From those two, we infer that burying our employer’s assets instead of seeking to grow the business or to demand parity/equal pay is sinful — actually it’s wicked, scriptually speaking.

Bottomline, God holds us accountable for the work we perform and the God-given talents we use. Work is our raison d’etre!

Hmmm, La Shawn, we’ve had WORK! & BELIEVE! any chance we’ll soon read REPENT!!!?

Ciao

Thank you so much for posting this, I really needed this wake up call. I have been trying to get my foot in the door to the medical field and I have been getting really discouraged. I did need a reminder that I can do this and all I need to do is fight for it. Thanks again for the kick in the butt.

If you didn’t already know, Ron McNair, the black crewmember killed in the 1986 Challenger tragedy, was a well-known physicist. His death was a great loss to that community.

Mike

I remember McNair. – Admin

Christianity is certainly not incompatible with work. Indeed, since Man is supposed to respect natural law, and natural law as it flows from human nature impels us toward work, one might easily conclude that God wants us to work. Certainly He doesn’t want us to have it too easy; that’s quite clear from the neutral zone trap, the impossibility of finding decent jeans in 36 / 30, and the (otherwise inexplicable) existence of Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, and Howard Dean.

Check out http://www.marketplaceleaders.org. The founder, Os Hillman, has an incredible testimony and is a leader and in the Faith/Work movement as such. He has a wonderful daily devotional called TGIF, which means Today God Is First. It really helped me through some tough times working the grave yard shift at a job I hated. But I learned there was purpose even in working a job I couldn’t stand (other than the obvious—feeding the babies!). Check it out. It’s great!

Whatever being the key word. When I studied this subject as a college course with Moody, God really opened my eyes to a lot that I didn’t understand. One of the things that became clear to me is that a man who is called by God to be a garbage collector and does so faithfully everyday, is being a better servant to God than a preacher who has been called to be a missionary to the West Side of Chicago but takes a job at a downtown church because the pay was much better.

Wherever we are, whatever we do, being in obedience to God in it (and that includes being where we are called) makes it a Holy task.

Here is a search result for the word “work” in Scripture. There’s a great deal of references to work and it gives an idea of how God views work.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

When we find our entire identity in the work, utilizing our talents and spiritual gifts from God, we can say “I am a ______” and be perfectly healthy!

Our occupations are a different thing. Apostle Paul didn’t find his identity in being a tent-maker. His job/calling/ministry of life was that as Apostle to the Gentiles, and that he could say was who he was inside and out.

The only lasting and true identity worth having is one wrapped up in the eternal Christ Jesus. Everything else is dust in the wind.

This verse is part of the Bible’s description of a holy person.

I did not mean to attack all Christians (I would be attacking most of my friends and family if I did), just the guy in the quote who tried to tell others that I can’t find meaning without being a Christian.

Sir, for your sake I hope you do not have to see and feel the wounds on Christ’s hands, feet, and side before you believe. It may be too late at that point.