The Christian Working Woman

Everyone talks about love, so what in the world could I say about love that hasn’t already been said thousands of time and much more eloquently? I find talking about love is pretty easy, but putting it into practice can be quite challenging. Love is such an abused word that it almost becomes meaningless in today’s culture. But when we understand the Bible’s definition of love, it becomes quite a challenge. If you and I are going to be the kind of lovers the Bible says we should be, we’ll need some help in knowing how to practice love. That’s my goal. I’ve prepared a two-week plan to help you and me learn to practice love by the Bible’s definition. The truth is, if you’re not intentional about putting God’s principles into practice, they just remain words on the pages of your Bible. They don’t become transformational in your life. That’s why I often use specific plans, in writing, to keep me on track and help me do what I really want to do. This two-week plan is based on 1 Corinthians 13, which gives us very explicit and practical instruction on just what it means to love. It has very little to do with our emotions, but it has everything to do with our attitudes and our actions. This plan will help you focus on one thing at a time—one characteristic of real love each day—and give you ideas on how to implement them in your life. The Apostle Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus that they would be “rooted and established in love.” In John 13, Jesus says to his disciples, A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35). I think it’s so interesting Jesus says this is a new command; loving one another wasn’t required under the Law but under the New Covenant, under grace, we have a new commandment, and it is to love as we have been loved by Jesus. I invite you to join me in this two-week plan to practice love. It’s important we take this love thing seriously, and if you will join me in learning to practice love, I think it will be transformational for you and me.

I want to begin by saying that God has put each of us who are Christ-followers in this time, in this place in history, as we read in Esther, “for such a time as this.” So, we must first see this as an opportunity, privilege, and blessing to be part of God’s plan for this time. It’s no accident that we are living in this culture. Now, here’s my first suggestion for sharing the gospel with people who don’t care: Share your life. If anyone is going to be open to the gospel, it will be because they sense we are real people and we really care about them. Don’t you hate those cold calls you get trying to sell you something? Usually, they try to sound so friendly and make you think they really care about you personally when they’re selling a new cable system or whatever. But no matter how slick their presentation may be, you know they don’t know you and they don’t really care about you. They’re just trying to make a sale. If we come off that way when we talk about our faith in Jesus Christ, it simply won’t work. In reaching the people in Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul wrote that: we dared to tell you this gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you (1 Thessalonians 2:2-3). He was facing very similar circumstances there as we do here, and he made it known that he was sharing the gospel with them because he cared for them. His motivation was transparent and pure. There was no hidden agenda with him. He further wrote: We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us (1 Thessalonians 2:8). When people believe we are sharing our faith in Jesus Christ with them because they are dear to us and that we are sharing not only our faith, but our lives with them, then there’s hope that they will begin to believe the gospel is relevant, real, and worthy of consideration. So, if there are some people in your life right now who just simply don’t seem to care about things of God, about hearing the truth of the gospel, don’t be discouraged and don’t give up. Share your life with them and let them know you care about them personally. That is a big step one in sharing the gospel with people who don’t care. Here’s another suggestion that can be powerful—tell stories. I never cease to be amazed at the power of storytelling. Jesus used parables almost exclusively in his short ministry on earth. That should give us the first clue that storytelling is an effective way of sharing truth because you and I will listen to a story, give it our full attention, and remember it better than anything else. Stories stick with you. Stories from the Bible are, of course, very powerful, so the more familiar you are with the stories of Scripture, the more you can tell them to others. For example, suppose you have a friend who is grieving over a wayward son or daughter. You could at an appropriate time tell them the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) and encourage them to believe that there is hope for their child, too. Or if you’re in a discussion about social issues, helping the poor, homeless people, or something similar, you could tell the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). You don’t have to read from the Bible; just tell the stories of the Bible in your own words. I think of a friend, Kate, who spent five years in Afghanistan in a culture totally opposed to the gospel. She was very effective at sharing the gospel in that environment. Besides loving the people and caring about them, she also found that telling the stories of the Bible was the best way possible to share truth with them. Time and again God opened a door for her to share a Bible story. The women listened and learned, and many came to saving faith. Keep in mind it is not your job to win people to Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. It is your job and mine to sow seeds that may take root and bloom into eternal life. We can’t make them take root and bloom; all we can do is sow seeds, and stories can be very powerful seeds we sow. Remember the basic principles of sowing and reaping: You reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow, and you reap in a different season than you sow. So, those seeds of storytelling may not produce anything right away, but they’re like time bombs of truth that can explode at any time. That’s another great reason to sow good stories into the lives of our children as they grow, isn’t it? Another important thing to remember, if you want to share the gospel with people who just don’t care, is that your motivation must come from a heart of unconditional love. It must be clear that you love the person whether they ever become a Christian or not. So, the first thing is to ask yourself is: Do you love them unconditionally. Now, the kind of love that I’m talking about is described in 1 Corinthians 13. It is not necessarily good feelings or warm fuzzies. It i

Presented by Lauren Stibgen As women at work, we are still faced with many challenges despite all the progress that has been made. More than ever, women have excelled and held leadership positions. Pay equity has improved but surely isn’t perfect, and there is still bias in the workplace as seen in how people respond to men presenting an idea versus women. What does this have to do with being an ambassador? Well, if self doubt creeps in, your role as an ambassador can feel diminished or difficult. But we would be remiss if we didn’t look to an amazing example in the Bible of how the women who followed Jesus were walking counter culturally for their time. After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means (Luke 8:1-3). Again, we see women with imperfect past lives were following Jesus and providing for the ministry! What is significant about this? Mary Magdalene. In John 20:11-18 we find Mary at the tomb looking for the body of Jesus. He appears to her first as the resurrected Christ and tells her, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her (John 20:17-18) In Mark 16:11, we learn that when they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. This did not stop her from serving as an ambassador to Jesus in the resurrection! She boldly went to them and proclaimed he had risen. To me, Mary is an encouragement. Despite her likely knowing she would not be taken seriously, she still did as Jesus commanded her. How can you follow Jesus’ command today even if you are feeling self-doubt? Surely, he will equip you for every good work!

