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The Estherpreneur is a weekly chat about doing business and life God’s way. Join your host, Edna Harding as she offers biblical strategies and practical applications to improve your mind, business, spirit, relationships, and finances. Listen along as she talks with guests on how to thrive in all areas of life. Edna is a Wife, Mother, Growth Strategist, Author, Minister, Certified Maxwell Business Consultant and Executive Coach, an accredited Master Mindset Coach, and Speaker whose message of hope, truth, and wisdom reaches people all around the world. FavorandWealth.com Estherpreneur.com
Edna Harding [00:00:03]:
Welcome to Estrepreneur, a podcast for entrepreneurs and leaders doing business and life God's way. Each week we discuss biblical and practical tips to improve your mind, business, spirit, relationships, and finances. Listen along as I speak with special guests on how to thrive in all aspects of life. Hi, I'm Edna. Like many of you, I wear many hats. I'm a military wife, mother, author, certified John Maxwell business and executive coach, trainer, and founder of Favor and wealth, where we help the good guys win. So tune in as we bring on the light.
Edna Harding [00:00:46]:
Well, hello everyone. Thank you so much for tuning in to the estherpreneur podcast. My name is Edna Harding, and today we are going to talk about a topic that I think should be asked, that is not being asked, and it's should Christian businesses refuse service to certain people? Okay. My name is Edna Harding. I'm nothing but a messenger of life. I know. We are. We are.
Edna Harding [00:01:15]:
If it feels like I'm rushing, it's because I kind of am. But it's okay. I know God's going to give me the words to speak so that the message he wants me to give comes across. Well, so should Christian businesses ever say no to a client based on their beliefs? Okay, this is not a culture war conversation. This is actually about conviction. This is about calling. And this is how to lead with grace and truth in business. Right? Full of both grace and truth.
Edna Harding [00:01:46]:
And so before we begin, let's just open up in prayer because I feel like this is going to ruffle a full a few feathers. So Father God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, take over my mouth, take over my words. I pray, oh God, that you will help me speak boldly. What you want me to speak today? In Jesus name, Amen. For those of you guys who are new here, welcome, welcome, welcome. For those of you guys are returning, welcome back. Okay. All right.
Edna Harding [00:02:10]:
So these scenarios are happening every single day. For example, you have a web designer that's asked to build a website for same sex wedding. Then you have a baker asked to create a gender transition cake. Or maybe you are a coach asked to support marketing for manipulative tactics. Okay, now this happens more often than we think. And sometimes we're like, well, you know, we could make excuses. Like, we. Well, we'll refuse service to protect our faith.
Edna Harding [00:02:44]:
Or we could serve everyone to show God's love. Like, which one is it? Right? There's two options. Which one is it? Protect our faith, guard or all cause or do we witness and show love, serve everyone? And. And this right here is, is so common and I think it's so important that we address this, because this might not be a public issue, but it's definitely a personal conviction for a lot of people. And how. How we answer that is not either, or maybe it's even deeper. So before we go into that, I want you to ask yourself these questions when you're faced with situations like this. Number one, is this about the person or is this the.
Edna Harding [00:03:24]:
Is this about the message I'm being asked to support? Is it about the person, or is it about the message I'm being asked to support? Number two, does this require me to create or celebrate something I don't agree with? Okay, that's a pretty fair and simple question. Number three. Would I say no to others living in sin? I don't speak spotlight publicly. Let me say that one more time. Would I say to what? Would I say no to others living in sin? I don't spotlight publicly. Would you say no, that I'm living in sin? You don't spotlight publicly. Number four. Am I being consistent or just reacting to cultural pressure? See, this is not about judgment.
Edna Harding [00:04:09]:
And a lot of times people say that's judgment. You're judging, you're judging, judging. But it's actually about alignment. Saying no should come from love and clarity, not fear or pride. Okay, just bear with me. Just making sure I'm not running late to pick up my kiddos. Okay, so what did Jesus do? And I want you guys to, like, let's just demonstrate what Jesus did. Jesus engaged with people whose lifestyles didn't align with truth.
Edna Harding [00:04:36]:
For example, he met the women at the well. He ate with sinners and tax collectors. He offered hope, not shame. But he also spoke truth. And in the temple, what did he do? He flipped the tables. When worship was corrupted, Jesus knew when to lean in and when to draw a line. And that's the balance we're called to walk as believers. If you think about Daniel, he served pagan kings in Babylon but never bowed to their gods.
Edna Harding [00:05:04]:
Jeremiah stood outside the system and called it out. Most of us, we're Daniels. We work in the world, but we don't have to compromise our values. Okay, so what do we do, Edna? Like, how do. How do we make this plain? Okay, I'm glad you asked me that question. Okay, number one, ask yourself, what services can I offer anyone? Okay. What services can I offer anyone? Okay. Ask yourself what work requires personal or creative agreement.
Edna Harding [00:05:40]:
You need.
Edna Harding [00:05:41]:
You need.
Edna Harding [00:05:41]:
You need to know what you stand for. Does that make sense? Number three, what are my non negotiables? Number four, how Will I communicate with grace? And I'm going to give you guys a prime example using my program. But I want you, once you identify all of these things, you want to answer them in a way that speaks life, speaks truth, but full of love. Right? So you could say something like, for example, thanks for thinking of me. Because of my personal convictions, I'm just not able to take on this project or because of my values. This is, this is lined up with, you know, what I believe in, but I can refer you to someone who can serve you well. Okay. It's very short.
