The Christian Working Woman

I want to share five lessons for living from Proverbs chapter three. This chapter gives us five important principles that will benefit you greatly if you intentionally apply them to your life, and each principle has a corresponding benefit. Today let’s look at the first one, which we find in verses 1 and 2: My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity (Proverbs 3:1-2). First, Solomon says: “do not forget.” Are you prone to forget what you should remember? Learning happens because of repetition—that’s how our brains work. So, if you want to remember what you should remember—specifically, remember God’s principles—then you need to repeat them, reread them, memorize them, reinforce them in your mind frequently. That’s why reading your Bible systematically and daily will create pathways in your brain to help you to remember God’s truth. This principle for living goes on to say “keep my commands in your heart.” Again, we see the importance of repetition—keeping God’s principles stored in your heart. That’s why memorizing Scripture is so important to your spiritual progress. For example, I memorized Ephesians 4:29 years ago, which says: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. I recognized I needed control of my tongue, and after memorizing that verse, the Holy Spirit would bring it to my mind very often and stop me from saying something I shouldn’t say or didn’t need to be said. Because I keep that command in my heart, it helps to control my words. The benefits of keeping God’s Word in your heart are long life, peace, and prosperity. Keeping in mind proverbs are principles, not promises, by living in obedience to God’s Word and his principles, your life is going to be much fuller and far more peaceful, and your soul will prosper. That’s a pretty good deal, if you ask me.

One of the characteristics of a godly, truly humble person is to be continually teachable. I’ve often said I admired this trait in my mother more than any other. She died some years ago, at the age of 94, but up to the end, she was seeking to learn and grow. One day I was visiting her, just shortly before she died, and we were listening to a Christian program on the radio. The speaker was talking about not complaining and being joyful. My mom looked at me and said, “Mary, do I complain?” I said what was totally true, “Mom, you never complain.” She said, “I don’t want to complain: God has been so good to me.” At this point in her life some dementia had set in, and she wasn’t able to take care of herself any longer. Most of the people around her complained all the time, but not my mom. I’m so grateful she role-modeled for me what it means to be teachable, truly humble, and ever willing to learn, grow, and change. How blessed I was to have a mom like her. All of us can have that same attitude if we just pay attention and learn our lessons along the way. Last time I gave you five life lessons, and now I share five more. Life Lesson No. 6: Make every day a special occasion: burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the new shoes. How many things do you have tucked away, saving them for a special occasion? I was doing some cleaning recently and found some beautiful soap someone had given me, probably two or three years ago. I had put it away for a “special occasion,” and now it was so old and hard, it isn’t really useful, so I had to throw it away. I think my mother taught me to “save things for special occasions.” She was raised during the depression, and when she got something nice, she tended to squirrel it away rather than use and enjoy it. You’ve heard people say, “Life’s short: eat dessert first.” Life is short, and while we need to be frugal and saving, we also need to celebrate life and enjoy the good things God has given us. We need to make our everyday lives special and teach this to our children as well. My good friend, Fran, was really good at this. She used the “good stuff” for any excuse, and she could make a very ordinary occasion seem special just by setting a nice table or somehow creating a special atmosphere. I remember learning this lesson from her, as she taught a monthly Bible class at our church. I watched her go to so much extra trouble to make the room look nice, get cute decorations, and she simply said, “This is how I show love to the women who come.” I’ve never forgotten that, and I’ve tried to follow in her steps. The little extras show love, and they’re worth the effort. Paul wrote to Timothy: Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17). Make today special. Do something a little unusual—on your job, in your home, at church—that just says, “Today is special, and so are you.” The effort it takes reaps wonderful rewards. Life Lesson No. 7: Believe it or not, you’re not indispensable. Life will go on without you. Now we all know in our heads that nobody is indispensable, but too often we behave as though everything depends on us and if we don’t keep running and doing and going, everything will stop! I remember some years ago when I was directing the handbell choir at our church. Actually, I had started the choir, and it was my baby. I loved it, and the church seemed to really love hearing the handbells. Then after I began this ministry my life became so busy I realized I had to give up the choir. I thought, “Oh dear, the handbell choir will be no more because they won’t have me as their leader.” Wrong! The handbell choir is much bigger now, much better, and they have a director who is far more experienced and talented at handbells than I am! I was not indispensable. And indeed, by stepping aside, I gave someone else an opportunity to use their gifts in the church. Many times, we are stressed out, doing things God never intended for us to do, because somewhere along the way we’ve deceived ourselves into believing we have to do it, nobody else will do it, and it has to be done! Or we put time constraints and deadlines on ourselves that are totally unnecessary. I learned this life lesson years ago from my daughter, when she was a teenager, and we were redecorating her room. We had chosen some new wallpaper, and I had decided it had to go up now, today, this day. I was working and fretting and worrying, trying to meet my own artificial and unnecessary deadline. Finally, she looked me and said, quite simply, “Mom, we don’t have to finish today.” Duh! So, I stopped and relaxed. We finished later, and the world kept revolving! Amazing. Don’t be afraid to let go; others can pick up the ball and carry on even without you! You may not get everything done the way you hoped, but God will still love you, and the world won’t stop. Remember, there’s only one person in control of the universe, and it’s not you! Life Lesson No. 8: Don’t be afraid to ask. The worse they can say is “no.” James wrote. You do not have, because you do not ask God (James 4:2). And Jesus said, ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find: knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened (Luke 11:9-10). I could tell you many stories of situations where I revved up my nerve and asked for something, which seemed impossible, and I got it simply because I asked. Obviously, I’m not talking about asking things for myself but asking for appropriate things for the ministry or for others. Now, I have to tell you that I don’t find it easy to ask. I really must make myself do it, because I either get intimidated or I think it will appear inappropriate, or in many cases, I just don’t want to humble myself and ask. But I’ve learned that many times people want to be asked and enjoy giving. Jesus said no father would give his son a serpent if be asked for bread. Those of us who are parents know how we love for our children—even the grown ones—to ask us to help them, in moderation, of course. Don’t be afraid to ask. Even if you are turned down, you’re no worse off! As James said, often we don’t have simply because we’re afraid to ask. Life Lesson No. 9: When you’re irritated or frustrated, or facing what seems like a disaster, ask yourself, “What difference will this make in twenty-four hours?” This is a principle God began to teach me years ago, as I realized I freaked out over small stuff. Often, I didn’t even have a twenty-four-hour perspective, and I began to realize most of what upset me in a given day was small stuff. It wouldn’t matter really in twenty-four hours. We so easily lose a realistic perspective when something is affecting us personally. Our emotions get all involved and we blow things out of proportion, and we get very stressed over things that don’t really matter. I’ve written a book called Looking with Forever Eyes, which talks about how to live now in the light of eternity. Nothing will reduce your stress more than learning to look with forever eyes—to see every situation and every person in your life through God’s eyes. When you learn this life lesson, you will experience immense relief from worry, frustration, and stress. But I warn you, you have to be intentional about it, and you have to work at it every day. It begins by praying every day that God will give you Forever Eyes. Pray for the person who is driving you crazy and ask God to help you see him or her the way God sees them. Ask for an eternal perspective; I promise you won’t regret it. Now obviously, there are times when we face substantive disasters, but those are very few and far between, and if we can learn to let go of all the stuff that doesn’t matter, we’ll be far better prepared to deal with the true trials that come our way. I strongly encourage you to put this life lesson into practice in your own life. Believe me, it will make a difference. Life Lesson No. 10: When God gives you a passion, go for it! You’ll never learn to swim until you get in the water. If God has gifted you in some way, or you have a worthwhile desire to do something you’ve never done, just find a way to get started and go for it. For example, if you want to be a speaker, look for opportunities to speak. My friend, Cynthia, joined the Toastmasters Club years ago to overcome her stuttering problem and became more confident in front of a group. She’s now held many leadership positions in that organization, and she’s great in front of a group. I use her very often in our programs. She has taught for me several times, and you’d never know she was ever uneasy about speaking in front of a group. She didn’t wait for someone to open the doors for her. She found a way to go for what she wanted to do. If you want to be a writer, start writing. Don’t wait for someone to come along and open the doors for you; if it’s a God-given passion, just somehow, someway go for it. When God gave me a passion to start this radio ministry over forty years ago. I had no idea how to start. I had no connections, no experience, no mentor. But I decided I could no longer ignore that passion, and after much prayer, I determined to put some kind of a radio program together and take it to someone. Once I stepped out on faith, God began to open the doors, and now we’re heard on over 400 stations internationally. Don’t ignore God’s passions in your heart; don’t be afraid to take the next step and see what God wants to do. You may need to further your education or seek advice and training. But instead of wishing and hoping and waiting for someone to come along and make it easy for you, find a way to pursue your passion, start small, learn from others, but go for it. Those are some lessons I’ve learned in life I thought might be helpful