Presented by Lauren Stibgen How will God use me as an ambassador? I have such a terrible past and I really don’t know how he will ever use me! How often do thoughts of your past life as a citizen of this world creep into your mind? Are you overcome with thinking God cannot use you as an ambassador for Jesus at work? I hope you are a regular reader of the Bible and abiding in this way! If not, I want to take this moment to encourage you to pick up a Bible reading plan because this is the best way to see how God can redeem and use anyone for his glory! Even if you are not in the Word daily, you surely have heard of the apostle Paul. In fact, Paul was used by God to write the most books in the Bible! What do you know about Paul? What I can tell you is he was one of the most ardent adversaries of the followers of Jesus Christ. In fact, many of the followers at that time were met in persecution and even execution for their faith under the direction of Paul who was, at the time, named Saul. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison (Acts 8:3). He speaks of his life contrary to following Jesus in Acts 26:9-11. But God changed Saul in an instant and redeemed him to be one of his greatest ambassadors! Saul is renamed Paul. You can read about this in Acts 9:1-19. Was this you? Were you walking in a way contrary to leading people to faith in Jesus? Maybe you were making fun of the Christian lifestyle, but now you whole heartedly follow Jesus. Paul went to prison for his belief in Jesus. He worshiped in prison. He wrote letters (the Epistles) to tell the early church to repent and follow the ways of Christ. Paul was beaten for his faith. All of this was after an entire life persecuting the church! Paul was able to use his past life to be a testimony of the huge change Jesus made in his life. Have you prepared to share your testimony? Sometimes sharing your testimony can be one of the most powerful ways Jesus uses you as his ambassador.

Presented by Lauren Stibgen We know we are to renew our minds daily! How can we focus on being ambassadors of Jesus? What happens when we are overcome and fail to be the best representatives of Jesus? Let’s look at two examples of this. One ends in despair, and the other ends with beautiful redemption and an even deeper commitment to being an ambassador for Jesus. Temptation is around every corner in this world. It was back in the time of Jesus, and it is today. We got a sneak peek into the heart of Judas yesterday with his rebuke of Mary in the anointing of Jesus feet. We also know Judas betrayed Jesus. In Matthew 26:14-16 we see Judas’s greed take over. Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over (Matthew 26:14-16). In the end, after Jesus’ death, we know Judas is grieved and tries to return the money! When he cannot, he ends up taking his own life. He had betrayed Jesus! But we also see the other side of this in the story of Peter’s denial in Luke 22:54-62. Not only did Jesus predict Peter would deny knowing him, we see how grieved Peter is when he realizes this! The rooster crows three times, Peter sees the Lord, remembers the Lord’s words, and weeps bitterly. Peter’s heart was grieved. One can consider he had a repentant heart. When Peter meets the resurrected Jesus on the shores, we see Jesus question him in John 21:17. Do you love me? He does this three times. And then Jesus commands him to feed my sheep. Your role as an ambassador will not be easy. Temptations will come and sometimes it will be easier to deny Jesus than it will be to boldly speak of your faith. If you do end up like Judas (hopefully not) or Peter, your repentance and return to Jesus are critical to your future kingdom work as an ambassador for Jesus! Jesus sees your heart; he knows and feels your repentance.

Presented by Lauren Stibgen One of the ways we can show up as ambassadors for Jesus at work is in the sacrifices we make for others. This can show up in different ways. Maybe it is a financial sacrifice or perhaps it is the sacrifice of time or even placing yourself aside to shine the light on someone other than yourself. All of this can feel costly! And most of the actions we will take as ambassadors of Jesus in this world will be counter to what the culture of this world tells us we should do. In John 12:1-8, we see a costly and counter sacrifice. Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it (John 12:1-6). In the remaining verses we see Jesus rebuke Judas and tell him to leave her alone for he would not always be with them. In this time, her sacrifice was costly. What about today? If you are a leader with a budget and times are tight with the company, how will this impact pay increases and rewards for your people? Would you be willing to forgo an increase, so your team can be properly rewarded for their hard work? This would be counter to what culture tells you to do. Perhaps your team had a big win for the company. In a meeting, the CEO praises you very specifically for this win. Rather than accepting all this praise, how are you shining the light back to the contributions of your team? Perhaps it is as simple as time, which also can be costly. Are you seeing a colleague struggle with a project? Perhaps you offer to help them. Maybe the cost is defending your faith at work. In a way, we see Mary representing her faith in Jesus with the costly sacrifice of this anointing. She did what was counter to the culture. Is someone making fun of people who believe in Jesus? It may feel costly to speak up, but it is one way you can be an ambassador for the kingdom you serve.

Presented by Lauren Stibgen If you have followed our ministry over the years, you know the word ambassador is part of our purpose. More specifically, the purpose of The Christian Working Woman is to encourage, equip and empower Christians in the workplace to love Christ more, to live their daily lives by biblical principles, and to go to their jobs as ambassadors for Jesus Christ. To me, the title of ambassador feels important—high ranking, a leader. Ambassadors represent their country to foreign delegations. We are ambassadors of a heavenly delegation! In John 17:16 Jesus states, “They are not of this world, just as I am not of it.” Underscoring this delegation we have here in the world. The word ambassador comes from a Latin word ambactus, which means servant. Although ambassadors are diplomats and representatives to a foreign country—in our case, a heavenly country—being an ambassador truly means we are here to serve others for Jesus Christ. Are you a willing servant for Jesus at work? And are you keeping your citizenship top of mind as you walk in the workplace each day? This world is loud. The busyness and activity in our days often overshadows our citizenship and can cloud our very best efforts to be ambassadors for Jesus at work! Romans 12:2 holds a bold reminder for this reason. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). How are you starting your days? Do you pause to think about how you are being transformed in your faith? Do you stop to seek God’s will for your day? How can you seek what is good, acceptable, and perfect for your day? Don’t let the world overcome you! Be mindful and on watch to prepare to be the best ambassador or servant you can be.

