Phil was a respected business owner. His company employed dozens. His team was loyal, his leadership was principled, and his impact extended beyond profit—his business was known for the good it did in the community. He’d worked hard to build it that way.

But now he faced a decision that unsettled him. His mentor had challenged him to a bold act of faith and generosity—to take a risk that might put his leadership, reputation, and perhaps even the stability of his business on the line. It had to do with an employee who had wronged him. There was a path forward that would be safe, even respectable. But his mentor was asking him to choose a harder way: to see his employee through the lens of redemption.

Phil wasn’t being pushed to overlook justice or accountability. But he was being invited to let grace, not fear or social pressure, define the next step. His mentor understood what was at stake—not in theory, but in practice. He, too, had been in business. He, too, had used his work to build bridges and plant seeds of the gospel.

As they talked, the older man shared something he was praying for Phil: “That your faith in Jesus would become more visible and active in how you live and lead—so that everyone around you might see more and more who God is.”1

That vision stirred something in Phil. Could this business, this decision, really become a canvas for people to see the redemptive heart of God? Could everyday leadership become a doorway to eternal truth?

What Phil didn’t know was that his story had already been told.

The Original Phil

Phil is a hypothetical modern version of Philemon, a first-century believer, businessperson, and host of a house church. His mentor was the apostle Paul—a former tentmaker whose livelihood once helped fund his ministry and build relationships with others in the marketplace. Paul didn’t appeal to Philemon from theological distance, but from the trenches of vocational discipleship. And his letter—now tucked near the back of our Bibles—is a masterclass in ethical leadership, courageous forgiveness, and gospel-infused business practice.

Missional enterprise leaders today still face ethical crossroads: moments where the values of God’s kingdom challenge the norms of business culture. Will we simply follow those norms, or trust God to enable us both to do good and do well in our businesses? Will we play it safe, or let grace write a better story?

The decisions we make in the pressure points of leadership will either echo the world or showcase the gospel. Like Philemon, we are being invited to trust God more visibly—and in doing so, show those around us who He really is.

Verse of the Week:

Philemon 1:6-7: “I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ. For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” (CSB)

This week, let’s pray according to this passage for ourselves and our friends in enterprise.