Fran and her friend Louise are facing a decision about some training that is being required by their company concerning new policies on protecting those in the LGBTQ community in the company against discrimination. A long discussion between them has revealed Louise believes they must take a stand and refuse to go to this training, even risking their jobs, if necessary, because a line must be drawn here. Fran thinks this would be perceived as unkind and un-Christlike, and wonders if it is really necessary. They have decided to postpone any decision until they have prayed about it—together and individually. And so, after a time of prayer on this Friday evening, they are once more united in their love for each other and their desire to always seek to do what is right, whether it is popular or not, and even if it is costly, like, in this case, potentially losing their jobs. “Well, Louise,” Fran says, “do you still think you should refuse to go to this training?” “Fran, I think I do but I also think it’s time we sought some advice from a pastor or someone who can help us think this through.” On this they agree, and Fran suggests one of their pastors who is a really clear thinker on issues like this. And so, the decision is delayed. You may be thinking I’ve taken the easy way out in this episode—to leave this matter hanging without taking one side or the other. But honestly, I believe in this day of political correctness, we will face such decisions more and more as Christ-followers. The real take away from this episode is not to make hasty decisions when those decisions are not totally clear but instead, pray and seek advice. On the other hand, if and when we face very black and white situations which are clearly right or wrong, we have to be prepared to take the unpopular and costly stand. And another important take away is that as Christians, we always need to be willing to listen to each other and pray with each other, even when we disagree, or especially when we disagree. Jesus said the world will know we are his followers if we love one another. That should always be a high priority.

