In a minimum of 300 words, use thorough and convincing words to answer each essay question

provided below. Be sure that you use an appropriate Bible verse and quote it within your essay. You
must apply this to a business/economics dilemma. You should also provide a real-world example and
cite it properly. This example must come from The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, or Fortune
Magazine. Use current APA formatting.

Essay 3
From the Gospel of Mark, provide at least 1 scripture verse and an analysis of a moral dilemma that
businessmen and economists face in their daily lives.
Submit this assignment by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 5.

To be first, you must be last

Mark 9:33-36

An area in which businesses and economists find themselves challenged is the task of
setting an example and altering public and corporate culture. From the New Testament times to
modern times, communicating leadership values to subordinates has proven to be a far more
nuanced task than simply dictating behavior. With corporations like Enron or Wal-Mart caught
in a dissonance of stated values and actual behavior to Jesus continued calls on His followers to
serve, leadership depends on setting the correct example.
The Christ Leads by Example and Condemns Hypocrites
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus the Christ continually reiterates the importance of
leading by example. This can be seen positively when Jesus rebukes His followers for acting for
social esteem rather than humble service and negatively when Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for
making religious rules that they then break.
Jesus instructed His disciples to serve in order to lead after two of their number asked to
rule beside Jesus (Matthew 20: 20-28). Jesus took advantage of this situation to say;
whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants
to be first must be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:26-28).
By this, Jesus laid the groundwork for understanding the ultimate sacrifice that Christian
leadership required. Although He ultimately demonstrated this principle through His death and
resurrection, Jesus also demonstrated genuine faith when He washed His disciples feet (John
13:1-17), ministered to sinners at risk of personal testimony (Matthew 9:9-12), and that true faith
led to bravery (Matthew 8:26).
Yet, Jesus was equally critical of false leaders who spoke publicly for approval without
having heartfelt conviction or who actively sinned. In Matthew 23:2-4 (New International
Version) Jesus says:
In a minimum of 300 words, use thorough and convincing words to answer each essay question
provided below. Be sure that you use an appropriate Bible verse and quote it within your essay. You
must apply this to a business/economics dilemma. You should also provide a real-world example and
cite it properly. This example must come from The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, or Fortune
Magazine. Use current APA formatting.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat. So you must be careful to do
everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they
preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other peoples shoulders,
but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
In saying this, Jesus was setting a clear demarcation between moral behavior and
immoral behavior. Understanding the need for instruction by example, Jesus actively taught both
by example as well as by repeated instruction.
Corporate Culture by Example
This same challenge is felt by modern businesses who face the challenge of establishing
business culture and having to exhibit this same culture. Corporations like Pepsi and Walmart
have to contend with the dissonance between the inflexible rule culture and the principle driven
culture (The view from the top, 2011). The challenge confronting these businesses is that their
employees do not feel nearly as convinced of their organizations values as the leaders do
(culture (The view from the top, 2011).
Without ethical and moral involvement from all levels of an organization, principles and
values fail to translate from words to actions. Similar to the controversies of the Soviet Union, a
corporation which fails to actively practice its values instills distrust in its employees (Genetski,
2011).

Conclusion
The need for leadership is paramount in business as trust in ones leaders translates to
trust in the leaders promises and instructions. Failure to set an example can compromise an
organization, whether for profit or for Christ.

References

The view from the top, and bottom; corporate culture. (2011). The Economist, 400(8752), 76.