Perspective Shift - Work
For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Why do you do what you do? For most of us, we wake up go to work or school, hang out with friends and family, and Lord willing, do it again the next day. That's what we do, but why do we do that? Is it to get ahead? To have security? To provide your family with the kind of life you never had? Or is it to be a witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The Apostle Paul was seemingly being accused of trying to make converts to get them to fund his ministry. Now, at some point, disciples should be furthering the kingdom by funding ministry, but Paul is making it very clear that is not what he was doing in Thessalonica. He says that they worked night and day so they wouldn't even require any funding from the new church being started. He wanted nothing to get in the way of the Gospel proclamation taking root in the heart of the new believers. Paul literally worked so he could preach. He had absolutely nothing to gain from his endeavor. Nothing for himself anyway.
That's why I'm so baffled when I talk to people and they tell me that I made a good career decision being a pastor because I'm good in front of people, and I like to talk. I mean, don't get me wrong, I absolutely love being a pastor, but that's such an odd way of thinking about it. It's not a career decision to be a pastor. It's 100% a calling...or it should be anyway. That being said, we can all work to proclaim the gospel of God wherever we are at in life. You don't have to be Paul.
What if that's how you thought of work? Not that you would work all day and night and preach on the side (you ain't Paul, don't get crazy). But what if you thought of your job, or whatever your daily activity is as a time of being intentional? What if you saw work as the place you go to make a living while you proclaimed the gospel of God to folks? How much different would you think about going to work, if it wasn't just to punch the clock and get a pay check?
That's what happens when you start to view your whole life as belonging to the Lord. Everything we do, everywhere we go, everybody we meet should all be looked at through the lens of the Gospel. I love the word intentionality. It literally give us intention to going to work more than just paying the bills. It gives us Kingdom intention. I feel like there are so many opportunities to be intentional, but we so rarely step into them. Calvin puts it this way, For with Scripture as our guide and teacher, not only does he make plain those things that would otherwise escape our notice, he virtually forces us to behold them, as if he had assisted our dull sight with eyeglasses.
Challenge
God has given all of us "spiritual spectacles" to wear at all times. Put those suckers on, and pray that you have the boldness and wherewithal to be intentional when God shows you something or gives you an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel.
- Charlie Garrison
Why do you do what you do? For most of us, we wake up go to work or school, hang out with friends and family, and Lord willing, do it again the next day. That's what we do, but why do we do that? Is it to get ahead? To have security? To provide your family with the kind of life you never had? Or is it to be a witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The Apostle Paul was seemingly being accused of trying to make converts to get them to fund his ministry. Now, at some point, disciples should be furthering the kingdom by funding ministry, but Paul is making it very clear that is not what he was doing in Thessalonica. He says that they worked night and day so they wouldn't even require any funding from the new church being started. He wanted nothing to get in the way of the Gospel proclamation taking root in the heart of the new believers. Paul literally worked so he could preach. He had absolutely nothing to gain from his endeavor. Nothing for himself anyway.
That's why I'm so baffled when I talk to people and they tell me that I made a good career decision being a pastor because I'm good in front of people, and I like to talk. I mean, don't get me wrong, I absolutely love being a pastor, but that's such an odd way of thinking about it. It's not a career decision to be a pastor. It's 100% a calling...or it should be anyway. That being said, we can all work to proclaim the gospel of God wherever we are at in life. You don't have to be Paul.
What if that's how you thought of work? Not that you would work all day and night and preach on the side (you ain't Paul, don't get crazy). But what if you thought of your job, or whatever your daily activity is as a time of being intentional? What if you saw work as the place you go to make a living while you proclaimed the gospel of God to folks? How much different would you think about going to work, if it wasn't just to punch the clock and get a pay check?
That's what happens when you start to view your whole life as belonging to the Lord. Everything we do, everywhere we go, everybody we meet should all be looked at through the lens of the Gospel. I love the word intentionality. It literally give us intention to going to work more than just paying the bills. It gives us Kingdom intention. I feel like there are so many opportunities to be intentional, but we so rarely step into them. Calvin puts it this way, For with Scripture as our guide and teacher, not only does he make plain those things that would otherwise escape our notice, he virtually forces us to behold them, as if he had assisted our dull sight with eyeglasses.
Challenge
God has given all of us "spiritual spectacles" to wear at all times. Put those suckers on, and pray that you have the boldness and wherewithal to be intentional when God shows you something or gives you an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel.
- Charlie Garrison
Comments
Post a Comment