Alan Robertson, the eldest of the four "Duck Dynasty" Robertson brothers, wrote an article for TwoTen Magazine about how his family's faith has impacted the business operations of Duck Commander.
Perhaps in the wake of his father Phil's stand for Biblical truth regarding homosexual practice, Alan writes about being like Daniel - the young man renowned for his strong faith and devotion to God - in the workplace. The Biblical account of Daniel's life highlights his dedication to the Lord in spite of strong opposition. Daniel was eventually thrown into a lion's den by the Mede King Darius, and survived the entire night through without even a broken bone. After witnessing Daniel's miraculous survival, the King declared the greatness of the God of Israel and praised Him for His mighty works (see Daniel 6:23-27).
"Daniel's story should inspire us to live bolder, work harder, and stand stronger within both our corporate and personal lives," says Alan. He told a story about his father Phil's courage to share his faith at a business convention in the early days of his duck call business - Phil decided to share the Gospel at the conclusion of his presentation for Duck Commander. Standing beneath a Budweiser advertisement, Phil reached for his Bible and said, "I told you about duck calls, but I feel like I owe you something else. I know the sign above me says 'King of Beers,' but I want to tell you about the King of Kings."
"From that moment our faith and business were connected," Alan recalls - "We purposed to defy secular culture by standing up for Christian principles within the sporting community." The Robertson family has stayed with that business model ever since, and God has blessed them immensely.
"Christians are placed in this world as a beacon of hope ... if we do not purpose to actively make a difference, who will?" Alan asks, citing Matthew 5:13-16:
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything ... You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden ... In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven" (ESV).
He challenges Christians in the workplace to trust God to do more wonderful things than they can even imagine as they serve and honor Him, and encourages them to lose their lives for the sake of Christ (see Matthew 16:24-25). He quoted Ephesians 3:20-21:
"Now to Him Who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (ESV).
"[God] will bless you beyond your wildest imaginations," Alan says - "Being a Daniel in the corporate world can be difficult, but the blessings of living the life of faith far outweigh the challenges."
Speaking from much experience in both the sporting and reality television industries, Alan counsels believers to deflect both praise and criticism from others to God - "If I'm criticized for things I say, I pass it along to Him," he says - "If I'm praised, I pass it on to Him ... God will deal with both the criticism and the praise."
"In the end, it comes down to ultimate trust in God," says Alan Robertson - "It's the best business strategy you can ever make."
