Overseer of God’s Remnant Assembly Akintayo Emmanuel Looks at the Keys to Risk Management
Risk management is a strategic process that involves identifying, evaluating and controlling threats to an organization’s capital and earnings. In light of this rather weighty definition, one would reasonably assume that the sources of insight and instruction about risk management include business courses, business books, professional consultants, and so on. Granted, these can all provide valuable information. But there is another — and for many people, a quite surprising and unexpected — source that offers an abundance of powerful, yet practical risk management advice: the Bible.
According to Akintayo Emmanuel, the Overseer of God’s Remnant Assembly, three Bible passages in particular provide risk management illumination for businesses of all sizes, as well as for individuals that wisely want to make risk an ally instead of an enemy in their personal life: Proverbs 22:3, Ecclesiastes 4:12, and James 4:13–14.
“The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.”
Commented Akintayo Emmanuel: “Being prudent doesn’t mean that we never take risks or always settle for the status quo. Rather, it means that we remain watchful and alert, and when we identify definite or potential threats, we adjust our plans accordingly — even if it is inconvenient or not desirable. We do not blithely assume, like a little child might, that if we don’t acknowledge risk that it somehow isn’t there. Not only does it remain, but many times it becomes even more complex, dangerous, and harder to deal with down the road.”
“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
While there are some risk-related situations that we can manage ourselves, in many cases we need to reach out to others for advice, support or resources. We should never let pride or arrogance prevent us from doing this. Asking others for help, provided that we are putting in our best effort and acting in accordance with our values and principles, is never a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it is an expression of strength.
“Now listen, you who say, `Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
Commented Dr. Akintayo Emmanuel, who is also the founder of the Family Development and Samaritan Foundation (FDSF), a holistic humanitarian and philanthropic organization that is a member of the United Nations (ECOSOC): “Sometimes, we can go to the other extreme: we are so concerned about risk management, that we become terrified of seizing opportunities and taking actions. While it is wise and necessary to be prudent and reasonably cautious, we should not automatically assume that tomorrow, next month, or next year are promised to us. Otherwise, instead of managing risk, we get managed by risk.”
