CHAPTER 25: PAYING YOURSELF 2025
Very few think of tithing a church or God. So, this is the last I’ll mention it in this chapter, albeit, it is quite important to find correctness in helping God do the job of saving souls and keeping, in good order, those people, ministers of Truth, who stand on the front line against evil bringing hope to the hopeless and keeping good people, good. PS, those ministers are hard to find, the real ones, authentic. Why? Because they’re busy helping people, generally they don’t have a lot of time for advertising.
Matthew 17:27 Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
Take that scripture and do with it as you will, let’s get on with 25. All of us make a lot of excuses, or good reasons as I like to say to do things that validate bad behavior. One of them is how a CEO decides to pay him or herself, both in the good times and the bad times.
- I deserve more money so I take it, good or bad times
- I don’t pay myself therefore I absolve me of responsibility
- Loaning the company money, when I stole it in #1.
Those are the three big ones. You pay, payroll, your people, attorney’s, CPA’s, book-keepers, spouse, kids, tradesman, contractors, suppliers a little all the time, a whole bunch all the time, a lot or a little once in awhile, sometimes, anytime, all kinds of variables and all of it you decide. You also decide how much to be involved, or how little. You may make determinations of what people are worth, perhaps you believe an employee is worth more than others, or perhaps one might lean towards professionals chosen because they are low bidder, medium or high. For the moment, whatever those decisions, this chapter is about you. What you pay yourself and why. Do you steal from the company or do you earn from the company? How much is earned, how much is stolen? What does it mean when you decide not to pay yourself. Is it a sublime dramatic gift you give to the altar of the company? Or worse, in yet an even more sublime gesture, you loan the company money. Ah, how good it feels? Right? Maybe. You stole the money in the first place and now you give it back? I’m not saying that is what was done, I’m saying it is food for thought when one sits at the desk of cash in and cash out.
The company owner’s pay is optional or inflatable, negotiable, set as a loan when taken, set as a loss when not taken, reduced, given as draw, any number of options, all set in play by you. My idea of what is right. Now, did those decisions create a negative cash flow, enormous debt, perhaps a needing a miracle to recover. Maybe instead there is blame on everything and anything else.
Perception. What is perceived. Giving employees huge bonuses so they stay and by this time next year they’re already gone. A few thousand dollar gift, a small raise, in the spirit of expectation, just shy of a kickback, hoping that by such a gesture, a CEO will garner more from a relationship, or by this gesture, something forgiven, whatever, it is an unfair expectation and definitely unrealistic. Paying people cash under the table? Paying oneself cash under the table. We could talk all about that, but why? All of us know it really never pays off, not really. Placating and acting grateful is a scam, as is entitlement that comes with all of these actions. Here’s the big question. In the past or in the right now…
Are you “taking” money from the company?
Or “making” money from the company?
You see, perception gets in the way of perspective. In the end however, perspective will always win. Perspective is truth, the way it really is, perception is whatever any of us have made up in our heads. Perception will cause great turmoil in the form of tax fraud, incorrect book-keeping, confusion as to the worth of a company or the CEO, and generally, as I have said, unrealistic, unfair, unreliable, expectations of a company and others involved in that company. Bottom line what is correct is the only path to success, freedom and clear understanding.
Taking or giving money when you haven’t been making money is borrowing from the company when the company isn’t doing well, and probably with no intention or hope of ever being able to pay it back. Taking company money incorrectly, giving yourself bonuses incorrectly, or simply not paying yourself — as if that would fix any problem, all of it stems from not embracing the correct analysis of cash flow and the responsibility of a company owner, CEO, fiduciary, investor, whatever your position. And what is your position?
“Produce, deliver and collect, ledger correctly, pay accordingly.”
2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
Psalm 25:4 Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
There are three kinds of CEOs when it comes to personal salary.
- Those who pay themselves too much,
- Those who pay themselves too little
- Those who pay themselves correctly
Proverbs 11:1-3 A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.
Fairness is a just weight? Wrong. That puts me in charge of what is fair. What is correct, based on income and expenses, that is a just weight. Hard choices. Payroll, expenses, payment schedules, all of these things need to be re-calibrated all the time, not just sometimes. “Your word is your bond, I hear that all the time.” Sometimes I see people try and correct their debts to the detriment of their family. Generally that is not possible, doesn’t end will without compromising your family, which is your first responsibility.
1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
What I’m dealing with here in Chapter 25 is blindness. Blindness to problems, cash flow and the reality of what is and what isn’t correct responsibility. The company didn’t just get here by accident, life didn’t just happen and I’m a victim. Did I get on the phone and collect receivables, run down billing, call customers, even give cash discount for payment today, whether I like that strategy or not. I am a fiduciary, my feelings on the matter, do they really matter, when my AP is tanking. Do I cut off those customers who bleed the company, pilfering out little payments to keep me captive? Or do I stand firm in faith, rather than fear.