Fran’s company is requiring employees to attend a training on company policies about LGBTQ employees to make certain they are not discriminated against. Fran and her friend Louise, fellow believers, have differing views as to whether they should refuse to attend this training and take a strong stand for their beliefs, or whether that would be regarded as unkind and un-Christlike. I’m not suggesting I have the answer to these many issues we face in our post-Christian America, but here are some thoughts to consider. First remember what Jesus said from Mark 8:38. If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels (Mark 8:38). Jesus did not promise popularity for us when we become his disciples. In fact, he promised the opposite. He called his generation—his culture—an adulterous and sinful one, so what we face is not unique. It’s always been true that the world is not a friend to Jesus. The Bible’s teaching on contested issues today, such as abortion, sexuality, or any of our beliefs, is admittedly not always popular. It wasn’t popular in New Testament times either, and the early church repeatedly had to decide if they would “follow Jesus, no turning back” or not. So, if being popular is our goal, we will be swept up into a politically correct world and are likely to compromise in order to be accepted and liked. Jesus showed no inclination to be politically correct in his day, did he? He was at odds against the religious leaders of his people and said so in direct and very confrontational words. They did not like him, that’s for sure. On the other hand, he showed such incredible grace and love to the worst in their society and was never reluctant to associate with them, eat with them, talk to them, heal them. Someone has said we must not allow our counter-cultural posture to become anti-cultural. That’s the challenge we face. As Christians, we are to be compelled by the love of Christ to extend kindness and friendship to those who disagree with us. Jesus prayed for us that we would be in this world but not of this world. And as Fran and Louise face this hypothetical decision about the new policies of their company, they need to find that balance and know how Jesus is leading them in this moment.

I doubt if many would disagree we are in the midst of major cultural shifts. And as Christ-followers, we must decide how we navigate these changes. How and when do we draw the line between showing love and compassion for people who have anti-biblical beliefs and lifestyles, and when it’s time to take a stand for what the Bible teaches? That’s the dilemma Fran is facing now as her company is requiring attendance at a training session on how to accept and appreciate LGBTQ people on the job. Louise, her good friend who is also a believer, thinks it’s time now to take a stand and refuse to attend this training as it goes against her faith. The two of them are having a somewhat heated discussion about how to respond. In fact, Louise has decided not to attend the training and thinks Fran and every believer in the company should do the same. “Louise,” Fran says, “have you considered that a decision to refuse to attend the training might be an over-reaction, and that it could backfire on us and make us seem unreasonable and unkind?” “Fran,” Louise says, “you’re my good friend, but I think you may have been swept up into this politically correct culture without realizing it. You know, this offensive against our Christian beliefs comes on little by little, and we’re just sitting back and doing nothing. Could it be that you’re too concerned about what people will think about you and not concerned enough about how our rights are being taken away.” Fran responds, “Well, I agree that we need to be courageous and stand for what we believe, but I’m just not making the connection between that and this training the company is planning to do. You see this as part of this slippery slope, I guess, and I don’t,” Fran says. “Here’s what I think,” Louise says. “This training will require us to deny some of our beliefs, and I’m not willing to do that. That’s how I see it,” Louise says with a final note in her voice. Fran says. “Maybe we could pray about this and ask for guidance; maybe take a couple of days before we decide—what do you think?” After a long pause in the conversation, Louise says, “Well, it’s always right to pray, and the training is a month away, so we have time before we have to respond. Okay, when can we pray?” They decide to get together Friday evening for prayer, and with that they say good night.

Fran’s company is requiring all employees to attend a training session on LGBTQ employees, what their rights are and how they are to be treated. Fran’s good friend, Louise, seems to be very concerned about being required to attend this training, as she thinks it requires her as a Christ-follower to accept beliefs she does not agree with. Fran doesn’t feel as strongly as Louise does because as Frans sees it, this training is just about treating LGBTQ people with respect and not discriminating against them—which Fran feels is right. They do it anyway. But Louise feels Fran doesn’t see the whole picture. “Fran,” she says, “we have to stand for what we believe and not be intimidated by this culture. Every day you hear about new attacks on our Christian beliefs. They let boys—you know, transgender girls who were boys—compete in women’s sports, and that’s not fair.” “Well, I understand what you’re saying, but that’s not really what this training is about, is it?” Fran tries to stay calm. “Like I said, Fran, this is just step one. If we don’t take a stand, who knows what will be next?” And with that, Louise leaves Fran’s office. Whew, Fran thinks, Louise is really upset. I’ll call her tonight and talk more. So, that evening after the kids are in bed, Fran calls Louise to continue their conversation. “Louise, I didn’t mean to upset you today. Maybe I’m missing something here, but I just don’t see the danger in this training.” “Fran, I talked with my friend at church tonight, and she agrees that if we don’t take a stand now and let the company know our opposition to this kind of training, it will just keep going. So, I’ve decided to tell Ben I’m choosing not to go to this training because it is against my beliefs. I know they could fire me for it—who knows? But I think I must do it to stand true for Jesus.” Whoa, Fran thinks to herself. Louise is taking this much more seriously than I am. Is she right? She says, “Louise, can you tell me how you came to that decision? Maybe I’m missing something here.” “You are, Fran—like many other Christians, I think. Our culture is quickly becoming anti-Christian, and if we just sit back and do nothing, before you know it, we’ll be told to approve of abortion, same-sex marriage, all the things that are against our Christian beliefs,” Louise tells Fran. It seems Fran and Louise have different takes on this particular training and their responsibility as Christ-followers. What do you think? Should Fran go along with Louise and refuse to go to this training?

