September 4, 2026

Business by the Book

Proverbs 11:26  He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

Selling a product that people need is the foundation of commerce. It is a noble enterprise to offer a product or service for sale and for profit. No doubt, throughout the history of the human race there have been products that could have benefited mankind greatly but have been withheld from them.

Withholding foodstuffs, health services, or other life giving products from those who need them will bring a curse: providing these for sale will bring a blessing. A business that provides products of services that people need or that will enhance their health, life, safety, and overall wellbeing is an honorable endeavor. Many times people who are in the business of profiting from these products are vilified, but the Word of God commends them. After all, God is a God of profit. In fact everything good that He made reproduces itself by multiplying. Consider the person who sells the above mentioned corn. They would do so at a profit in order to purchase more seed next year or perhaps purchase more equipment or livestock to produce more corn. If they continually sold their corn at a loss there would soon cease to be corn to be sold by them, thereby hurting those who need corn but do not raise corn.

Profit is not evil as some would suggest but noble to the extent that it is used for the further betterment of civilization as a whole. If you are involved in selling a product people need for life carry on that business as being important, honorable, and blessed; for it is.

Dr. William Howe