Jesus promised us many good things, but he also warned of the sacrifice we would face as his followers and more importantly in our work as his ambassadors. As we consider how we represent Jesus as ambassadors in the workplace, we really need to consider what Jesus says about the reality of this role and take counsel from how some of the best ambassadors in the Bible handled this. In John 15:18-20a Jesus told his disciples: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” The word ambassador comes from the Latin root of ambacus, meaning servant. The servant or ambassador in these verses from John is not greater than his master. If your master is Jesus, you can count on all the hatred and persecution that he experienced. But how might this hatred or persecution show up for us as we represent Christ at work by serving others? First, let’s really think about why we are persecuted in this world—at work or in general. We are in a foreign country, ruled by the prince of the power of the air, not in the heavenly realms. More specifically, we can count on the devil trying to thwart our good efforts to serve God’s Kingdom! 1 Peter 5:8 states: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. We must be watchful and aware that this can happen at any time, and when we are feeling discouraged in our serving, we need to consider this verse. We have all faced this, especially when we are sharing our faith with someone at work. The enemy wants to sow the seeds of self-doubt to thwart our efforts! You have been there. People notice you are different. Maybe you are positive when it seems like you shouldn’t be. Perhaps it is how you lead and provide feedback to your team. Are you more uplifting than anyone in your office—always looking to be a mighty encourager, and coach? Are you offering help? Maybe you have even bought a coffee for someone who was having a bad day. As ambassadors we show our faith by saying no to certain things that others engage in at work. Whether it is gossip or not attending a happy hour that seems to happen often, you may feel like you don’t fit in with your colleagues. Rest assured your absence from both gossip and even a wild happy hour honors the Lord, and you are being his servant at work by not engaging. Are you showing up and reporting something that needs to be brought to light? Maybe it is a simple compliance issue, or it could be something more egregious like theft. This is being Christ’s ambassador. All these actions are your faith at work 1.0—ways to be an ambassador without even telling people about your faith. But what if someone calls you out for sitting out? How will you answer? It is easy to walk away from gossip and to reply no to an outing, but what if someone asks why? What happens if someone gets upset when you report the wrongdoing? Or what about when someone inserts a small comment, “Gosh you are so different than everyone else here,” Or “Why are you so positive all the time?” They simply want to know about your joy! 1 Peter 3:13-17 outlines the expectation of our reply! Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. First, there is no harm in doing good and being passionate about it! But again, the reminder that we may suffer for it. And then more encouragement to have no fear and always be ready to make a defense for your actions! Better good with God than bad with the world that we truly don’t belong to any longer. Jesus has equipped us for every good work of service we will do as his ambassadors! In John 14:26 Jesus tells his disciples, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” We have the Holy Spirit as our guide to help us through these very scenarios of doubt or fear when our good service comes into question! What about when you have taken the next step, and you are talking about your faith in Jesus Christ? People know you go to church, and you pray for things. Maybe you have even prayed for someone at work. Awesome! Telling people more about w

Fran has to deal with a coworker who often is profane and obscene. In a meeting he makes a point of using the Lord’s name in vain and then sarcastically apologizes to Fran for hurting her feelings. Jesus helps Fran to respond. “Actually, Bud, you didn’t hurt my feelings; you hurt my heart,” Fran answers. Suddenly the whole room gets quiet, and everyone is watching Bud and Fran. Nobody is really fond of Bud’s vile language, but he’s been in the company for years. So, no one confronts him, not even upper management. Bud gives a nervous laugh. “Hurt your heart? What do you mean, Fran?” “Well, I just mean when you use the name of Jesus like that, it really hurts me because he’s the most important person in my life. He’s my best friend. How would you like it if I used the name of your best friend—or someone close to you—in a derogatory way? I think it would hurt your heart, Bud, just like you hurt mine,” Fran says. She thinks, Lord, were those words from you? I never planned to say that! “Oh, Fran, you take things too personally. That’s just the way people talk,” Bud replies, obviously unnerved by Fran’s response. The air is full of electricity. Jesus nudges Fran, “It’s time to get this conversation out of this public arena. Invite him to lunch.” “Invite him to lunch, Lord? Bud? I don’t want to have lunch with him—and besides he would never accept,” Fran replies, but Jesus is insistent. Invite him to lunch, Fran. When Jesus tugs at her like that, she knows she has to obey, so Fran turns to Bud, “You know, Bud, this would make for an interesting conversation over lunch today. How about it—my treat?” “You’re inviting me to lunch? You think you can endure me that long, Fran?” Bud asks with a big laugh. “I’m sure of it—if you think you can put up with me that long,” Fran answers with a laugh. “Okay, you got a deal. I never turn down a free lunch,” Bud replies. All through the meeting Fran communicates to Jesus about this upcoming lunch with Bud. “Lord, what am I’m going to say to Bud?” “You’re going to become friends with Bud, Fran, and let him see what I’m like, living in you. How can you ever do that if you never get to know him?” Jesus explains to Fran. “Well, okay, but it’s probably wasted effort. Bud’s a hopeless case,” Fran thinks. “Oh, Fran, many times the people who look the least likely to want to know me are the ones most hungry. You may be surprised,” Jesus informs her. Fran is learning that witnessing begins with loving people, spending time with them, getting to know them—even the people who seem to be the least likely candidates.

If you’ve been reading all week, you’ve read the continuing story of Fran, who gave up a free night to listen to a neighbor talk about her broken relationship. The next morning as she talks with Jesus early in her day, she says, “You know, Lord, I had hoped I could tell Sue about you last night. She really needs you, Lord, but I don’t know—she didn’t seem to want to listen. She just wanted to talk about Ed.” “Fran, you’re sowing seeds. You did the right thing to listen to Sue. You showed her love, and that’s what she needed last night,” Jesus assures Fran. “Yes, but I don’t want her to think I approve of her relationship with Ed. She was living in sin, and it’s a good thing he left, you know?” Fran responds. “Yes, I know, but listening to someone’s hurts doesn’t mean you approve of their lifestyle. Don’t worry, Sue knows how you feel about her relationship. Last night she needed to know that you cared and loved her unconditionally,” Jesus replies. “Okay, but I hope someday to be able to lead her to know you, Jesus.” “Yes, well, you certainly earned your right last night, Fran, so keep praying for her,” Jesus says. And after a few more minutes in prayer, Fran gets her day going, a little weary, but feeling good about her evening with Sue. As she arrives at the office, Fran remembers there’s a department meeting this morning. “Oops, better get into that meeting before I’m late,” she says, and hurries to the conference room. It seems the only chair available is right next to Bud, head of operations. Fran is not terribly fond of Bud. He’s crude, to put it mildly, and uses profanity a lot, not to mention dirty jokes when he has a chance. “Oh, Fran, don’t tell me you’re going to sit next to me,” Bud says as she sits down. “Be careful, you might catch something.” Bud always tries to get to Fran, and it seems as soon as she gets near, his language gets worse. She tries to ignore his comment, but he immediately uses the Lord’s name in a blasphemous way. Fran winches at his words. “Oh, ‘scuse me, Fran, I forgot you’re a Jesus freak, didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” Bud says, with obvious sarcasm. Lord, Fran whispers to Jesus, am I supposed to just sit here and let Bud get by with this profane use of your name? “Stay calm,” Jesus replies. “I’ll tell you what to say.”

