occasions businesspeople are offered opportunities that demand an immediate answer. I know of a man who owned a nationwide distribution company for several products made by a very well-known company in Japan. Overnight market conditions changed so drastically that one of the products he distributed in the U.S. increased almost 250%. For example, if he had $10 million dollars’ worth of inventory for that product overnight its value increased to $35 million dollars. He of course did not purchase the inventory at the new prices, but he could sell that product at the new prices.

Without hesitation he decided to give back a portion of that windfall to the Japanese manufacturer. I do not know how much he gave them, but it was substantial. He told me one time that it was the right thing to do; he never gave it a second thought. Some years later that Japanese company purchased his distribution organization. Again, I do not know how much they paid him, but he told me once that they easily could have built their own distribution company in the U.S. but he felt they wanted to reward his partnership spirit he had displayed over the years. I took this to mean that they appreciated the character he displayed by sharing his good fortune with them years earlier.

When the time comes to make an immediate decision, make it and don’t look back. It will probably be the right one. It was for Peter, Andrew, and at least one businessman that I once knew.

Dr. William Howe