When someone considers his work “Christian,” all sorts of disturbing images come to mind:
You may remember the 2004 incident with an American Airlines pilot who, in his pre-flight announcements, asked all Christians on the plane to raise their hands and then suggested that during the flight other passengers would talk to these people about their faith. He also told passengers that he would be happy to talk to anyone with any questions. Is it understandable that this has caused panic in people: is the pilot of your plane talking to you about whether or not you are going to know Jesus?[1] Although they may have admired the type’s zeal, many Christian entrepreneurs think:?I don’t think I could do that without being fired?
- Many Christians believe that it is simply not possible to serve the kingdom of God at work.
- And that the work of this kingdom occurs? Volunteering in the church manger.
- Attending small groups.
- Going on a mission.
- Serving in the canteen.
- That our work is a necessity that must be endured to put food on the table.
- And that God’s interest in the fruit of our work is above all to give our tithe.
The Bible offers a very different perspective. Scripture teaches us how to serve God through our work, not just after work. The Bible says clear and radical words to people in the workplace, showing us that even the most modest have an essential role in God’s mission.
In fact, it is certainly no coincidence that most of the parables Jesus told had a workplace in their context, and that of the forty miracles recorded in the book of Acts, thirty-nine occurred outside the framework of a church. of the Bible seems as eager to demonstrate its power outside the walls of the church as it is within.
I want to suggest five qualities that make work “Christian. “For Christian? In this context, I mean “made by faith in Jesus Christ”. Christian work will therefore have five qualities: (1) it carries out creation, (2) seeks excellence, (3) reflects holiness, (4) shows redemption and (5) advances missions.
Christian work achieves creation
When God placed Adam in the garden of Eden, He did not simply tell him to stay away from some rotten apples. Did God put Adam in the garden to cultivate and care for him?(Genesis 2:15). Remember that God said this before the curse, stating that the work was not a punishment inflicted on Adam for his sin, but was part of God’s original plan. God’s first goal in mind for Adam was not to read a Bible or pray, but to be a good gardener.
The Hebrew word? Abbot, translated by?Cultiva?It shows exactly what God means: He has the connotation of preparation and development. Adam was placed in the garden to develop his raw material, to grow a garden. Christians can achieve the goal created by God in the same way, taking the raw materials of the world and developing them. This happens all the time, both by believers and by disbelievers. Contractors take sand and cement and use them to create buildings. Artists take color and music and harmonize them in art. Lawyers take the principles of justice and codify them into laws that benefit society.
This is God’s plan. Martin Luther, the famous German reformer, expresses it this way: “When we pray to our Father, we ask God to give us our daily bread. “And he gives us our daily bread. He does it through the farmer who planted and harvested the grain, the baker who turned the flour into bread, the person who prepared our food.
What this means is that a Christian’s secular vocation contributes to the mediation of God’s active action in the world. God is active through a person’s work to ensure that families are fed, that houses are built, that justice is done. reluctantly when they should celebrate the fact that God uses them, whatever the small role, to achieve their purposes.
Another good example of this comes from the classic film Chariots of Fire, which shows a Christian racing athlete, Eric Liddell, in his preparation for the 1924 Olympics. At one point in the film, Liddell faces the objection of his career that there are more urgent problems in a Christian’s life than simply running. Liddell replies: “I think God created me with a purpose, but he also created me quickly. And when I run, I feel God’s pleasure. ” At one time or another, while working on something we love or what we are good at, many of us have a similar feeling. It’s like we felt inside of us, literally, “I was made for this. “
Christian work seeks excellence
If our work is done? For God, it must be done with the highest standards of excellence. Paul said, “And whatever you do, whether in words or deeds, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, thanking God the Father for him?( Colossses 3:17) This should be true, whether or not we receive a reward for our work, and even if no one notices.
Let’s be honest: it’s demoralizing working for someone who doesn’t give us credit for what we’ve done, or worse yet, someone who reacts by offering only negative comments. A bad boss can turn a job that would be satisfying into an absolute terror. In such a situation, most people lose the motivation to work with excellence. After all, they may think, “What’s the point of working hard?” No one will notice it anyway, and even if they do, I certainly won’t get the credit for it. This may be a reasonable answer, but it is not a Christian answer.
Christians should strive for excellence in their work, not because they want to impress their bosses or because hard work leads to better pay, but because they are working for Christ. Lewis once observed how valleys never discovered by human eyes are still full of beautiful flowers. For whom did God create this beauty, if human eyes never saw it?Lewis’ response was that God does certain things only for his own pleasure. He even sees when no one else sees.
This perspective adds new meaning to every task performed by believers, although they know that they will never be recognized; they no longer need the approval of others in their work, because they no longer work primarily for others; they work first for Christ, and he deserves the best of them.
In reality, however, very few works go unnoticed, especially if they are poorly done. A Christian with a poor work ethic or careless academic development gives the world a terrible testimony of Christ. Can you say with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord?but when he doesn’t mind giving up his job on time or respecting his boss, he says even stronger: “I’m a gentleman myself. “By working with excellence, Christians not only serve God, but also demonstrate an attitude of service to the world.
Christian work reflects holiness
If Christians work for God, intrinsically it should make them work with excellence, but knowing that God sees everything we do should also make us work with integrity. Christian will conform to the highest ethical standards.
