Christian Ethics

In our bible study we have been discussing 1 Thessalonians and the the concept of Christian ethics. How do Christian ethics differ from regular ethics? Ethics is defined as a system of morals that govern a group or culture. The ethics I strive to live by are largely God given from His word, the Holy Bible. It is not a peer-based set of morals, or social/cultural, or even what my parents might offer. This makes them VERY different from the current culture which really offers no absolute guidelines. Love must always balance ethics because ethics without love cannot truly fulfill what God has called us to live (love your neighbor as yourself). Any-who with this in mind I will now tell you how this has applied to my life recently. If you don't know, my husband (genius that he is) has spent the past 5 years building his own company. I am so proud of what he has accomplished and God has never let anything lack in our lives even though the building years have been hard at times. There are so many blessings I could tell you about on our journey of self-employment. Difficulties would include no benefits and paying your own taxes for four years (brutal trust me) but the blessings include a child paid for (through DSHS) and another paid off in just a year. God is so good, sorry kids don't mean to make you sound like car payments. =). Over these past four years I have prayed often that God would protect Jeremy on the steep learning curve of owning a business. I have prayed that his reputation be guarded and his decisions be in line with the ethics God has called him to. Well for about six months they have been in talks with a big company, first to acquire Jer's company (which didn't work) then to possibly partner with. It has been a ton of going back and forth with Jeremy's hopes riding the natural highs and lows of possibility and uncertainty. Through all of it I have prayed God's will be done and protection, protection, protection. This week it was finally announced that the prospective partners would be going with a competitor's company. Not just any competitor either but a former employee of Jeremy's who "happened" to begin a carbon-copy of Jeremy's company about a year after they had to let him go. It wasn't anything personal but this particular guy was more business man than programmer (what they really needed at the time) and he was continually failing to impress while making demands of the company for more. Apparently this "competitor" offered prospective partners a deal they couldn't resist. Jeremy didn't seem to be brooding about it, though he did offer one comment expressing his disappointment but quickly moved on to the next steps for the company regardless. I am so proud that he didn't fudge any numbers or make any impossible promises (which is only guessing but I suspect this other company capable of). He just laid out what they would be willing to do and it didn't work out. I have seen Jeremy making good calls for his company and learning to step up to the plate and become more assertive for his own benefit over these past five years. I love what he wants to do for his employees and how much he cares that they feel well-taken care of, (benefits are around the corner woot!) I know that Jeremy's focus right now is not necessarily that he be a light for Jesus but regardless, he is. I'm just so thankful because I do feel that God is answering my prayers. What comes next who knows? But I do know that God is faithful and all those other dreams I have for Jeremy God knows and I can rest in that; and work on myself. Always more to do there.