I begin another episode of Fran and Jesus on the Job, my fictional story of a single mom who is learning to let Jesus guide her and use her as an ambassador for him in her working world. As she is working at her desk, her friend, Louise, a fellow believer, walks into her office and shuts the door behind her. “What is it, Louise?” Fran asks. “What’s happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” “Fran, have you read this latest memo from the home office? Listen to this,” Louise reads from her phone: In order to make certain our company provides adequate protection for all of our employees and is compliant with Federal and State guidelines, everyone is required to attend a training session addressing these concerns. These are two-hour sessions, which will be conducted by an outside organization, will focus on our individual responsibility to affirm and respect everyone in our company. Please select the day you can attend and sign up below. “I have not seen that,” Fran replies. “What do you think it’s all about, Louise?” “Oh, I know what it’s all about. I talked to Sandra in HR–you’ve met her.” “Yes, I know her—she is a fellow believer. I like her a lot,” Fran replies. “Well, she told me this training is to tell us how we are to treat LGBTQ people. She said they are making new policies on how we address them, especially transgender people, and stuff like that,” Louise says with anxiety in her voice. “I don’t see a big problem with that, Louise. Do you?” Fran says. “Well, yeah, I do. They’re trying to make us accept what is against our belief—our doctrine. This is the politically correct culture gone amuck, Fran. This is just step one; what will be next?” Louise is truly upset about it. Fran gives it some thought. “Louise, we already treat them like we treat anyone else, right? So, they’re not going to make us do anything we don’t do already. That’s the way I see it. If they just want us to never discriminate and always treat them with respect, I can agree with that. That’s what I think Jesus would do.” “You just don’t get it, do you, Fran?” Louise asks with some frustration. Well, is Louise right? Does Fran just not get it? This should be an interesting discussion.

What has life taught you? I’ve known people who went through life and never ever seemed to learn life lessons. They just made the same mistakes over and over and never seemed to gain any wisdom. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (James 1:5). Recognizing you lack the wisdom you need is step one, praying for wisdom is step two, and learning from your experiences, mistakes, journey, and from other people is step three in becoming a wise person. Here are some life lessons I’d like to pass along to you. Life Lesson No. 1: When you don’t know what to do, just take the next small step. Life is full of turning points, small and large; times when you must make a decision but you’re not sure about it. I’m not talking about black and white decisions, things that are clearly right or wrong. But other decisions like: Should I look for a new job? Should I offer to give this person some money? Is it time to sell my house? Of course, prayer is our first order of business when we’re faced with decisions, and it’s always helpful to seek advice from trusted advisors. But I’ve often found if I take the next small step and then see where that leads, I can usually tell whether it is the right thing or not. And sometimes I discover there really is no next small step; I would have to push and shove and maneuver to get to that next step. That’s always a red flag for me that says, “Slow down; make sure this is a good step to take.” When I first believed God was leading me to begin this radio ministry, many years ago now, after praying about it for a few months, I remember thinking, “You’ve prayed about this for a long time now. Isn’t it time for you to do something?” So, I made the first small step—a phone call that opened a door and began the process of beginning The Christian Working Woman program in August of 1984. As the Chinese proverb reminds us, every long journey begins with the first step. I think many people park-out at the starting line, thinking about what they might do, wanting to do something, but because of fear or double-mindedness, they never move. James says a double-minded person is unstable in all her ways (James 1:8). Double mindedness is that state of mind where you go back and forth and back and forth, but you never move forward! Reminds me of one of the Tater Family members. Dick Tater is the Father, but the one I’m thinking about is Hessie Tator. Hessie always intends to do something, but she hesitates and never takes the first step. You really don’t want to be a Hessie Tater, so, don’t be afraid to take that first step and see where it leads. Life Lesson No. 2: If you will live in today, rather than yesterday or tomorrow, you can make it! Jesus said, Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:30). Most of our stress and depression comes because we live either in the past, with regrets and anger, or we live in fear of the future. God gives us the strength to cope with today, but we keep adding on the past and the future and wonder why we can’t make it! Yesterday is gone. You can’t change it; you can’t make it better. Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:18-19). If you continually dwell on the past, you will miss the new thing God wants to do for you. Yesterday is over; let it go. Tomorrow never comes. Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday! Fear of the future absolutely will stop you from the good things God has for you. Pray daily that you will live in today, and then you’ll have the strength to make it through. It’s a matter of changing your attitude and thought patterns. When we are worrying it’s usually because our thoughts are out of control. I’ve written a book about that, called Think About What You Think About, because long ago I began to realize I had to learn to bring my thoughts under control. And I still have to consciously and intentionally monitor my thoughts and recognize when they’re going where they shouldn’t go—and then stop them! Change them! When you’re living in yesterday or tomorrow, you’re often allowing your thoughts to go where they shouldn’t go. Life Lesson No. 3: Pay off your credit cards every month. Financial troubles affect every area of our lives, and most people’s financial troubles begin with that plastic credit card. The credit card companies make it easier and easier for us to get a card and then they do everything to encourage us to use it, and then just pay the minimum each month. That is a recipe for financial disaster. No doubt some of you are in financial trouble now because you’ve got so much credit card debt. What do you do? First, stop using your credit card. If you’re in credit card trouble, make yourself pay cash for what you buy, and you’ll be amazed at how much more frugal you will be. We get so used to pulling out that credit card; it seems so easy—and then the bill comes at the end of the month, and our eyes pop out when we see how much we owe! Look at where your money is going and eliminate those things you don’t absolutely have to have. Most of us have a very poor idea of just where our money goes. A good exercise is to keep track of every nickel you spend for a couple of weeks or a month. Just write it down and add it up. You may be really shocked to see how much you spend on stuff you don’t have to have. Then stop buying things you really don’t need until you have paid off those credit cards. And believe me, we all need a lot less than we think we do. Credit cards are convenient, especially for travel, but I’ve had a rule for years that I must pay off my credit card bill every month. I just refuse to pay any interest. That puts controls on what I spend. One of the biggest favors you can do for yourself is to wipe out that credit card debt, and then pay it off in full every month. Life Lesson No. 4: Save something from every paycheck. Frankly, I have not followed this principle all my life; I wish I had. The secret is to have money taken out of your paycheck or your checking account every month—before you see it. I don’t care how small it is, make yourself start the habit of saving some money out of every paycheck, and put that money in an account you don’t touch. Just forget it’s there. Financial experts tell us we should have six months of expenses saved up for emergencies. Now, I know it will take you a while to get there, but you’ll never get there if you don’t start. Make yourself begin with your next paycheck to save some money, and teach this principle to your children. Of course, giving to God is the first thing we should do with our paychecks. He should get the firstfruits of everything he has given to us. As my daddy used to tell me, “Honey, you can’t out give God.” The Bible has more to say about money than almost any other topic. That’s because where our money is indicates where our heart is! I promise you, if you will pray about this and get serious about getting your financial house in order, you are going to be so glad you did. It will take so much stress and strain out of your life. I encourage you to do it. Life Lesson No. 5: Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does. I often remind myself people aren’t thinking about me nearly as much as I think they’re thinking about me! Isn’t it true that we often put ourselves under unnecessary stress by just taking ourselves too seriously! We worry about what others will think of us and that can become an obsession. What others think about you is not your business, so let it go! Here’s the secret: Make it your passion to care very much about what God thinks about you. Pray daily that God will grow you into the mature Christian he wants you to be. Let God’s Word reveal areas in your life that need changing, and then by God’s grace, work on them. Care very much about what God thinks about you. But stop worrying about what others think. Stop imagining what they’re thinking or saying. First of all, you’ll never please everyone, no matter how hard you try. And secondly, have you ever thought about how wrong it is to care more about what people think of you than you do about what God thinks about you? Remember, it’s not all about you; it’s all about God and what he wants to do with your life. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Also, it’s really important to learn to laugh at yourself. I’ve discovered when I can make a joke on myself, it relieves the tension in a situation. I remember once showing up for a speaking engagement with two different shoes on. Don’t ask me how I did it; I have no idea, except they looked somewhat alike, but they were different colors and different shoes. I looked down and realized it just before I was introduced to speak, and my first reaction was to try to figure out how could I get another pair of shoes in time to avoid looking stupid. Of course, there wasn’t time, so instead, I pointed out my mismatched shoes, made fun of myself, everybody laughed, it broke the ice, and everything was fine. I often find myself worrying about what I’m wearing. Did I wear this to church last Sunday? Does this look okay? And I simply remind myself if I can’t remember what I wore, surely no one else can. And who cares if they do? Just let it go! There are five life lessons which I pass on to you, hoping you’ll benefit from some of the things I’ve learned along life’s way. I’ll complete this next week with five more life lessons. There’s a book in the Bible that is chocked full of life lessons—the book of Proverbs. I have often suggested you read a chapter a day, and since there are 31 chapters, you’ll read it through every month by reading the chapter that corresponds to the day of the month. Here are just a few nuggets from Proverbs you should pay attention to: A man of knowledge uses words with restraint (Proverbs 17:27a). Avoid a man who talks too much (Proverb 20:

The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him (Proverbs 18:17). We’re looking at Proverbs for business this week. This proverb is very good advice for us on our jobs. What it teaches us is to withhold judgment and opinions until we’ve heard both sides to any story. We shouldn’t be gullible, and we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. This is a particularly difficult area for me, because I am very impulsive and very much an overreactor. And every time I do that, I regret it. I am by God’s grace focusing prayer and attention in my life on learning to wait until I hear both sides of any story, to make sure I’ve got my facts straight, to remember there may be something here I just don’t know yet. I remember coming into the office on a very busy day to find a message that irritated me at once. With only partial information, I thought this other person was doing something way out of line, and I overreacted. I went to the phone and started dialing the number to get things straightened out. Thankfully, she was not in, and I didn’t get to speak with her at that time. When she did return my call and explained the situation, I realized the message had not been complete, and if I had talked with her earlier, I would have overreacted and probably hurt her feelings. God protected me that time and reminded me how much I need to learn not to overreact. Wise Solomon warned us the first person to present their case can sound very convincing because we haven’t heard the other side of the story. We need to listen to people but not be too quick to agree or disagree with them until we’ve sorted out the facts and know what we’re dealing with. This is good advice for managers and employees alike. I want to encourage you to go to the Proverbs daily for guidance. There are 31 chapters, so you can read the one that corresponds to the day of the month. I’ve been doing that for several years, and many times God has used the Proverbs to give me clear guidance, especially on job-related issues.

I’m looking at Proverbs for business, because the book of Proverbs is wonderfully applicable to the situations we face in our working worlds. …you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this…to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself…Allow no sleep to your eyes…Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler (Proverbs 6:2-5). How many times have you wanted to crawl under a table because you said something you wished you hadn’t? Perhaps they were words spoken in anger or haste, or words of gossip, or judgmental words. Unkind, untruthful, harsh, unnecessary words that inflicted harm of some kind. What do you do? You can’t unsay them; you can’t delete them; you can’t erase them. Those words hang there in your memory and the memory of others. What can you do? Solomon says to go and humble yourself to the person your words harmed; go, confess to them, and do it immediately. Apologize and do all you can to free yourself from the damage of those words. Now, I know that’s not easy to do. But it’s a lot easier than not doing it! Once in a hotel on a business trip, I accused a hotel employee of neglecting to follow my instructions. I was certain I had given those instructions. Nicely, but directly, I said, “I’m sure it’s your fault; please correct it.” A few minutes later I came to realize I was the one who was wrong, not him. It was embarrassing; I wanted to run away. But I forced myself to go to the phone, call the young man and apologize to him. Even a simple apology like that wasn’t easy, but once I did it, I felt so free. And I could tell it made a big difference to him. He kept saying, “That’s so nice of you to call. Thank you.” It wasn’t nice of me; it was the right thing to do. If you’ve offended someone with words, don’t procrastinate. Go right now, today and apologize. That’s good advice from Proverbs.