Edna Harding [00:06:26]:
It's very respectful. It's very clear. This is why in my programs, again, I think I mentioned this before. I have people apply because I want to know what their business idea is before I just take on anybody. Have I said no to people who wanted to do businesses like yoga? And I forgot the other thing. Some sort of massage that. It's, what is it called? Oh, my gosh. What it's called.
Edna Harding [00:06:50]:
I don't work with anything that follows religious practices of other gods. I just don't do that. So that's me personally. And it doesn't mean they're a bad person. That means their conviction is not. They have. I'm not the Holy Spirit. My job is not to convict them that what they're doing is wrong.
Edna Harding [00:07:07]:
So, for example, if we celebrate Halloween, if we don't celebrate Halloween, my family personally, we don't celebrate Halloween. But I have friends and family that celebrate Halloween. And do I judge them? No, that's between them and God. Okay. But I have to stick to my personal convictions. The revelation that I got from my time with the Lord. And, but, but I, I, I still have to speak truth and love. Does this make sense? I hope I'm making sense.
Edna Harding [00:07:31]:
And so I don't work with everybody in my programs. I don't coach everybody. Even if they pay me a lot of money, even if they pay me five times my, my whatever, I'm still gonna work with them. Right? So I want you to really think about a time where maybe you compromised and you didn't stick up for your values and you didn't stick up for truth. And I want you to just think of that time. What could you have done differently? Okay? What can you do now knowing that it's okay? And sometimes, and I get it, sometimes you could be desperate and you just want business, and you're like, you're going to say yes to everything that comes your way, but who is your source? Is it your business or is it God? Because if you're going to say yes to business that's going to compromise your values or give you a bad witness or lines up with the systems of the world or the Babylonian systems, or the manipul, whatever you want to call it, the deceiving spirit, like, you just made your business your God, you just made money your God and not your God your God. Does that make sense? All right, now remember, my friends, this isn't about being perfect. This is about being faithful and building a business that reflects Christ.
Edna Harding [00:08:45]:
Not just for your skill. My friends, you're building a lasting impact. You're actually, you establishing a business, creating a successful business that have certain values is truly making a difference and kingdom, whether you know it or not. Because people will know if you're different. People will sense that you can't fake it. You can't fake the anointing, you can't fake the power, you can't fake the truth. People will, will, will, will discern. Whether they agree with you or not, they will know that.
Edna Harding [00:09:18]:
They know that you truly believe what you're saying, that this is like you believe in your mind and mind you. For example, I've had conversations with people on LinkedIn about, you know, the God that I serve. And I remember one time there was somebody that posted something about how, why do you assume God is a man or a father or yeah, God is a man, not a woman. And I was like, well, it's just because there's a lot of scriptures in the Word of God that says Abba is father, son, himself. It was always, he was always referred to as a he and just like, oh. And she was like saying something like, well, so that means whatever the Bible says that you believe. I said, yeah. And she agreed to disagree.
Edna Harding [00:10:04]:
But the fact of the matter is, like, we didn't go back and forth because she knew that I was, I had my conviction. Does that make sense? Like I, I, I stand firm on what I believe in and whether people agree with me or not, I'm not going to disrespect them. I'm not going to hate on them, I'm not going to convince them, but, but I will speak the truth in love, and they respect that. I respect people who sign up for their beliefs, even though if it's completely wrong, I actually respect that because that person has conviction. Does that make sense? I hope I'm making sense. If I'm not, I'm so sorry. Okay, so if you're wrestling with how to make this kind of decisions, I'd love to help. Okay.
Edna Harding [00:10:45]:
I have a lot of free resources on my website. Obviously. I have my podcast. I have different teachings on my YouTube channel. If you want to work with me one on one in a group setting, also have that available. But bottom line is, don't go at this alone. Even if it's not me, someone else. I learn from people who can already discern, right, which is truth and which is evil.
Edna Harding [00:11:10]:
Right. Good and evil. Right. And if anything, okay, if I can give you any advice right now, the one takeaway I would say is just focus on God. Focus on the good. Focus on the things that God is doing, not what the enemy is doing. And I promise you, once you study the real, you'll be able to discern the fake. Right in.
Edna Harding [00:11:29]:
In the banks. I worked in a bank. This is the only reason I know is that when you study the real, you'll discern which is the counterfeit because you know the real. Does that make sense? Hope that makes sense. All right, so let's continue to do what God has called us to do, sons and daughters of God, which is to shine bright for his glory, for his kingdom. And I hope this episode bless you you to think a new way. Take care, my friends, and I'll talk to you all soon. Bye bye.
Jim Masters [00:12:03]:
Thanks for joining us this week on Estrepreneur. Make sure to Visit our website favorandwealth.com for more information on our services. While you're at it, if you found value in this show, we'd appreciate a rating on itunes. Or if you simply tell a friend about the show, that would help me out, too.
Edna Harding [00:12:20]:
Also, check out my book, the Ugly.
Jim Masters [00:12:21]:
Side of Sales, available on Amazon, where I share seven of my secrets on how to win and grow business the right way. Until next time, keep shining.