“The laborer deserves his wages.”
— Luke 10:7 (ESV)

It’s funny how we quote this verse when we’re defending fair compensation for others—but hesitate to apply it to ourselves. We say it with conviction when it comes to paying staff, artisans, or day workers. But when it’s time to price our own services—our coaching, our training, our creative work—we whisper, discount, or apologize.

We nod in agreement when the Bible says a worker deserves his wages… until we’re the worker.

Maybe you’ve been there. You create a course, price it at ₦20,000, and someone responds, “Wow! That’s expensive.” Meanwhile, you’ve paid ₦200,000 for a similar course—without blinking. Why? Because you believed in the value. Because you wanted the transformation. Because you understood what it would cost you not to invest in yourself.

So why do we shrink when it’s our turn to charge?

The Parable of the Price Tag

Imagine walking into a store and seeing a beautiful handmade garment with a price tag of ₦5,000. The stitching is impeccable. The fabric feels like it was woven in heaven. You turn to the shopkeeper and ask, “Are you sure this is the real price?”

They sigh and say, “Well… I didn’t want to charge too much. I know people are struggling. I just want to help.”

Something inside you shifts. Suddenly, you’re not sure if it’s authentic anymore. You begin to wonder, “If it’s really that good, why is it so cheap?”

Now flip the script.

You’re the shopkeeper. You’ve poured your heart into what you’ve created. It’s excellent. It’s transformative. But because you’re afraid people won’t buy, you slap on a bargain-bin price—and unintentionally plant seeds of doubt in the very people you want to serve.

You’re Not Charging for Time—You’re Charging for Transformation

Let me say this clearly: you’re not charging for how long it took you to make a course or deliver a service. You’re charging for the value it creates in someone’s life or business.

Think of it this way. If someone spends ₦20,000 on your training and makes ₦200,000 from what they learn—that’s not expensive. That’s a bargain.

But if you let insecurity set the price, you rob your clients of clarity—and yourself of sustainability.

Even Jesus understood value and cost. In Luke 14:28, He asked, “Which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost?”

If God sees value in counting the cost, why do we undervalue what we bring?

Why Undervaluing Hurts More Than Just You

We often think that pricing low is a way of being kind or accessible. But let’s explore the ripple effects:

1. You Undermine Your Credibility
   People trust what they invest in. Undervaluing your work makes people question your expertise. High-value clients often assume low price = low quality.
   
2. You Attract the Wrong Clients
   Those who want everything cheap are usually the hardest to please—and the least committed to real change.
   
3. You Create Burnout
   Constantly over-delivering for underpaying clients leads to exhaustion, resentment, and mission drift.
   
4. You Model Misalignment
   You can’t teach people to invest in themselves while refusing to model it in your own business.

In trying to be generous, we sometimes sabotage the very mission we’re called to fulfill.

When you charge with clarity and conviction, you teach others to value your work—and their own growth. Share on X

The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

If you’ve ever thought of pricing as a marketing tactic, think again. It’s more of a mindset than a tactic.

When you charge confidently, you:

• Affirm the worth of your work.
• Signal transformation to your audience.
• Create space to serve with joy, not bitterness.

It’s not about arrogance. It’s about alignment.

Remember the woman with the alabaster jar? She poured out something costly because she recognized the value of who she was honoring (Mark 14:3–9). Value and honor are intertwined.

When you price your work appropriately, you’re not just honoring your gift—you’re honoring the God who gave it to you.

Let’s Get Practical: How to Price With Purpose

If you’re wondering how to apply all of this without feeling like you’re suddenly going “full capitalist”, here are a few gentle, faith-centered ways to approach your pricing:

1. Anchor Your Price in Value, Not Emotion

Instead of asking, “What will people pay?” ask, “What result will this create in their life?” Price for the outcome, not your insecurities.

2. Stop Apologizing

You don’t need to explain why you’re charging. You just need to clearly communicate what they’re getting and why it matters.

3. Offer Tiered Options

Want to serve different budgets? Great. Create tiers:

• Free or low-cost DIY (do-it-yourself eBooks, videos)
• Mid-tier DWY (done-with-you coaching groups, workshops)
• Premium DFY (done-for-you services)

This way, you’re generous and structured.

4. Practice Saying the Price Out Loud

Seriously. In the mirror. Until your voice doesn’t crack. Until it feels as normal as saying your name.

5. Add Value, Don’t Slash Prices

Instead of offering endless discounts, add bonuses. Make the offer irresistible, not cheap.

Spiritual Resistance to Prosperity

Let’s address the elephant in the room: many Christians feel guilty about charging—or even having money. Somewhere along the way, we confused humility with self-erasure.

But Scripture doesn’t condemn wealth—it condemns the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10). There’s a difference between loving money and using it wisely.

Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “It is He who gives you the power to get wealth, that He may confirm His covenant.” Your ability to create, earn, and build isn’t unspiritual. It’s a divine gift.

So the question becomes: will you steward it with courage?

What You Tolerate, You Teach

I had a mentor who built a powerful training program. He poured months into it. He launched it at a very affordable price—and was shocked when people still said it was “too much.”

But the ones who paid? They got results. They showed up. They finished strong.

Eventually, he raised the price. And the strange thing? Sales increased.

When you tolerate something you don’t really want, you’re inadvertently teaching people to keep doing that thing to you. When you act like your work is not worth investing in, others will act like that too.

So here’s your invitation: stop training people to expect discounts. Start training them to expect transformation.

Ask Yourself the Hard Questions

• Are you undercharging because you’re afraid no one will buy?
• Do you believe that your value comes from how much you give for free?
• Are you pricing your services based on your mission—or your fears?

You may need to unlearn a lot of what the world (and parts of the Church) have taught you about money, ministry, and meaning.

And once you do, everything shifts.

Every time you lower your price from fear, you limit how far your message can go. Share on X

A Spirit-Led Approach to Pricing

Remember, you’re not chasing money. God has given you the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). You have a responsibility to deploy that power in practical ways that not only create value for the people He has called you to serve but also help you capture value in return.

Here’s a Spirit-led approach to get you started:

1. Pray About Your Pricing
   Ask God for wisdom. Trust Him to lead you. Your real goal is to be a good steward of your God-given calling, not just to set a price.
   
2. Seek Wise Counsel
   Get input from mentors, coaches, or friends who’ve walked this road. Don’t price in isolation.
   
3. Pay Attention to Peace
   The right price may stretch you—but it won’t suffocate you. Let peace be your umpire (Colossians 3:15).
   
4. Trust the Process
   Some people won’t buy. That’s okay. Your ideal clients are coming—and they’ll come because they see the value, not just the cost.

Don’t let guilt keep you from charging what honors your craft, your calling, and your Creator. Share on X

You Deserve to Be Paid Because You Were Called to Create

Look, this isn’t about being greedy or self-important. It’s about being faithful.

You’ve been entrusted with knowledge, insight, and skill that can change lives. And people want to invest in solutions that matter.

So price like it matters.

Walk like it matters.

Speak like it matters.

Because it does.

A Charge to the Worthy Worker

If you’ve ever lowered your prices to please people…
If you’ve ever overdelivered out of fear…
If you’ve ever felt small for wanting to be paid…

Let this be your reminder:

You are not a burden. You are a blessing.
You are not too expensive. You are an investment.
You are not “just” a helper. You are a builder of futures.

Charge what you’re worth, not because you’re trying to prove anything, but because you finally believe that doing this does not only help others but also honors the One who sent you.