Fran has run into a neighbor who needs a friend, and although Fran had planned a quiet evening for herself, at Jesus’ prodding, she gives Sue a call. “Hi, Sue, this is Fran. Listen, I don’t have anything I have to do tonight. Why don’t you come on over in a little while. The kids go to bed around 8:30 or 9:00. We’ll have some time then to talk. I’ve got good ears, Sue, and I’m willing to listen,” Fran invites Sue over. “Yeah, I’m sure; see you later,” Sue responds. As she hangs up the phone, Fran smiles. “You know, Lord, I didn’t really plan to do that, but when I started thinking about Sue and how I’d feel if I were in her shoes, well…” Fran’s voice trails off. “Yes, Fran, you just put on compassion. You have prayed that I would help you to be a compassionate person, so I just answered that prayer,” Jesus tells her. “When you care about someone, when you feel compassion toward them, it’s not so difficult to be a servant to them, is it?” “Oh, I didn’t think of it as being a servant; I just wanted to help her. I hope I can,” Fran replies. “True servanthood,” he says, “is when you are a servant and don’t even realize it. And that happened, Fran, as soon as you stopped thinking about how inconvenient it was and how you had a right to have a night all your own. Instead, you thought about Sue.” “I get the picture, Lord,” Fran replies. “Keep praying for compassion, keep putting myself in other’s shoes, and day by day, you will answer my prayer and make me more like you—compassionate. It really is amazing to see how you can change me,” Fran says. She helps the kids with their homework, and as they’re getting ready for bed, Sue knocks on the door. It turns out to be a late night for Fran, as Sue talks for several hours and pours out her hurt and pain from her broken relationship. Fran falls in bed about midnight, exhausted, praying for Sue as she goes to sleep. Jesus reminds her Sue is desperate for love. She doesn’t know his love, so she’s looking for it in a man. That happens a lot, doesn’t it? She and Jesus talk a bit about Sue’s dilemma, and before she knows it, Fran has reached for the phone and dialed Sue’s number. Fran continues with Sue: “I’m sure this has been very hurtful for you, Sue. Sorry. I didn’t know.” “Well, maybe I could talk with you sometime when you have time. I know how busy you are…” Sue looks at Fran with hopeful eyes. “Of course, we’ll get together soon, I promise,” Fran replies, and with that they each head for the check-out stand.

Have you ever wondered how you can befriend a non-believer whose lifestyle is sinful, without appearing to approve of the sin? Fran is facing that dilemma. On the way home from work, she runs into a neighbor, Sue, who tells Fran that her live-in boyfriend has just moved out. Sue is obviously upset and wants to talk, and Fran promises to call her soon. In the check-out line, Jesus says to Fran, “You know, Sue is really needing a friend right now, Fran. Why didn’t you invite her to come over tonight and talk?” “Tonight? Well, Lord, you know this is the first night in two weeks I’ve had to myself. I just want to be alone and read after the kids go to bed,” Fran replies, sounding a bit defensive. “Yeah, I understand, Fran, but can you afford to pass up an opportunity like this to reach out to someone who was obviously asking you to help her?” Jesus asks. “Well, I’ll call her and set up a date next week for pizza or something,” Fran answers, hoping that will satisfy Jesus. “Next week?” he replies. “Next week is a long time off when you’re hurting like Sue is.” As she heads for the car, Jesus doesn’t say anything else, but Fran is very uncomfortable. She pulls into her driveway, and says, “Lord, you really think I should give up my one free night and ask Sue over tonight? I mean, don’t I have a right to one night to myself?” “A right? Well, think about that, Fran,” Jesus says. “I gave up my rights to all that was coming to me when I left heaven to come to earth. The essence of the Christian life is that we give our rights over to God and allow him to run things for us. You remember I said, ‘Not my will, but thine be done.'” Fran remembers in a flash all she has been learning about giving up her rights and being a servant. But when the rubber hits the road, as it has this evening, she finds it a bit difficult. “Guess I really don’t like being a servant sometimes, Lord,” Fran replies, as she sits in the car a few more minutes. “It’s not always convenient, is it,” Fran says with a smile. “No, sometimes it’s terribly inconvenient and requires sacrifice. But the rewards are good, Fran,” Jesus reminds her. As she makes dinner for the kids, her mind again goes to Sue. She thinks Sue must be devastated. Ed was her whole life, and now he’s gone. Fran knew he would never marry her, but Sue thought for sure if they just lived together for a few months, then he’d want to get married. Jesus reminds her Sue is desperate for love. She doesn’t know his love, so she’s looking for it in a man. That happens a lot, doesn’t it? She and Jesus talk a bit about Sue’s dilemma, and before she knows it, Fran has reached for the phone and dialed Sue’s number. Fran continues with Sue: “I’m sure this has been very hurtful for you, Sue. Sorry. I didn’t know.” “Well, maybe I could talk with you sometime when you have time. I know how busy you are…” Sue looks at Fran with hopeful eyes. “Of course, we’ll get together soon, I promise,” Fran replies, and with that they each head for the check-out stand.

