He was a leader in his community and church. He also had a good business. But when he weighed out the meat orders for his customers, he put his thumb on the scales to give the impression that they were getting more than they saw. In his eyes, there was nothing wrong with it. Profit was all that mattered.

It raises the question: what difference should being a Christian make to our business or workplace ethics? Should it make a difference in a butcher’s shop? Does it mean that a Christian butcher needs to get accurate scales?

Sadly, what the butcher never realised was that while he made handsome profits, he lost the soul of one young man who worked for him. His double-dealing so shocked his assistant that he stopped going to church and resisted the good news about Jesus to his dying day. I know, because the young man was my Dad.

Research in the USA suggests that there’s virtually no difference between business people or employees with a professed religious faith and those with none. Even worse, the monetary value of their wrongdoing — whether fraud, theft, or taking the famous “sickie” — is costing us far more than street crime.

Of course, the Bible says that any man or woman who claims to be a Christian should be above reproach. The idea of being a split personality has no place in biblical thought. Faith and life go hand in hand.

This is where the book of Proverbs becomes so useful. It has much to say about life and business ethics. Interestingly, what Proverbs teaches about business ethics starts with the young. “Listen my son” says the writer (1:8).

How we behave in business is usually determined by the moral and religious attitudes that we have formed from early in life. That’s why parents need to begin the moral instruction of their children from an early age and why schools need to reinforce ethical behaviour. Courses in business ethics at university come too late.

The first attitude that parents need to instill in their children is “the fear of the Lord” (1:7). It is not enough to simply “love the Lord”. We must fear him too.

This is where effective moral education begins — with the right spiritual attitude. Without a profound reverence for God, any set of rules lacks an adequate base.

Proverbs is also direct in teaching young people not to be enticed into evil ways simply because others are engaged in that lifestyle. It warns the young learner not to join in any peer group activity that involves illegal conduct or practice. It will only end in grief. “Don’t go along with them, my child! Such is the fate of all who are greedy for gain. It ends up robbing them of life” (1:15, 19, NLT)!

The temptation to get rich quick is condemned as well — it may give quick gain, but it usually ends in despair. How often do we see people being enticed into investing in some questionable scheme that’s going to set them up for life? Yet Proverbs warns us: “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows” (13:11, NLT). When you are offered a return that is too good to be true, refuse it. It is too good to be true.

Corrupt conduct is also condemned in Proverbs. In 17:8 we read, “A bribe seems to work like magic for those who give it; they succeed in all they do.” Although offering and receiving bribes may not be as big a problem here in Australia as in many other cultures, it can and does happen. As businesses strive to settle contracts or win tenders, people often stoop to shady practices — although these days such payments are termed “facilitation payments” or “trade stimulant”, and may be deemed acceptable if no competitive advantage is gained in their payment.

Now here’s the hard call. Wise God fearing people must not live and run their business like the rest of the community! That’s difficult when you see corporate high-flyers and workmates succeeding by using dubious methods! What are you supposed to do when your client base is being eroded because your competitors use unfair tactics to undercut you? Do you keep on doing the right thing and close up shop, or do you start playing by their rules? The secret here is to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and not rely upon your own understanding” (3:5, 6). We simply have to hand over our worries to God.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Proverbs rejects any form of cheating or exploitation in business. “Do not steal your neighbour’s property by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by your ancestors” (22:28). But why, when it’s so profitable? Because God hates this double standard of dishonesty — “The Lord despises double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales” (20:23). If you want to be wise and be a faithful Christian witness, you should hate unethical business practices too.

When we were starting out in business, my wife, Dianne, and I decided to run our business ethically in a way that honoured Christ and served the customers. The temptation to do what everyone else does was always there and often presented us with an ethical challenge.

Let me give you an example. When we advertised our Rodeo utility for sale, a man came and saw it, paid a deposit and arranged to come back later in the week to pay the rest and pick up the car. We received other calls soon after and people were disappointed that it had gone. Then one man rang and said, “I’ll be there in an hour. I’ll pay you more than the asking price. I’ll take it.” What an opportunity! What were we to do? We decided to keep our word and hold it for the man who had paid the deposit. It was a question of being ethical.

Today we are seeing a return to the exploitation of the worker. While our industrial relations laws usually ensure fair pay and conditions, workers are facing difficult times with enforced redundancies and unattainable production targets. Employers are frequently using their workers’ entitlements for their own ends; or they are closing up shop and taking production off-shore and throwing hundreds into unemployment.

Proverbs warns against the exploitation of employees or the disadvantaged:

A poor person’s farm may produce much food, but injustice sweeps it all away. 13:23

Christian managers must not only be concerned about the bottom-line; people’s lives are involved as well. We need to have a social conscience too.

On the other hand, Christian men and women should work hard and without having to be supervised (6:6-11). They should be concerned for the good of their employer: “workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded” (27:18).

One further point, don’t blatantly evangelise on the boss’s time — that’s robbing him of time he has paid you for. Use only your breaks to do this if the opportunity arises.

Another interesting example of business ethics in Proverbs is the directive against manipulation of prices in times of commodity shortage (11:24-26). This sort of practice is now common through the world. Here in Australia, the drought has led grain/hay prices to nearly treble due to shortage and desperate need in the farming communities across the nation. Many farmers have been forced to walk off their properties through their hardship. Christians should be known for helping others in hard times.

On the more positive side — sound business practice is commended to the young person as well as warnings against laziness (14:23; 24:30-34). Proverbs also counsels us to work hard and to be innovative. “She finds wool and flax and busily spins it” (31:13ff). The writer also suggests that we establish our business or profession first before building our house (24:27). And of course, honesty is extolled as a necessity — “It is better to be poor and honest than rich and crooked” (28:6).

One admonition that we need to take seriously is the warning against becoming a guarantor for a loan to a stranger, friend or family (6:1-5). Guaranteeing another person’s loan is a good way to lose your home and find yourself sitting in the street. Sadly, some Christian parents have learnt this lesson the hard way when their children have defaulted on bank loans. They have been left homeless and penniless.

So the message of Proverbs is simple: conduct your business by the Book. As Christians, we are meant to be different. Trust God and maintain a high ethical standard. If you “trust in your money, down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring” (11:28; 3:9-10).