Proverbs is a very practical book, one which we can easily apply to our everyday lives in the working world. I’m looking at Proverbs for business to see how some specific proverbs apply to our jobs. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning (Proverbs 9:9). One of the most important characteristics every Christian should have, in my opinion, is teachableness. A person who is teachable is a very wise and truly humble person who recognizes they don’t know it all, and there’s always something new to learn. As a manager, I can tell you it is a joy to have an employee who has a teachable spirit, who is willing to learn and looking for ways to improve. A manager will endure mistakes and learning cycles, a manager will hang in there with you much longer if he or she sees an attitude of teachableness—wanting to learn. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to work with a person who knows it all and has no desire to learn anything new. How about you? Are you teachable? How do you respond when you’re given helpful hints or suggestions? Do you resent them? Sometimes we can learn from younger people, people in the business shorter times than us, people below us in rank. But if you feel threatened when someone tries to teach you something, you’re likely to stagnate right where you are. It is very smart and mature to accept teaching, to listen to new ideas and suggestions. Managers need this quality as much—perhaps more—than anyone else. Many times, we managers fail to listen to our employees, who have very good ideas that could help us if we were more teachable. The day you get beyond being teachable, you’re in trouble, because that’s the day you’ll stop growing. And you don’t just stand still; you go backwards. How about it? Do you need to ask God to make you a teachable person? No matter how good and smart you are already, you can be wiser still, Proverbs says, and you can add to your learning and wisdom by allowing others to instruct you.

We’re looking at Proverbs for business. Let’s read a few verses from Proverbs 6: Go to the ant, you sluggard: consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provision in summer and gathers its food at harvest (Proverbs 6:6-8). In the margin of my Bible by this verse I have written “self-motivated.” The ant is a self-motivated creature. Without anyone standing over all those ants and telling them what to do, they perform their jobs diligently and are prepared for what lies ahead. Self-motivation is a key factor in our business world today. It is sometimes rare to find people who have it. Too many people are just trying to get by with as little as possible. They don’t look beyond their noses to see what else could be done. They take no initiative and are not willing to go any extra miles. A Christian in the workplace should be like the ant: self-motivated, willing to dig in and get the work done without prompting or constant supervision. Does your manager trust you? Can she or he be assured you will do your job diligently whether anyone’s watching? Certainly, a Christian should produce that kind of reputation. Our witness in the world can never be effective if our lives aren’t different. If we have the “It’s not my job” attitude that is prevalent today, if we drag our feet and do only what we’re told to do, if we gripe and complain about doing anything above and beyond our job description, how will our coworkers and management know Christ makes a difference in our lives? They won’t, and our verbal witness, if there is one, will fall on deaf ears. Christians have a power far beyond self to help motivate us. We have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within us to give us the strength we need to be self-motivated. And we should have an outstanding testimony on our jobs that we do our work, we do it whether anyone’s watching or not, we do it to the best of our ability, and we’re willing to go the extra mile. Go to the ant and consider its ways. We can learn wisdom and self-motivation from them.

I believe the book of Proverbs is the best management and employee relations book ever written. Let’s explore five different proverbs and how they relate to our jobs. I encourage you to make Proverbs a daily reading habit. There are 31 chapters, so it’s easy to read the chapter that corresponds to the day of the month. I’ve been doing that for several years and find the practical advice has been most beneficial in my life. Today let’s look at Proverbs 22:10. Drive out the mocker and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended (Proverbs 22:10). Another translation reads drive out the scoffer and contention will go out. Even strife and dishonor will cease. Have you ever worked with a person who was a mocker and a scoffer? That’s the person who makes fun of others, who ridicules people and organizations, who is arrogant and causes problems seemingly on purpose. When there’s a mocker in the group, the work environment can be pretty miserable. This proverb says by getting rid of a mocker, you get rid of strife. For those of you who are in management positions, it’s good to remember there are times when the best thing you can do is to get rid of an employee. Now, I hope that doesn’t sound cruel, but a person who is intent on offending others—and some people are—can have very detrimental effects on an organization. Of course, as Christians, we still must care about people regardless of how unlovable they are. And though we can never change people, the Holy Spirit can, so we shouldn’t give up praying for them. But that doesn’t mean we allow them to ruin the working environment for everyone else. Remember, the workplace is not a rehab center or a counseling office. We want to help people when possible, but you don’t hire people to reform or change them; you hire them to do a job. Solomon said, in his wisdom, you’re better off to drive out the mocker and the scoffer, for by so doing, the strife and dishonor will stop, people will be able to work productively together, and everyone will benefit, including the person who is the troublemaker. Allowing him or her to continue to get by with that inappropriate behavior doesn’t help that individual. My experience in business tells me many managers need to bite some bullets for the good of the organization and drive out the mockers and scoffers who are disrupting the workplace. It’s some good advice found in Proverbs.