Knowing how to witness to others is often a perplexing question for many of us. Our friend Fran is facing that issue. This on-going story of Fran and Jesus is told as though Jesus was with her all day, and she talks to him and he to her. Of course, Jesus is with us all the time, but sometimes we forget. Hopefully, these stories of Fran and Jesus will help us remember to practice the presence of Jesus everyday everywhere. Fran is hurrying home from work. “It seems like I always have to stop at the store for something,” Fran thinks. “You know, Lord, if I didn’t have to buy groceries, I’d be rich,” she muses. “But with a growing nine-year-old boy, he just seems to never get enough. I’m thankful you told us not to worry about what we eat or wear, because you know we have need of these things,” Fran says to Jesus. She is reassured by the promise Jesus will never leave her or forsake and has indeed promised to supply all her needs according to his riches in glory. She pulls into the grocery parking lot and dashes into the store, practically running through the aisles to find the things she needs. In the midst of her hurry, she hears a voice, “Hey, Fran!” She turns and sees her neighbor. “Sue, hi. How are you? Goodness, I haven’t seen you in several weeks. Good to see you,” Fran says in a friendly way. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about calling and stopping in to talk, but—well, I know how busy you are with the kids and everything,” Sue says. “How about your job, Sue? Did you get that new job you were hoping for?” Fran asks. “No, I decided not to even apply for it, Fran,” Sue answers. “I’m sure I didn’t have a chance, and besides. . .” her voice trails off, and Fran can tell something is wrong. “What’s wrong, Sue? You look a little upset,” Fran encourages her to talk. Sue looks around, uncomfortable talking in the middle of the store. “Well, Ed moved out a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve just been upset, I guess.” “Oh, I see,” Fran replies. “I’m, well I’m…” What can I say, Lord? Fran asks Jesus. I’m not sorry Ed moved out; they shouldn’t have been living together anyway. “Just show her some love, Fran,” Jesus responds. “You can show love for people even if you don’t approve of what they’re doing.” Fran continues with Sue: “I’m sure this has been very hurtful for you, Sue. Sorry. I didn’t know.” “Well, maybe I could talk with you sometime when you have time. I know how busy you are…” Sue looks at Fran with hopeful eyes. “Of course, we’ll get together soon, I promise,” Fran replies, and with that they each head for the check-out stand.

My friend Judy was a missionary living in Nairobi, Kenya. She traveled a good deal in and around Nairobi, and if you’ve ever been there, you know it’s pretty much a continual traffic jam. And there are always people lined up on the streets selling everything you can imagine—including to my horror, puppies. One day Judy was traveling with her driver, Baraza, and she saw a woman selling bananas, with a baby strapped to her back and two others playing at her feet. Judy told Baraza, “Pull over; I want to buy some bananas.” She gave him the equivalent of about two dollars and told him to buy all her bananas—about 20. “But Sister,” he said, “why are you buying 20 bananas? You can’t eat that many.” “Just buy them,” she told him. He was baffled as to why Judy would want so many bananas, since she lives alone, but he did as she insisted. When he paid the lady for all her bananas, her face lit up with a huge, incredulous smile. That probably represented two days of food for her and her family. Baraza said, “Sister, did you see how happy she was. You did a good thing for her.” Then they traveled on, and Judy saw a crippled man with only one leg by the side of the road. She told Baraza to stop and give him some bananas. Once again, Baraza saw how thrilled the man was to get the bananas. This went on for their entire journey until Judy had given away all the bananas. Baraza—who is a wonderful believer—said, “Sister, this was so good. I can do this. I can give away bananas.” And as a result, Baraza began to carry bananas, apples, and other fruit with him to give to people randomly as God led him. So, he had a banana ministry. What do you have in your hands that could easily become gifts of love to the people in your life—strangers, coworkers, family, friends—whoever? I’m suggesting that every one of us should look for our banana ministry—something we intentionally do to share the love of God. You’re probably familiar with the phrase “random acts of kindness.” Actually, it has become a movement, encouraging people to purposely plan and perform kind acts for others. Lots of research has been done that shows the incredible benefits for the person who decides to plan and execute random acts of kindness. According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high.” Isn’t it interesting that when people follow the principles of Scripture, whether they are believers or not, they discover it benefits everyone. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone. . . (2 Timothy 2:24). And to the church in Colossae he wrote: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12). He was preaching “random acts of kindness” long before the term was coined. Certainly, as followers of Jesus Christ, we should share “random acts of kindness” more than any others because we have the Holy Spirit, and we also have the great privilege of showing God’s love to a loveless, often cruel world. And then, as the studies show, we discover what Jesus told us—it is truly more blessed to give than to receive. Let me tell you about my friend, Kiyoko, a Japanese woman in my church. She was inspired to use her creativity to share the gospel. So, she made beautiful little bookmarks with a Bible verses, using things people throw away, like candy wrappers. She carried her bookmarks with her and whenever she had an opportunity—with a stranger, a store clerk, someone she sat by on the bus or airplane—she gave them one of her bookmarks. She called them “born-again bookmarks,” and explained how she makes them from scraps of paper that people throw away. This opened the door for her to tell them that her born-again bookmarks were nice, but they will eventually fall apart. Then she shared the good news that when a person is born again through faith in Jesus Christ, it will last for all eternity. And she told her story of how God has made her into his daughter and given her a purpose, even though it looked as though her life was useless and wasted. She has given away over 300 born-again bookmarks. Can you imagine how many times those bookmarks have been looked at, read, used—and how many seeds have been sown in the hearts of many people? Kiyoko used her creative gift—her skill at origami—to share the truth of the gospel. It’s a ministry she developed on her own to fulfill the Great Commission of taking the gospel to others. She didn’t need a team of people to help her, or a program at church to be a part of. She simply saw a way God could use her to share his gospel in her world. So, what is your banana ministry or your born-again bookmark idea that you could develop on your own to share God’s love and the gospel with others in you

