I just came from Davao where I was given the privilege to speak to over a hundred business owners for a conference organized by Victory Davao’s business community. The conference featured me and my dear friend Dodong Cacanando. We spoke about how to build and grow business that is God honoring as well as introduce Kingdom principles.

Let me share to you why I believe that godly enterprise is crucial for our society…

Proverbs 11:26 (ESV) – “The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.”

Understanding the Text in Its Context

This proverb was written in the context of an agrarian economy, where grain was not just a commodity—it was life. Farmers who had excess grain during a time of need but chose to withhold it from the market for personal gain were seen as exploiting others’ hardship. That’s why “the people curse him.”

On the other hand, those who fairly sold their grain, even during scarcity, were seen as acting justly and generously. They were remembered and praised for it. In essence, this verse highlights the moral value of just trade and the danger of selfish hoarding.

The Hebrew word translated “holds back” (monea) carries the idea of intentional restraint or withholding. This is not a case of accidental delay—it’s a deliberate act to manipulate supply and increase profit. It’s a picture of injustice, and Scripture is clear: injustice in business is offensive to God.

Applying the Principle to Today

While we no longer live in an agrarian economy, the principle remains the same: how we handle the goods, services, and opportunities entrusted to us reflects our heart before God.

In today’s marketplace, the equivalent of “withholding grain” might be:

• Artificially inflating prices during crises
• Hoarding essential resources (think: medical supplies during pandemics)
• Using insider knowledge to manipulate markets
• Withholding innovation or opportunity for fear of losing competitive edge

The other side of the coin is the ethical businessperson: someone who engages in trade not just for profit, but for service. They provide real value, create jobs, price fairly, pay justly, and contribute to the common good. According to Proverbs, that person is a blessing.

Practical Application: Business as Worship

I’ve spent most of my life in the financial world. I’ve seen the best and worst of what money—and business—can do to the human heart. And here’s what I know: Business isn’t evil. The love of money is. (1 Timothy 6:10)

We need to shift our mindset. Business is not secular while missions and ministry are sacred. If we read our Bibles closely, we’ll see that God has always used business and trade to bless communities and nations. Abraham was a wealthy livestock owner. Lydia was a dealer in purple cloth. Jesus Himself spent most of His adult life working as a carpenter before starting His public ministry.

Business is not just about profit—it’s about purpose.

If you’re a Christian entrepreneur, manager, or employee, your workplace is your mission field. When you serve your customers well, treat your people right, create value, and honor God with your profit—you’re not just working. You’re worshipping.

A Call to Marketplace Christians

Let me leave you with a challenge: Don’t just build a business—build the Kingdom through business.

Run your company with integrity.
Pay your people fairly.
Be generous to your community.
Pay your taxes.
Support your local church.
And always, always put people before profit.

When we do that, we’re not just being good businessmen—we’re being good stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

In the end, business done God’s way is a blessing to society—and an act of worship to the Lord.

In Genesis 11, the people of Babel set out to build a tower that would reach the heavens. But the real goal wasn’t architectural—it was personal. They wanted to “make a name” for themselves. That same drive still fuels many of us today. Whether it’s through business, investments, or social media influence, we chase success not just for provision—but for validation.

When they discovered brick-making, the Babylonians didn’t just use it to build safer homes or improve infrastructure. No, they had to turn it into something grand—something that could elevate their name. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

It’s a sobering thought. Why do we so often treat our work, careers, or even ministry as a platform to prove our worth? The answer goes all the way back to Genesis 3. Ever since sin entered the world, we’ve carried this deep awareness that something is wrong with us. We know we’re not right. As Romans 3:23 reminds us, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

But instead of running to God, we try to fix ourselves through our achievements. We may not wear fig leaves like Adam and Eve, but we cover our insecurities with accomplishments:

A big payday.
A bestselling book.
A viral post.
A high-rise in BGC.
A seven-figure investment portfolio.

We think, “If I just hit this goal, maybe I’ll finally feel enough.” But let’s call it for what it is: we’re using work to save ourselves.

But here’s the truth that changed everything for me—and I hope for you too:

We don’t work for identity. We work from identity.

Because of Jesus, the work of salvation is already done. “It is finished.” That’s not just good theology—it’s incredible freedom.

When the gospel truly takes root in our hearts, we no longer need to use work to make a name for ourselves. Instead, we work to honor the Name of the One who saved us. Our businesses, our content, our careers—they become acts of worship, not identity projects.

So go ahead—build, create, and excel. But not to prove your worth.
Do it because you’re already loved.
Do it as a steward.
Do it as a son or daughter of the King.

There are days when I sit down with my budget and feel the weight of stewardship like a heavy mantle on my shoulders. As someone who teaches personal finance, I know full well the biblical call to manage money wisely. I believe in budgets, in living within your means, in delayed gratification, and in investing with eternity in mind. But every now and then, I wrestle with this question:

Am I merely a steward, or am I also a son? And how do those two identities relate when it comes to money?

The Call to Stewardship

Scripture is crystal clear: God owns everything, and I own nothing.
Psalm 24:1 reminds us, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” That means every peso I earn, every asset I acquire, even the breath in my lungs—it all belongs to Him. I am simply a steward—a manager entrusted with His resources.

Jesus reinforces this in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30), where servants are entrusted with the master’s property and held accountable for what they do with it. This parable has shaped much of my life and teaching: we are not owners; we are entrusted managers.

Because of this, I’ve worked hard to live out biblical stewardship—saving diligently, giving generously, avoiding debt, and teaching others to do the same. Stewardship brings discipline, clarity, and purpose to our finances. But stewardship alone can become transactional if we forget the bigger picture.

The Assurance of Sonship

In moments of pressure—when investments don’t perform, when expenses pile up, or when giving becomes sacrificial—I have to remind myself:

I am not just a steward. I am a son.

Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’”

There’s profound rest in knowing that I am a child of God, not just His employee. Sons have access. Sons have inheritance. Sons are loved, not just evaluated.

When I slip into a purely stewardship mindset, I sometimes find myself anxious and controlling. I worry if I’ve done enough, saved enough, or given enough. But the identity of a son reminds me that I don’t earn God’s favor through spreadsheets. My worth isn’t tied to how well I manage the money—it’s rooted in the finished work of Christ.

The Tension: Balancing Both Identities

So which one is it? Am I a steward or a son?

The answer is both, but with an important order.
I am a son first, and because I am a son, I steward well.

My stewardship flows out of my sonship. I manage God’s resources not to earn His approval but because I already have it. My financial obedience is not to gain His love, but because I am secure in it.

Luke 15 tells the story of the prodigal son, but it’s also the story of the older brother—the one who stayed, obeyed, and served, but missed the joy of simply being a son. That story humbles me. I don’t want to be a financial older brother—diligent but disconnected from the Father’s heart.

My Thoughts

Being a steward keeps me faithful.
Being a son keeps me secure.

Yes, we are called to be wise, diligent, and accountable with money. But let’s never forget:

We are not just God’s managers—we are His children.

So today, I budget with discipline and give with generosity. But I do so with joy, not anxiety. Because before I am a steward of the Kingdom—I am a son of the King.