Presented by Lauren Stibgen The Oxford language dictionary defines evangelism as the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.[1] It is also defined as zealous advocacy of a cause. Merriam-webster.com defines evangelism as a winning or revival of personal commitments to Christ, and it’s also defined as militant or crusading zeal.[2] An evangelist is, therefore, someone who spreads the gospel by preaching or personal witness, winning personal commitments to Christ—and, I would add, with zeal! There are three ways to consider evangelism: proclamation, incarnational/relational, and apologetic/intellectual. Proclamation evangelism is the preaching mentioned above. It is a direct telling of the gospel to others. You probably will not be deploying this tactic at work, unless you are a preacher! Incarnational/relational evangelism is the living it out—building relationships and sharing your faith at work, with a bit of apologetic/intellectual evangelism as well. Meaning, you will need to be able to explain why you are living it out. One of the most relevant definitions of evangelism I have read is this working definition presented by the Theology of Work project that says, “Evangelism is the organic process of intentionally engaging individuals in their spiritual journey, joining the Holy Spirit, watching for where he is already at work to help these individuals take one step closer to God and a new life in Christ, becoming the unique reflection of the image of Christ as the resurrected, glorified persons God intended.”[3] This punctuates that evangelism is focused on the individual, and not some large group of people. We certainly come across many individuals during our workday! But why evangelize? Isn’t this for the well-trained and professionals? And, surely, we shouldn’t do this at work—or should we? Studies show 90% of church going people who come to Christ as adults do so because of a relationship with one or more Christians outside of the four walls of the church. With many of these adults going to work, this makes our workplace evangelism key to God’s plan for salvation! Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20). Earlier in Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus tells his disciples, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. I want to remind you the disciples were not some well-studied priests of the time. And remember, Jesus was a humble carpenter before he began his ministry. God did not call the qualified, he qualified the called! Thinking about the disciples as fishermen and a tax collector and Jesus as a carpenter, helps me to feel more qualified in my calling to be an evangelist at work! Our purpose here at 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. Rooted in the verse from 2 Corinthians 5:20, which tells us we are Christ’s ambassadors, we are here in ministry to help you grow as workplace evangelists. Clearly the word evangelism is rooted in our faith as followers of Jesus Christ. Are you zealous about it yet? Many women I encounter don’t feel like they can share their faith at work. Whether it is feeling unqualified to share the gospel or simply fearing it will not be welcomed, there are more perceived obstacles than there are perceived open doors for Jesus at work. This is one of the reasons I like the working definition from the Theology of Work project mentioned earlier. The definition helps us frame the process of evangelism at work rather than simply telling us, “Hey, go proclaim Christ at work!” Evangelism is an organic process, specifically meaning it happens naturally. We don’t need to get all worked up and plan it all out. Consider the examples we have in the Bible. First Jesus. Notice how he shared his good news with others. His evangelism was incarnational and relational in every way with a touch of apologetic wisdom! Even though I am sure Jesus divinely knew who he would encounter, he wasn’t on a direct quest to find them, except for the disciples. They came to him. He encountered the woman at the well when he was thirsty, and he encountered the bleeding woman as he was going to heal another’s child. Think about the healing of the demon possessed man when the evil spirits were cast into the pigs. This man was in Jesus’s path as he arrived from crossing the sea. Think about the leper needing healing. He was also in Jesus’s path. Finally, the criminal on the cross at the crucifixion. Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43). Now, I am not saying Jesus wasn’t a preacher evangelist. We absolutely see Jesus speaking to great crowds and in the synagogue, but it happened organically. Evangelism at work can happen organically throughout the course of your day. It can be in a breakroom, or after a meeting. It could be grabbing a cup of coffee with a colleague you want to know better. If we pay attention to the example of Jesus, we also see he is intentional in how he engages each one of the people in his path. He engages individuals! Each one had a need, even before they knew they needed Jesus. Whether it was healing, food, or even a friend, Jesus met people where they were at. Being intentionally engaging with others was the next part of the definition I mentioned earlier. The Word is clear in Matthew 18:12. What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off (Matthew 18:12)? How can you intentionally engage with others? How can you help with the search for the one? Before you share the gospel with someone, have you ever considered what you know about them? Jesus had a clear advantage in being all knowing, so we will need to be good listeners and good at asking questions! In James 1:19, the word tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Listen to colleagues when they talk about what they did over the weekend or even after work. Listen when they talk about family, favorite hobbies, or holiday plans! Next, discern if you can come alongside them in any way. Again, thinking of Jesus. How are you serving those around you? …not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:4). How can you extend intentional kindness to someone? Is it an encouraging word or an expression of gratitude? Is it bringing someone a cup of coffee, or lunch? Perhaps it is simply the act of listening itself. These organic and intentional engagements can build trust and a connection to start naturally sharing about your faith when it fits into the conversation, of course making sure it isn’t making the other person feel uncomfortable. Has someone expressed a feeling like sadness, anger, concern, or fear? Maybe you can relate and mention how your faith has helped you in a similar situation. Ultimately, you will need to be prepared to make a defense if anyone asks you for a reason for the hope you have. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to do this with gentleness and respect. I would encourage you to make a list of ways God has helped you. This way, examples will be top of mind if this ever comes up! As you are deploying this organic and intentional evangelism, be encouraged! You are not expected to evangelize alone. Jesus has given to us the power of the Holy Spirit to help guide every situation. The early church was filled with evangelists just like you and me! Acts 1:8 promised they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. And they would be Jesus’s witnesses in Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say (Luke 12: 11-12). It is less about the perfect words and more about the ability to be a witness of Jesus through your life. How are people seeing the incarnational and relational Jesus through you? Paul reminds us of this. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). Allow Christ to work through you! You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). And remember you are not solely responsible for saving anyone! No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day (John 6:44). Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). You are merely the ambassador representative, a laborer in the harvest. While you may be a very important part of God’s plan for someone’s salvation, you simply are just that—one part. Paul beautifully states this. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-11). Jesus is the foundation of everything. Every interaction, every way you “build” into an individual’s faith journey. Remember the statistic I spoke about as we stated our time today? 90% of adults making a decision for Christ are doing so because of interactions outside of the Church! Back to evangelizing at work. As you intentionally engage with others through the help of the Holy Spirt, take time to discern where God is working