Are you a risk taker? Jesus asks us to take risks for him. He challenges us to lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel. He warned us our lives might incur hard times and persecutions, just as his did. But you can be sure of this: It is better to lose your life than it is to waste it. Let me quote from John Piper’s booklet, Risk Is Right: “Therefore, it is right to risk for the cause of Christ. It is right to engage the enemy and say, ‘May the Lord do what seems good to him.’ It is right to serve the people of God, and say, ‘If I perish, I perish!’ It is right to stand before the fiery furnace of affliction and refuse to bow down to the gods of the world. At the end of every other road—secure and risk-free—we will put our face in our hands and say, ‘I’ve wasted it!’ But at the end of the road of risk, taken in reliance on the blood-bought promises of God, there will be fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.” The kind of risk-taking we should do for Jesus is not the impulse of being a hero, or the lust for adventure. If our motives are to heap praise and glory for ourselves, we are doing it for the wrong reasons. And we don’t take risks for Jesus to earn his acceptance or gain his approval. It has to be about doing it for the love of Christ—nothing more, nothing less. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). When the love of Christ compels you, then the risk is a no-brainer. You just have to do it because Jesus loves you so much, and he has redeemed your life and given you hope and purpose. And now you have the privilege to do something risky out of love for him. Regardless of what God is leading you to do, I can promise you it will be bigger than you are, and it will be risky. It will require you to live by faith and not by sight. It will test you and frighten you, but that’s where the blessing is, where the abundant life is. Don’t miss it. If God is for you, who can be against you?

Do you know someone who has taken a big risk for Jesus? We’ve looked at two women in Scripture who took great risks—Esther and Deborah. But what about a contemporary risk-taker? Let me tell you about my dear friend, Donnita Travis, who left her very successful career in marketing to begin an after-school ministry for under-served children in the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago. In 2001 she began with 16 children, coming three days each week to our church for tutoring, teaching, and nourishing. Now there are over 1,200 children involved in By the Hand Club in four different locations in our city, and it is absolutely mind-boggling to see how God is using this ministry to bring children hope and love and help them reach their potential. These children not only improve in their schoolwork, but they also hear the gospel clearly and are loved by the staff. The success stories are abundant. You can learn the whole story by going to bythehand.org. I look at Donnita and think, if only I had faith like she does, or if only I had her management and marketing skills. And of course, she is uniquely gifted. But it’s much more than that. Donnita heard God’s call on her life, and she simply said, like Esther, “God has put me here for such a time as this.” She took enormous risks and for over twenty-five years has boldly moved forward with ever-growing impact on our city. But let me tell you one more thing: It’s been loads of hard work, long days, many serious safety and legal issues to resolve. It’s not an easy road. There are days I see her and know she is simply tired to the bone. But she keeps doing what God has put her here to do, and God is blessing. I know God doesn’t call all of us to such highly visible tasks, but I know he calls each of us to step out on faith, take a risk, and be willing to let him do through us what he alone can do. Are you standing on the brink of a new challenge? Does your heart tell you this is what God wants you to do? The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Don’t miss the great thing God has for you to do because you’re not willing to take the risk.

Do you know the story of Deborah, who was a judge in Israel? Deborah was a risk-taker for the Lord. This woman was way ahead of her time. She had to take an enormous risk—and that was to go herself and lead her army into battle. Barak was the leader of the army, but he said, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” Maybe he thought she never would agree to go into battle and that would get him off the hook. If so, she fooled him. She said, “Very well, I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours…” Obviously she recognized he was not the brave leader he should be. So, she took a risk. You can read her story in Judges 4—an amazing story of how God gave her and her army victory over their much larger enemy. I wonder what it is that makes one person willing to take a risk for God and another is not. Isn’t it true we are prone to trust those we know, but if we don’t know someone too well, we’re less willing to trust them? No doubt our trust in God has a lot to do with our willingness to take a risk for him. It’s at these times—when there is some risk involved—that we find out just whether we trust God or not—or how much we trust him. God wants us to take risks as he leads us and allow him to do through us what we could never do on our own. We should attempt something so great for God that only he could do it. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way (Psalm 18:36). Ron Hutchcraft tells the story of how he had to overcome a fear of walking across a slippery pipe to cross a stream so he could see an incredible waterfall. He was afraid to do it and was ready to back out, but his friends encouraged him to walk across the pipe so he could see this beautiful waterfall. He finally took the risk and made it across. And he reports the risk was more than worth it because the view was awesome. When we start across a pipe that looks risky, that “faith pipe” that will take us to new territory for Jesus, the pipe becomes a broad path, and our ankles don’t turn! Jesus broadens the path beneath our feet. I love that image. Walk across the pipe today. Don’t miss the view. Don’t miss what Jesus wants to do in you and through you. Don’t stay where it’s comfortable. Be willing to be an entrepreneur for Jesus. That’s where the abundant life is—doing what only he can do through you.

Be a risk-taker! The Bible is full of stories of risk-takers. Esther took a great risk to rescue her people from annihilation. This young, inexperienced woman literally took her life in her hands and approached the king. Before doing that, she asked all the Jews to pray and fast for her. That’s a good principle. We don’t go headlong into some risk without being fortified in prayer, knowing God is leading us. But once Esther knew she had to take this risk, she said, “I will go to the king even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther was a meek, humble young woman. She was not equipped for such an assignment. She could have given any number of legitimate excuses why she just could not take this risk of approaching the king to save her people. But she knew it was a unique opportunity, and she knew it was the right thing to do. She did face the possibility of failure; she knew the extent of the risk she took, but she knew she had to do it. She said, “If I perish, I perish.” Many are very willing to serve Jesus as long as it’s comfortable and not terribly demanding. They have their life plan in place, and they’ve put Jesus in the schedule. Yes, they love him, but they think things like: We’re not all called to be missionaries, right? They go so far but no further. Would that describe you—maybe in part? Do you see some people who are taking risks for Jesus and doing amazing things, but you rationalize and tell yourself that it’s just not your thing? God is looking for believers who are so in love with him—soul, heart and mind—that the risk doesn’t scare them. Or if it scares them, they go ahead anyway! When God is opening a new door and I know he wants me to take the next step, I usually feel very overwhelmed, inadequate, and just plain scared. Scared of the risk of failure, scared I won’t be able to do it, scared I’ll make a fool out of myself. But I just tell God I’m scared, give my fear to him, and take the next step. John Piper says, “Doing nothing needs forgiveness as much as doing the best you can and erring.” It is right to take a risk for Jesus.

