I often say that there is a scripture for everything, every situation, circumstance, and venture a person can conceive. The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that “there is nothing new under the sun.” If nothing is truly new, it means that God, in His infinite wisdom, has foreseen every possible scenario we might encounter. He has established principles to guide us in all aspects of life, especially in our interactions with others. His care extends not just to human affairs but even to the protection of animals.
Having been in business myself at some point, I understand both the mental and physical strain it brings, along with the ongoing desire to honor God while sustaining a profitable and ethical enterprise. Make no mistake, I appreciate money and enjoy having it. However I am deeply aware that no amount of wealth is worth losing my soul. While this mindset can sometimes lead to a lackadaisical approach to making money, with the help of the Holy Spirit it is possible to maintain a healthy balance loving God wholeheartedly while still being enterprising.
As believers, we live by a different set of values. Unlike the world, where business is often driven solely by profit and self interest, we are called to a higher standard. In our businesses, we set fair prices, not just to make a profit but to honor God, serve people, and uphold integrity. The Bible is full of wisdom that shapes us into ethical business people, ensuring that we do not exploit customers but instead conduct our affairs in a way that reflects our reverence for God. When we approach business with the fear of the Lord, we turn it into an act of worship, one that pleases Him and blesses those we serve. Some of these principles focus on setting fair prices for our goods, products, and services, determining salaries for workers, and ensuring that people are paid justly for their labor and services.
I understand that in our time, there are far more work opportunities and products available than ever existed in biblical times. Many jobs today rely more on intellectual skills than manual labor, allowing us to offer valuable services in new ways. Yet one truth remains, God foresaw this and established principles that are just as relevant for our time. If we lean on the Holy Spirit for guidance, we will discover that these principles still hold true today; they are timeless as God is.
Honoring God in Business: Biblical Ethics for Pricing Goods, Products and Services
I believe it is God’s will for goods and services to be sold at fair and affordable rates making them easily accessible. Scarcity is not God’s design, abundance is a sign of His blessing. He delights in plenty. In Solomon’s time gold and silver were so abundant that silver was as common as stones on the streets. When God intervened in a city suffering from severe famine as prophesied by Elisha, what was once scarce and exorbitantly priced became readily available and sold at astonishingly low prices. In this same spirit, I believe God does not want us to be greedy for gain.
Luke 12:15 says, “Take care and be on your guard against all covetousness for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 1 Timothy 6:9-10 also says, “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
While wealth itself is not evil, unchecked greed leads to destruction. God desires that we pursue financial gain with integrity remembering that our ultimate security is found in Him not in riches. Profit is essential, but pricing should be driven by fairness, not greed. Greedy gain does not only affect the economy but also impacts the quality of life people can afford. Many suffer hunger and deprivation simply because they cannot afford basic necessities. This contradicts Proverbs 11:26, which states, “He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.”
God’s desire is for businesses to operate with integrity, ensuring that goods and services remain accessible rather than being hoarded or overpriced for selfish gain. This is one reason I admire Igbo businessmen, many prioritize volume in sales over making a quick profit on just one or a few items. In fact this mindset is what drives some of them to mass produce cheaper alternatives to original products making them more accessible to a wider market. That is why you sometimes see labels like “Guzzi” instead of “Gucci.” To be clear I am not endorsing counterfeiting by citing this example but rather highlighting the principle of making products more affordable. In the long run businessmen who adopt this strategy often record far greater sales than those who would rather let their goods gather dust or even go to waste than reduce their prices to make them more accessible.
The real issue with a person who is greedy for gain and sets prices too high is a lack of trust in God’s provision. Instead of relying on Him, they attempt to secure wealth through their own schemes and strategies. They believe that selling at an excessive profit margin defines good business sense, but true success comes from integrity and fairness.
Proverbs 22:16 says “One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich both come to poverty.”
When you want to determine the price to set for your product or service as a business person, there are factors you should consider before setting your price. Calculate costs such as production, labor, and operational expenses, taxes and other fees. then, set a price that covers them while leaving a fair profit margin to sustain your business. Avoid excessive markups while ensuring your business remains profitable. Set a Reasonable Profit Margin. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”. A reasonable markup depends on your industry, competition, and customer base.
Offer discounts, flexible payment plans, or support for those in need whenever possible. A good test is to ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable paying this price if I were the customer?”. Matthew 7:12 says “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Scripture tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves; would you want to be cheated at the market? Philippians 2:4 “Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Avoid ungodly pricing practices, such as: Hidden charges, false discounts (raising prices before a “sale”). Overcharging based on desperation (e.g., inflating prices when demand is high). Instead, be transparent about your pricing. If you need to increase prices, explain why. Customers appreciate honesty. If your competitors underpay workers, it’s okay for you to pay fairly based on your ethical values.
Ironically, those who cheat others in business are often the most ruthless when negotiating prices for themselves. They negotiate prices for products and services without the fear of God often refusing to pay people what they rightfully deserve. If a worker’s effort is worth 100,000 naira they unjustly drive the price down to 20,000 naira and then celebrate as if they secured a great deal just like the man in Proverbs 20:14 who “says Bad bad says the buyer but when he goes his way then he boasts.” Yet Luke 10:7 clearly states “The worker deserves his wages.” Leviticus 25:14 says, “If you make a sale, moreover, to your friend or buy from your friend’s hand, you shall not wrong one another.”
A Lesson from My Dad:
One day, I learned an invaluable lesson; one that has stayed with me all my life. My dad and I stopped to buy plantain from an elderly woman along the road. I stuck my head out the window to price it, and after settling on an amount, I insisted she put it in a nylon bag. She frantically began searching for one. While I was waiting, my dad turned to me and said, “Toritseju, give that woman her money. There are some people whose goods you don’t price, it’s already cheap enough, and she needs that money more than you do. And stop bothering her for nylon when you are sitting comfortably in a car.” God bless my dad for that lesson! It taught me the importance of honoring and showing compassion to people in the market.
Give Your Customers the True Value of What they Pay for:
If you are a businessperson dealing with scales, measurements, or pricing, let the fear of God guide you to use honest and accurate measures. Do not engage in ‘magu magu’ (dishonest practices). If a customer pays ₦50,000 for a product, do not give them only ₦10,000 worth of goods. Proverbs 11:1 says “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.” Proverbs 16:11 also says, “A just balance and scales belong to the Lord; all the weights of the bag are His concern.” Fairness in business is not just a good practice, it is a divine command.
One of the laws God gave the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt was to govern their business dealings. Leviticus 19:35 36 instructs, “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity. You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin; I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 25:13 16 also says: “You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a large and a small. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.”
Final Notes: Your business should not be solely about making money but about serving people. Ethical pricing means considering the well-being of your customers and ensuring they receive fair value for what they pay. Why not trust God to bless the work of your hands? After all, He is the one who gave you the idea in the first place. Trust Him to direct His blessings through the work of your hands.