In the ninth chapter of John, Jesus heals a blind man and the pharisees kick him out of the temple for his relationship to Jesus. A blindman is like me and you, a sinner, we can’t see, until Jesus opens our eyes. The Pharisees are those who can see and are blind to the truth. All of us here on this phone, now have eyes to see, given to us by the Lord. If the choice is made not to honor the Truth, to resist what is clearly shown in the light? You see the Pharisees were doomed then and now. They knew the scripture, the prophets and the Messiah, and still they chose to kill the Truth, as if they could. You and I are not so different, wake up!
John 9:40-41 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
You know what that means? Jesus is saying, if you knew nothing of the scriptures, prophets or Jesus, your sin would be so much less, not guilty perhaps, however, you say you see and you know the prophets, scripture and me and do not believe. You are held accountable and are doomed. I.e, they were and are doomed.
People shown the absolute truth, choose not to agree, all the way to the end of the company, the marriage, life, ministry, salvation, anything. I see it all the time. Severe problems. Blame God, country, the economy, whatever. Blame everybody except me. When truly, I’m the problem in this situation. Paid myself too much when I shouldn’t, didn’t pay myself when I should, paid other things I shouldn’t, disrespected, misused and selfishly paraded myself as leader while trashing the gift God has given in my company.
Psalm 25:4 – “Make me know Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.”
“Taking” money is different than “making” money. Have you taken money from the company, i.e. stolen? Have you overspent corporate budgets? Have you failed to collect money owed? Have you committed the horrible infraction of low bidder and lost money on not just one job, but many? Are you selling too much, not enough margin? Squeezing credit from vendors, when you know you’ll never catch up? Giving credit like a bank, which you are not? Are you blind to what is happening when you clearly see it?
2 Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
Better we all listen to Chapter 25. Agree to what is difficult, God’s Will is not convenient or easy, it is correct. Without it, loss is unavoidable. How many have I spoken to, who have said, I disagree and then paid the price. What is the price? What’s at stake? Losing all. I’ve mentioned the following phrase for many years, it scares me and it should scare you. If any of us blow it, with what has been given to us, this phrase is waiting for me to pay the piper.
“Having The memory of being special without being special anymore..”
Yea, the big shot owner of a company, gone, vapor. The story of glory days is no different than the kids saying, “yea, sure, Grandpa, the fish was this big.”
Produce, Deliver, Collect, ledger correctly, pay accordingly. Stay away from Perceived Benefit! “Borrow money, make a ton later.” Wrong, rarely, if ever, works out.
“”What was a good “perception” turned out to be a bad “perspective.””
Perception is the chatter in my head, perspective is the actual truth. What you thought it would be, in your mind, didn’t turn out to be what it is in your life now, it was surely a trap and now you’re in it. It would have been easier to do it right in the first place, make the cuts, collections and obey the Holy Scriptures.
Job 36:11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
Revolt against old ways, evolve, pay yourself according to income vs expenses. Collect your bills and correct your cash flow! Let the company pay you what is earned rather than what you think you deserve or don’t deserve. Pay people correctly, without ridiculous expectations. Live by what is actually available after expenses.
—Ephesians 5:7–11 “Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. ”
Chapter 25 is about destroying reasons to do the wrong thing.
The best thing? “Do what needs to be done,” be happy about it and pray to the Lord on all these matters to give clarity and Discernment. He absolutely is there for each one of us. Do the right thing and let the cards fall where they do. God is the dealer at the table and He controls the cards. Let Him!
Isaiah 30:21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.
Navigate creditors, negotiate higher margins, trim payroll as needed, adjust “owner’s draw” vs “payroll accordingly in a tax environment. It’s a moving target, so move with it. Be a better sharp shooter, in for a penny in for a pound, in for the good times, in for the challenge. Company perks are irrelevant to an owner, you already have the prize, the company is God’s job for you. Learn leadership, responsibility and Gospel, God’s word in all these matters of margin, and critical collection.
Philippians 4:12-13 I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy
whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One
who makes me who I am.
Proverbs 19:3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.
Remember, there are three kinds of CEO’s, those who pay themselves too much, not enough and those who pay correctly. Which one are you? Chapter 25, paying yourself 2025, it can be quite liberating or not, your choice…
—Jeremiah 7:24 “But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.”
Job 13:23 “How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make known to me my rebellion and my sin.
Chapter 25 Paying Yourself 2025, pick one of those scriptures as CEO, you can’t do them both, it’s one or the other, AMEN.