Are you a risk taker? Some people would tell you not to ever take a risk, because it’s risky! Play it safe would be their motto. Taking risks is not always a smart thing to do. But if you were to talk to any successful person in any field, no doubt they would tell you about some time in their life when they took a risk. They exposed themselves to failure and maybe even ridicule, but that’s what it took for them to be successful. As we live our lives for Jesus, there will be times when we need to take a risk, move out of our comfort zones, attempt something that looks difficult, and even run the possibility of failing. For example, maybe God has been prompting you to share your faith with a coworker, but you’ve been reluctant to do so because it’s risky. You think: That coworker may react negatively, or I may botch it and say all the wrong things, or maybe it’s against the law to share my faith on the job! And so fear keeps you from taking the risk. Have you ever thought about how many times you’ve missed out on so much of what God wants you to do and the blessings that come when you obey, simply because you were not willing to take a risk? Obviously, you should always proceed with prayer and caution, but if you’re afraid of any risk, you will simply never do all the good things God has put you here to do. You’ll miss so much of God’s blessing in your life. In his insightful booklet, Risk Is Right, John Piper says his aim is to explode the myth of safety and deliver us from the enchantment of security, because it’s a mirage. It doesn’t exist. None of us know what the next moment holds, not to mention tomorrow. God never takes any risks because he knows the end from the beginning. We don’t know the end, and God doesn’t tell us. He intends for us to live by faith not by sight, and so our lives are risky.[1] Fear of risks keeps many of us paralyzed. Bonhoeffer wrote: “To delay or fail to make decisions may be more sinful than to make wrong decisions out of faith and love.”[2] I’m exploring people in the Bible who took great risks, and I hope you’ll be inspired to step out on faith and take whatever risks you need to in order to follow Christ and his plans for you. — [1] Piper, J. (2013). Risk Is Right. Crossway. [2] Eric Metaxas. (2010). Bonhoeffer : Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. Thomas Nelson.

I want to begin by asking some questions. Have you ever preached a sermon at work? Have you given the four spiritual laws over the PA system in your office? Do your coworkers beg you to take them to church with you? Do you read the Bible out loud to your coworkers each day? I’m guessing not many of you answered yes, but neither did I. Does that mean none of us are effectively witnessing for Jesus on our jobs? Effectively witnessing on our jobs. That thought frightens most Christians in the marketplace. For most of us, the idea of witnessing conjures up visions of cornering someone against their will, or passing out tracts, or badgering a coworker to go to church with us, resulting in being labeled as a religious fanatic, etc. Does that sound familiar? And yet, we know we should be sharing the good news of Jesus because there is likely someone in our work environment who really wants to know the truth. Besides, Jesus has called us to be his witnesses to the whole world. Well, let me ask you another question: Has someone on your job ever asked you a question or made a comment that opened a door for you to talk about your faith in Jesus—maybe just a little bit? Now all of us should have our hands up on that one, because if we’re living our faith out in our everyday worlds as we should be, someone will ask us a question and open a door for us to share what Jesus means to us. Peter wrote: But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). I believe question-answering is the most effective means we have to share who Jesus is and the good news of his gospel with the people we interact with daily. Jesus was the master of this technique. Nicodemus was fascinated with what he’d seen and heard about Jesus, so he came quietly to him to ask some questions. Jesus answered Nicodemus’s questions, explaining what it meant to be born again because Nicodemus found that a baffling statement. His interaction with the rich young ruler was a series of questions and answers. With the Samaritan woman at the well, his behavior was so unusual it caused her to ask questions. And Jesus kept leading her to ask other questions. By the time he answered her questions, he’d revealed to her that he was the Messiah, and she went back to town to tell everyone else about him. Effective witnessing, wouldn’t you say? No meeting, no altar call, no one-two-three formulas. Those techniques would not have been appropriate at those times. But Jesus lived a life that generated questions, and he was prepared to answer them. Throughout our history, Christians have spread the good news of Jesus by this one-on-one question and answer method. Just look at the Church in China or any of the countries where Christians have endured persecution for years. Not only have they been unable to wipe out Christianity, as Stalin claimed he would do in Russia, but the Church grew and increased amid persecution. And how did the Church survive? They could not hold evangelical meetings; most of their churches were closed; they could not speak openly about Jesus. Yet they continued and grew because they infiltrated their society. They became living examples and question-answerers. Their presence could not be ignored because their lives told a story that caused people to ask questions. Your calling and mine is exactly the same as theirs: To infiltrate our worlds for Jesus. And I firmly believe the American marketplace is one of the last frontiers for infiltration. It’s a ready-made mission field. You’re already there; and you’re there on equal footing with everyone else who is working with you. Your presence is legitimate, and you are there for long hours every day. What better opportunity could you ask for? Now, how do you infiltrate your world? We’ve already noted it cannot be done through religious services in the workplace or preaching sermons. Those methods are good in their place, but they won’t ever work in the marketplace. Instead, as a Christ-follower, you become salt and light on your job, infiltrating for Jesus, so that someone will begin to ask you questions. When you are asked a question, you have a right to answer it. Question-answering is the method. But in order to answer questions, we first must be asked. So, how do you generate the questions? By your lifestyle; by your attitude; by your work ethic; by your faithfulness; by your peaceful and contented spirit. And one primary way is by the way you handle difficulties. I’m convinced that God purposely puts some of his children in tough situations in order to give them opportunities to generate questions. Do you think we’d get many questions if everyone had it easy and there were no conflicts or difficulties with which we had to deal? How in the world do people around us know that Jesus make

