As a woman in business you want to be fair, compassionate, kind, honor your worth so others will too, set firm boundaries and conduct business in an ethical manner that honors God for it is He who blesses us with our gifts and talents so that we can be a blessing to others.
Grace is commonly thought of as an elegant act of movement, and for me the first thing that comes to mind is the graceful flow of a ballerina when she dances. For Christians, grace is the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. Grace is what we extend to another person, even though they may not deserve it, because we are acting from a place of empathy – recognizing that we too are imperfect and will need grace ourselves at some point.
Grace is kindness, favor, dignity and respect. It means being thoughtful and diplomatic, but it doesn’t mean being a doormat. A woman who finds grace in business is one who is self-confident and doesn’t feel the need to point out the mistakes of others in order to feel good about herself. Grace is being compassionate and understanding, but making the right decisions and not the people-pleasing ones. Grace is taking responsibility for our mistakes. Grace is looking for solutions without shame or blame.
I love Dr. Bill Graybill’s definition “By extending grace you give the gift of dignity. This means you look at the person as a person, not an object… a person with dreams, feelings and needs.”
What I have learned in my journey over the years of working with people and dealing with situations and circumstances is that I have a responsibility to be at my best. To take ownership of my actions. To be mindful of the power I have to affect people in a positive or negative way.
We can’t always control what comes our way but we can control how we react. To run a business from the heart that honors God’s word. To do our best while extending grace to others with the belief that they too are striving to be at their best. Will mistakes be made? Of course. Will situations come up that we do not plan for? Always. That is the reality of life. But where there is grace there is room for understanding and forgiveness.
Running a business will have so many fulfilling moments that will make you feel like you are truly making a difference in the world and other moments where you will question if it’s truly worth it. It is a journey of exhilarating highs, disappointing lows and unexpected turns but don’t be discouraged friend, it’s important to show yourself the gift of grace too.“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” 1 Peter 4:10
So many of us find our purpose in helping people and changing lives, which often becomes the basis for our business. So how do you balance running your business and managing a generous heart?
Ronne B
Recent Comments