Apply at least one aspect of the VBM to the following discussion prompt:

The Bible and Creating Value

Job 12:17 "But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you."

Proverbs 20:21 "An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning will not be blessed in the end."

Jesus was the Master at understanding the wants and needs of those around him. He was also skilled at and unafraid to ask questions, although he had an advantage in that He already knew the answer. We do not have that power or privilege, so we need to ask because we need to know. Everyone needed Jesus but not everyone wanted Jesus. He spoke about that in his ministry, saying "If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave" (Matthew 10:14). Jesus was pained by those who rebuked him but He knew it was inevitable that not everyone would be saved. He still cared for them, but he invested His time where He could make a difference.

Likewise, we must understand the pains and joys of our customers, not at the core level of our being that Jesus reached, but we still need to know our customers- where they came from, where they are, and where they want to go. If someone is not interested in our offering, we should move on to a more willing prospect. To find out what they need and if they are interested, we need to ask. The more we understand who is willing, and why, and at what price, the better we can focus our offering and fill a need or want. We should not assume that we can create a marketing plan without solid research and understanding of our target market. Proverbs is a wonderful book filled with wisdom about business, we only need to be open to how those lines of truth apply today as they did thousands of years ago.

Does the Bible talk about business and about marketing? Absolutely! Marketing is about knowing people and understanding their wants and needs, and then building a relationship with those who want or need your offering now or in the future.

Question Prompts:

• How do these verses connect with the concept of marketing creating value?
• Is that value for the seller or buyer or both and why?
• How does one's background and/or personal experience affect the ability to understand the wants and needs throughout the population?