Does the creation account in Genesis 1 have anything to do with business? Surprisingly, it does. Not only does it provide insight into our identity as business owners, but it also lays out how to structure an efficient organization.
As God creates the universe, a key pattern emerges. First, He designs life to be self-sustaining and then He looks at what He created with approval.
“The land produced vegetation––all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:12 ).
“So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird––each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:21).
“God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:25).
Now, this pattern of creation is only significant to us and our businesses because of our identity. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them.” Being made in God’s image means we are hardwired to be creators, makers, builders, managers, and sustainers like Him. In fact, building a product or an organization is a beautiful reflection of who God is: the ultimate Creator.
As seen in Genesis 1, God creates seeds and reproductive systems to multiply, grow and be self-sustaining. This framework transfers seamlessly into structuring a business. We should design systems, revenue streams and processes that can flourish on their own. A large part of this is how we train our employees. Like a tree innately knows what its job is (to grow big and strong, create oxygen, purify the air and create seeds to multiply) our job is to train employees so they have everything they need to succeed, grow, and flourish in a self-sustaining way. We need to delegate, elevate and empower our teams for success just like God did with creation.
The second aspect of God’s creative process was His ability to look at His creation with pleasure and approval. Since we are made in the image of God, humans also have a desire to step back and say “It is good”. A company where people are able to use their gifts and talents to the fullest and ultimately step back and say “What I accomplished today is good” is a beautiful echo of God’s creative process. It allows our business and work to be a reflection of God, always pointing the glory back to Him.
We are made in the image of God, meaning we should reflect His attributes. When we work in a way that reflects our creator then we are able to step back and say “It is good”.
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