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As an MBA candidate at UNR and the President of Richdel, Inc., I spend a considerable amount of time analyzing corporate strategy. In the modern business world, one of the most celebrated skills is “networking.” We are taught to strategically align ourselves with positive, highly successful people and organizations to elevate our own standing. It makes perfect logical sense.
But lately, I’ve been wrestling with a completely different model: Kingdom Leadership. When you read Jesus’ words in Luke 6:20-40, the standard MBA playbook gets turned entirely on its head.
Jesus asks a very pointed question: “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?” (Luke 6:32-33). Instead, He commands us to love our enemies, to do good without expecting a return, and to give generously.
I’ll be completely transparent with you: living this out in the manufacturing and corporate world is incredibly difficult for me. It runs contrary to every instinct of self-preservation. When you operate this way, you feel exposed and weak.
I know this because I’ve been on both sides of this uncomfortable biblical perspective.
There was a time when Richdel was in a tough spot, and we desperately needed to source key ingredients. The lifeline didn’t come from a strategic networking partner; it came from a direct competitor. Accepting their favor required me to swallow my pride. I felt weak and entirely vulnerable. Yet, accepting that unexpected grace resulted in a deeply positive outcome that kept our operations moving forward and competitive.
On the flip side, I’ve also had to apply the hardest part of Luke 6: extending grace and tangible help to individuals who flat-out hated me and my company. The standard business reaction would be to leverage my position to freeze them out. Choosing instead to help them felt like exposing my neck to the sword. But to my surprise, extending grace disarmed the hostility and created positive resolutions that a heavy-handed corporate approach never could have achieved. In a remarkable turn of events, that difficult decision earned us a seat at the table to help form the National Animal Supplement Council (https://www.nasc.cc/). Ultimately, the NASC established the very regulatory framework that protected our entire space within the animal health industry.
Interestingly, while this approach feels foolish in a dog-eat-dog business setting, modern organizational psychology actually backs up this biblical principle. In his landmark study and subsequent book Give and Take, Wharton professor Adam Grant found that “givers”, those who contribute to others without seeking a direct return, are actually overrepresented at the very top of success metrics, ultimately outperforming self-serving “takers.” Furthermore, research by Dr. Brené Brown at the University of Houston has proven that vulnerability isn’t a leadership weakness; it is the absolute prerequisite for trust, innovation, and authentic connection.
Following Jesus in the boardroom isn’t about playing it safe. It requires a willingness to look foolish and to extend grace where the situation says it isn’t deserved. It’s a daily struggle for me, but I am slowly learning that the returns of Kingdom Leadership extend far beyond a quarterly balance sheet and profit & loss statements.
I’d love to hear your thoughts: How do you balance the demands of modern business networking with the radical, vulnerable call of Luke 6? Have you ever taken a risk to extend grace in your workplace? Let me know in the comments below!
Biblical Reference:
- Luke 6:20-40 (New International Version): You can link directly to the passage on Bible Gateway so readers can review the full context of Jesus’ teaching on loving enemies and extending grace.
Organizational Psychology & Business Research:
- Adam Grant – Give and Take: Dr. Grant’s landmark book details the research on how “givers” (those who help others without expecting a return) ultimately achieve greater success than “takers” or “matchers.”
- Adam Grant’s Official Page for Give and Take
- Alternative: You can also link to his popular TED Talk on the same subject: Are you a giver or a taker?
- Dr. Brené Brown – Vulnerability and Leadership: Dr. Brown’s extensive research at the University of Houston focuses on how vulnerability is not a weakness, but the birthplace of courage, trust, and innovation (which she heavily details in her corporate-focused book, Dare to Lead).
- Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead Hub
- Alternative: Her foundational TED Talk on vulnerability is also a great, accessible resource for readers: The power of vulnerability
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