“There’s just something about humans. They don’t just survive; they discover; they create….I mean, just look at what they do with food!” I’ve always loved this observation by Remy, the rodent hero of the Pixar film, Ratatouille. Humans don’t just survive. They are made in the image of God and thus can’t help but proclaim His glory through a creativity reminiscent of the Creator. This creativity can be seen in all people, not just those that acknowledge the One that they reflect. How wonderful it is that we can see God’s image in everyone around us! It is true that that image is certainly marred by sin, but we can still see glimpses of God’s attributes in those around us in world, and in business.

I’ve been thinking about the businesses that are quite philanthropic in nature, but do not ascribe that dimension of the business to any deeper meaning. There are thousands of corporations and business people that try to do good things and make the world a better place, yet don’t have any basis for those attempts. As Christians, we seek to help 3rd world countries with resources like food, water, and economy boosting businesses because we are called to love God, and to do that through loving our neighbors.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’(Matthew 25:34-40)

Yet others do not have this basis. They don’t understand the true foundation of using business to bless others, and show our love for God through that. What a neat area this could be to use to present the Gospel to others. What if we, as Christian businessmen and women, address our coworkers about why they are seeking to bless others? What if we don’t just perform good works, but also communicate actively with our coworkers about why we are behaving in the way we do, specifically in philanthropic businesses?