The KPI for Spiritual Health

In my work as a business consultant one of my foolproof, go-to tools for improving small business performance is measurement. Simply put, I have learned (as countless others have) that if you learn to measure the right things it gives you a concrete basis for decision making. Better decisions = better outcomes! Much of the time…No, more accurately most of the time, there is a gap between a business owner’s perceptions of their business performance and reality. So here it is… identify what you should measure (your Key Performance Indicators) and measure it. The results is you will learn the truth about your business!

A Biblical life principle here, that we should all scribe onto our hearts is, “the best decisions are based on truth.” This begs the question, what are the measurements of spiritual health? Here as in our businesses there can be a gap between perception and reality. Think of these passages: “Why do you call me Lord, Lord but do not do what I say?” Lk 6:46, “These people honor me with their lips but their heart is far from me” Mt 15:8. “The heart is deceitful above all things…” Jer 17:9.

Jesus said you can know a tree by its fruits! In 1Jn 4 John it says, “how can you say you love God who you have not seen if you don’t love your your brother or sister whom you have seen.” In Luke it says,

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:25-29

You can see the tricky bit. This guy wanted to justify himself. He knew where the rub was. Of course, Jesus answered this guys question with the parable of the good Samaritan*. The best KPI for measuring our Love for God is not your heartfelt sentiment towards God. One might say, “Oh how I love Him. I’m so passionate for Him…” but remember, the heart is tricky – sentiment is mushy – Jesus gives us a better KPI, a more concrete KPI.

How are you loving the unlovely?
How are you loving your historic enemies?
How are you loving the widows and orphans?
How are you loving those from other cultures?
As a business owner, how are you loving your customers (easy), employees (often harder), competitors (uggh)?

It’s easy to love those who love us. It’s easy, relatively speaking, to carry a burden for the salvation of the lost family member. But what about the others? I have often said you can know if a church has left its first love by looking at their missions expression (emphasis, budget, etc).

One of the B2B values is “steward your blessings to be a blessing.” As a follower of Christ? Are you measuring this important spiritual KPI? I hope so!

*This and all the commandments can only be satisfied through Christ this side of the cross. Only Jesus ever fulfilled this great commandment perfectly, but as we walk in the Spirit there is grace to obey.

Information
About B2B
Curriculum
Start a Group
Other Resources
Follow Us
   
Contact Us

© 2018 All rights reserved.