Caring for People in the Marketplace

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
— Matthew 22:37-39

Jesus was clear: our highest calling is to love God and to love people. In the marketplace, this command takes on daily urgency. Clients, customers, employees, vendors, and even competitors are not just part of our work—they are people entrusted to our care. How we treat them becomes the true declaration of our faith.

This is not easy. People are often the greatest joy of our work and at the same time, the greatest challenge. Caring for others requires patience when profits are at stake, compassion when deadlines press in, and intentionality when stress threatens to pull us into self-protection. Yet in these very tensions, discipleship takes root.

For September, we reflect on the attribute of Caring for People through five pillars—each anchored in Scripture and practical for business life.

Pillar 1: Seeing People as God Sees Them

Scripture: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” — Genesis 1:27

Every person you work with—whether a long-time employee, a difficult customer, or a distant supplier—bears the image of God. This foundational truth changes everything. People are not simply resources to be managed or obstacles to overcome; they are eternal souls with dignity and value.

Caring for people begins with vision. Do I see the imago Dei when I look at a colleague who is underperforming? Do I see a son or daughter of God when negotiating a tough contract? This perspective tempers frustration, sharpens patience, and reorients priorities.

Marketplace Application: Before meetings, pray for God to help you see each participant through His eyes. Ask, “What eternal value does this person carry, and how can I reflect Christ in my interaction with them?”

Pillar 2: Investing Time with People

Scripture: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” — Philippians 2:4

Time is the most precious resource we have in business—and one of the most meaningful ways to show care. When we slow down enough to listen, ask questions, and engage in another’s story, we demonstrate Christ-like love.

Work relationships are fertile ground for spiritual opportunities. When colleagues face financial strain, health struggles, or relational breakdowns, trust built over time allows us to care beyond the surface. Often, it’s not our solutions but our presence that matters most.

Marketplace Application: Block out 15 minutes each week to intentionally connect with someone at work—not about tasks, but about their life. Over time, this small investment builds bridges for both growth and discipleship.

Pillar 3: Balancing Care with Accountability

Scripture: “Speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ.” — Ephesians 4:15

Caring for people does not mean lowering standards or avoiding hard conversations. In fact, true care involves helping others grow—even when that means correcting, challenging, or holding accountable. Love without truth becomes sentimentality. Truth without love becomes harshness. But truth spoken in love produces growth.

In the marketplace, leaders often wrestle with tension: How do I care for employees while pushing for results? How do I honor customers while protecting profit? This is where discipleship shows up. Our motives are tested. Are we motivated by Christ’s love or by fear of loss, approval, or conflict?

Marketplace Application: In performance reviews, frame accountability as an investment in someone’s future. Say, “I believe you can be even more effective in this area. Let’s work together on it.” Care and performance can coexist when love is the motive.

Pillar 4: Meeting Needs in Moments of Crisis

Scripture: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2

The workplace often becomes the backdrop for some of life’s deepest struggles. A diagnosis. A divorce. A sudden layoff. These moments can feel like interruptions to business, but in God’s Kingdom, they are invitations to care.

A leader who notices and responds with compassion earns lifelong trust. A co-worker who prays, sends a meal, or rearranges schedules during crisis reflects Jesus. Often, these small actions open doors for spiritual conversations that would never have happened otherwise.

Marketplace Application: Develop a “care rhythm” in your business. When you hear of a colleague facing crisis, ask yourself: What is one tangible act of care I can offer today? A note, a prayer, a flexible deadline, or financial support may communicate Christ more powerfully than words.

Pillar 5: Building a Culture of Care

Scripture: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” — John 13:35

Care is not just an individual responsibility; it’s a cultural reality we can shape. Imagine an organization where clients feel valued, employees feel seen, and stakeholders sense integrity. Such a culture does not emerge by accident—it flows from leaders who embody and reinforce care as a norm.

Building a culture of care requires modeling humility, celebrating compassion, and weaving relational health into business success. Over time, customers notice. Teams thrive. And the workplace becomes a unique witness to Christ.

Marketplace Application: During staff meetings, share stories of team members caring for others. Make care part of the scorecard—not just revenue. Reinforce that success includes how we love people, not only what we produce.

Conclusion: The Call to Care

In the marketplace, people are both our greatest responsibility and our greatest opportunity. Profits, products, and performance matter—but people matter most. They are the reason Jesus came, and they are the field in which discipleship is cultivated.

To care for people is to declare our love for God. It is both challenge and joy. Challenge, because people test our patience, strain our resources, and expose our selfishness. Joy, because every act of care reflects Jesus and builds eternal fruit.

As Christian businessmen, we are called not just to manage people, but to shepherd them. Not just to transact, but to transform. Not just to profit, but to love.

This September, may we step into that call. May we see people as God sees them. May we invest time. May we balance care with accountability. May we respond in moments of crisis. And may we build cultures that proclaim Christ through care.

For in the end, it is not our quarterly earnings or market share that heaven will celebrate—it is how faithfully we loved God and loved people in the marketplace He entrusted to us.