I am examining the difference between your job and your work when you are indeed a Christ-follower. Understanding the difference is the key to finding joy and purpose for your life. When you know what work God has planned for you to do, that job doesn’t have the hold on you it used to. The frustrations don’t get to you like they used to. You run into a problem, deal with it as best you can with God’s help, but you always know: “Hey, this is just a job.” Also, your priorities are much clearer when you understand the difference in your work and your job. You make better decisions about what to do and how you spend your time. Then you can prioritize your life so you have time to do your work. Please keep in your mind the ever-present vision of standing before Jesus to give an account of how you’ve used your time here on earth. We’re told in 1 Corinthians 3 that our work will be shown for what it is at the Day of Judgment. And we will have either wood, hay, or straw, or we’ll have gold, silver, and costly stones. And they will be tested by fire, to see which ones last. Now, wood, hay, and straw take up a lot more space than gold, silver and costly stones, right? And we get fooled sometimes by volume. A million dollars could buy a bunch of wood, hay and straw, and it would take up a great deal of space. You’d have to notice it. But if you bought a million dollars worth of gold, silver and costly stones, you could hold them in your hand or at most a small bag. You might not notice it because it wouldn’t take up much room. If we don’t understand the difference, we might opt for the wood, hay, and straw because it looks bigger. But that stuff goes up real fast when you strike a match to it; whereas the gold and silver and costly stones will survive any fire you put them through. Do you get the picture here? You don’t want to spend your life doing things that eventually won’t matter. Don’t let volume fool you; don’t let appearances deceive you. Make sure you know what your work is, what God wants you to do, and then do it with all your heart, mind, and soul. That’s gold, silver, and costly stones, and they will endure to eternity.

Does your job cause you a lot of frustration? Do you often feel you’re just spinning your wheels or running on a treadmill, getting nowhere in your daily job? I’m talking about the differences between your job and your work. And one major difference is: Your job may sometimes produce frustration; your work will most often produce fruit. Jobs carry no guarantee of inner tranquility or accomplishment. You can work as hard as possible and never feel like you’ve done a whole lot. You may never get appropriate recognition for the job you do, and indeed others may take credit for what you have done. You may discover the harder you work at your job, the more frustrating it is. Often our jobs bring a great deal of frustration into our lives, for all kinds of reasons. On the other hand, your work will energize you because you know you’re doing something eternally significant. Your work will bring satisfaction. You will be rewarded for your work and receive recognition from the ultimate manager, God your Father. You surely can grow weary in doing your work, but you won’t grow weary of the work God has planned for you to do. Your job will end in retirement; your work will not end until death. Jobs come to an end. Either you retire or you walk away from the job, or the job is eliminated. Work, however, has no termination age. As long as life remains, there is work to be done, and it gives substance and value to every day at any age. Your work most likely will take some turns and changes as you progress through life, but there is always work to do. You may be thinking, “You mean, I can’t expect to find a job I really love?” No, you can educate yourself and look for a job using your talents and strengths, and you can do your work while you’re doing your job. God plans for all of us to be lights in a dark world, so part of your work may be to shine the light and love of Jesus right there on your job. Also, God often uses our jobs to prepare us to do his work. The skills and experience I gained in my job have become a tool in God’s plan to touch lives in ways I could not have done without that job.

What is the difference between your job and your work? Your work will give you an opportunity to exercise the gifts you have—the abilities God has given you, whereas your job may not use your gifts. The use of our gifts always brings fulfillment and joy into our lives. Another difference is: Your job will result in income; your work may never result in income. Most people go to their jobs each day primarily because they get paid to do it. I’m not saying you can’t enjoy doing your job and that there aren’t other motivational factors involved. But there are very few who would continue going to their job each day without compensation. Your work may never pay you a dollar, but it will pay benefits that cannot be valued in earthly terms. When you are doing your work, what God has called you to do, you’re putting deposits in God’s heavenly bank, where thieves can’t steal it, and rust cannot destroy it. Your work certainly brings compensation, but it’s deposited in a different bank and held as a long-term invest In our society where people are valued by the size of their salaries and bank accounts, this is a totally different perspective for a Christian, and one we have to adjust to. It’s one of those areas where we must fight not to allow the world to shove us into its mold or way of thinking. There is always someone else who can do your job; there is no one else who can do your work. If you called your employer tomorrow and said, “I’m not coming back; you won’t see me again,” guess what? They would survive. It might cause some temporary problems, but somebody soon would move into your role, learn your job and do it. However, you are indispensable when it comes to your work. If you don’t do the work God has called you to do, it will go undone. How do you know God has work for you to do? Because of Ephesians 2:10. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). God has a to-do list just for you, and if you miss it, you’ll miss the abundant joy of doing the work God planned for you to do. If you told me I could never use the gifts God has given me, I would feel empty. Life would be tasteless. My gifts are the activities that bring meaning and joy to my life. Your job may employ your gifts, and if so, that is a blessing. If not, you still have work to do that is very meaningful. You just need to have a clear understanding, based on God’s Word, of the difference in your job and your work.

Let me ask you: As a Christian, is it essential for you to have a job that is personally fulfilling? Is that your right? Should we assume something is missing or wrong in our lives just because our job isn’t what we hoped and expected it to be? Have you come to the point of acknowledging that your job is not fulfilling, and you’ve worked long enough to know no job is going to be the exciting adventure you hoped it would be? The good news is your job may never be all you want it to be, but your life can be purposeful and fulfilling when you know the work God has given you to do, and that will fill your life with meaningful and important activity. Let’s consider some significant differences in your job and your work: Your job may employ none of your gifts; your work employs all your gifts. Now, first, do you know what your gifts are? All Christ-followers have at least one spiritual gift, and many times several. Romans 12 is a good starting place to learn about these gifts, and there are many good helps on this topic. If you don’t know what your gifts are, start a research program and ask God to show you. The really neat thing about our gifts is what we’ve been gifted to do, we love to do, and it doesn’t come hard for us. God is an incredibly smart manager of his human resources. He knows if I love to do what I have to do, I’m going to do it much better. It’s a joy to exercise your gifts, isn’t it? Now, that doesn’t mean you never grow tired or weary or don’t want to run away once in a while. But a few days away from doing my work, and I’m restless. I’m ready to go back. If you told me I could never use the gifts God has given me, I would feel empty. Life would be tasteless. My gifts are the activities that bring meaning and joy to my life. Your job may employ your gifts, and if so, that is a blessing. If not, you still have work to do that is very meaningful. You just need to have a clear understanding, based on God’s Word, of the difference in your job and your work.