Paul passes to Colossars by explaining that everything we do is done concerning our Master who assists us from heaven, whom we will be aware of (Colossars 3:23-25). This means, Paul says, that even when our boss is an idiot (and many of the people Paul wrote for literally belonged to their leaders), Christians do their job for God. Our work must make it clear that we serve a God of righteousness and goodness. This means that Christian leaders should care less about criticism, and more about the fact that they will be accountable to a heavenly Master. Christian officials should do nothing reckless or lie about the work they have done. Business ethics really matter, because through it we reflect God’s character, God says that?A misleading balance: sloppy work, false balances, inaccurate timesheets, etc. Are they abominable to him? (Cf. Proverbs 11:1). Bad business ethics is not a petty problem.
Christian work shows redemption
If Christians acted in their work with equity and justice, this would only differentiate them. But those who have been touched by the gospel are not simply trying to adopt high ethical standards; they live their lives with a radically transformed perspective of gratitude. What Christ did in redeeming us for the Father produces a natural response of grace to others.
I recently heard the story of a young graduate who got a job on Madison Avenue at one of the most prestigious advertising agencies. With little time in the business, he made a mistake that cost him about $25,000. Madison Avenue is not a world defined by Grace and she hoped to be sent back at the end of the day. His boss, however, appeared before the board and convinced them to let the blame for his mistake be upon himself. When this young woman heard what her boss had done, she approached him in tears and she asked him why, in this absurdly competitive environment, he would choose to put his own neck instead of his own, and he responded by sharing how Jesus had done something similar for him, taking away the anger he deserved. of the great grace that Jesus showed him, he wanted to show the same grace to others when he had the opportunity.
This means that we have to see our work for a different purpose. We no longer seek to simply grow or maximize our personal benefit. If they are truly touched by grace, employed Christians begin to use their resources to bless those in need.
Some Christians may object to such a view. Grace is something that applies in the spiritual realm, they will say, but not in business: “Have I worked for what I have? I conquered !?, they may say. A person can certainly feel that they have accomplished everything they have, but where does their hard work ethic come from? Your intelligence? It is all the grace of God. By decree of who grew up in the United States instead of being born in a poor Brazilian neighborhood? Surely it was not by your own decree. it was also the grace of God. The very air he breathed and the food he ate were gifts of grace. Did Jesus teach that the kingdom of God belongs to the poor in spirit? ? those who recognize that all they have is a gift of grace. The spirit of the middle class? Those who believe that they are reaping the fruit of their labor will know nothing of the kingdom of God, because they have no idea of the extent of God’s grace in their life. When someone understands what grace owes them, they will begin to view every situation they find themselves in, whether in business or church, as a place not to be served, but to serve. .
The call to give our lives for the kingdom of God is not a special task for a few consecrated persons, all jesus’ disciples are called to see their lives as seeds to be planted for the kingdom of God. Jesus said that if your life was a feast, it should be given to those who cannot pay us. Sometimes I think we invented all this language of “called to ministry?”to mask the fact that most people in our churches do not live like Jesus’ disciples.
Christian work advances missions
The work done by Jesus’ disciples must be done for the Great Commission. In Acts, we see that God used non-devotee ministers (perhaps businessmen, doctors, slaves, who knows!) To bring the gospel around the world to places where the Apostles had never been. Luke reports that the first time the church “went everywhere to preach the word,” the Apostles were not involved (Acts 8:1). He also records that when Paul finally arrives in Rome to preach Christ, he is welcomed by the “Brothers” hospitals, which seem to have been there for some time (Acts 28:7). In Steven Neill’s notes in the Classical History of Missions, of the three great centers of ecclesiastical settlements in the ancient world (Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome), none were founded by an Apostle.
Similarly, Christians in today’s labour market can access strategic and unknown places more easily. Globalization, technological revolutions and urbanization have given the business community almost universal access.
Secular skills are needed to allow Christians to access countries that would otherwise quickly reject their presence. Countries that need an evangelical presence the most, the so-called?Window 10-40 ?, are devastated by poverty and unemployment. words of the gospel and the tangible reflection of God’s love that business can bring. Millions of people in this region are unemployed and without the knowledge of Christ.
One example, despite dozens of other examples, is the Iranian nation, an unaffected region that desperately needs the gospel. Today, 10 million people are looking for work in Iran, a number that could reach 20 million over the next 15 years. places like this being hit? Iran can be achieved through the efforts of ordinary Christian entrepreneurs, who bring their skills and specialties abroad. This may not be the way for all Christians, but perhaps God challenges you to consider dedicating your work to your mission promotion goals.
All Christians, of course, will not be driven to do business in an unsused people, but Jesus’ disciples must always do their job for the Great Commission. Missionary vision? For Christian work, it does well and does so, if possible, in a strategic place. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see a skilled man in his work?”Before the kings, he will be laid; not among the commoners. Believers who do their work well can be widely used in the work of the Great Commission. Their business excellence can give them an audience with “kings” and influential people from the hardest-to-reach countries.
God is interested in how Christians do their work, and wants to participate in it. Your work can make an eternal difference in the lives of those you work with, those you work for, and those you serve in your work. of the gospel to change the way you see and do your work. Have you been redeemed by grace? Now live this grace in the context of your work. You will never be able to see work the same way again.
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[1] Found in John Dickson, The Best Kept Secret of the Christian Mission (Zondervan, 2010), 172-173.
By: J. D. Greear. © Return to the Gospel. Website: voltemosaoevangelho. com. All rights reserved. Translation: Alan Cristie. Original: the impact of grace on the performance of your work.