Presented by Julie Busteed Much of life is spent working—both in a job and in the ordinary daily tasks that keep life going. Scripture makes it clear that rest matters, yet the question remains: is rest truly practiced? Is there space to unplug, sit still, and be present? The fourth commandment speaks directly to both work and rest: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God… (Exodus 20:8–10). God did not only command rest; He modeled it. Genesis tells us, by the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy (Genesis 2:2–3). What a gift this is. God gives meaningful work and purpose, and he also knows the human need for rest. That is why the Sabbath was given, blessed, and made holy. Is this model followed? In a culture that values constant activity, it is easy to stay busy—at work, at home, and even in good and meaningful pursuits. Worth can quietly become tied to how full the schedule is. Yet the truth remains: rest is necessary. Not only physical rest but mental and emotional rest as well—time for the mind and spirit to be renewed. Too often, the command to rest on the Sabbath is brushed aside. Stillness can feel uncomfortable. Being alone with one’s thoughts may feel unfamiliar, or even unproductive. Rest can seem boring in a world that never slows down. But Sabbath does not mean doing nothing; it means resting from ordinary labor and setting the day apart for God. For many, Sunday serves as a Sabbath. Others who work on Sundays may need to choose a different day of the week to set aside. Even while Israel wandered in the desert, God established a rhythm of rest. Manna was gathered on the sixth day so that the seventh day could be devoted to rest and worship. Jesus declared himself Lord of the Sabbath. When the Pharisees accused him of working on the Sabbath, he explained that meeting basic needs and doing good—healing, helping, restoring—were never violations of God’s intent. As Jesus said, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). May this rhythm of work and rest become a lived practice—one that brings freedom, restores the soul, and honors the gracious gift God has given.

Presented by Julie Busteed Work can be either overvalued or undervalued. When it is overvalued, it can quietly become an idol—an identity. So how do you keep that in check? What if you genuinely enjoy your job and want to succeed? You have goals—maybe to advance, earn a certain position, or work at a prestigious place. Is that wrong? Is work becoming too important? Has it begun to define your whole life? I believe it comes down to the posture of our hearts. King Solomon, a man who had more success and resources than most could imagine, reflects on this in Ecclesiastes. He writes: I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:9-11). This sounds like striving and ambition to me. He was successful and achieved many things. But in the end King Solomon reflects and feels empty. He denied himself nothing yet nothing fulfilled him. He also writes in Psalms 127:1 that unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Ambition and striving are not inherently something to be avoided. But if you are not putting your relationship with God at the center, relying on him, trusting in him, daily walking with him, then it’s all in vain. The question is not whether we should work hard or pursue excellence or go after that next promotion, but who we are working for and why. When our work is surrendered to God, it becomes more than striving. It becomes stewardship. We can hold ambition with open hands, trusting that our worth is not found in what we achieve, but in whose we are. As we commit our work to the Lord, he gives it meaning, direction, and lasting purpose—far beyond what we could accomplish on our own. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established (Proverbs 16:3). I pray you think of your work—whatever it is—as unto the Lord, to be a good steward so others will see his light in your life.

Presented by Julie Busteed What does Scripture teach us about the meaning and purpose of our work? Let’s look at some examples of how work can be an opportunity to use our God-given abilities to serve others. The story of Ruth the Moabite comes to mind when thinking about an example of working to serve others. This short, four-chapter book of the Bible is packed with so much to reflect on, but today I want to focus on how Ruth’s work blessed others, specifically her mother-in-law Naomi. A fly over recap: Naomi was not only a widow, but she also lost both of her sons. There was no one to provide for her and she was living in a foreign land. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth, was also a widow who loved Naomi deeply and followed Naomi back to her homeland in Bethlehem. They arrived back in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. Arriving empty handed and no way to feed themselves, Ruth said to Naomi, let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor (Ruth 2:2). God provided a way for the poor to feed themselves. He said, when you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 19:9-10). Naomi was certainly poor, and Ruth was a foreigner. God’s law made provision for this situation. But someone had to go out in the field and put in some effort to gather the leftover grain. There was work involved. This was physical work. Ruth may not have been accustomed to it, but it didn’t keep her from attempting to provide for Naomi and herself. I imagine it was not creative work, and commentaries indicate it could have been dangerous even for her. But God provided for and protected her in this as well, since she “happened” to end up working in Boaz’s field, a relative of Naomi’s husband. And as the narrative goes, he became the kinsman redeemer, providing more than Naomi and Ruth could have imagined. All this to say, Ruth, through the unglamourous work of gleaning barley in the fields, not only provided temporary nourishment for Naomi, but also was the catalyst for providing a kinsman redeemer—someone to rescue them from poverty. In the end, Boaz married Ruth and had a son who carried on the name of Naomi’s husband. Best of all, their son was the grandfather of King David and ultimately in the lineage of Christ as we read in Matthew chapter 1. I just love how God uses us where we are. No matter what work we are doing, however humble or elevated our jobs might be if we are working for him and doing our best, he can and will use us.

Presented by Julie Busteed Do you realize God created and modeled work for you and me? I looked at one word used for work, which focused on the aspect of creativity. Let’s look at another Hebrew word used for work—avodah. And it carries the idea of purpose. It is also translated as service, worship, and even slavery. The common thread, it describes work done by one person for the benefit of another. In Genesis 2, this word appears twice. In verse 5, we read there was no one to work the ground. Then in verse 15, God places the man in the garden to work it and take care of it. From the beginning, work is clearly presented as a gift given to humanity by God, part of his good creation plan. Then in Genesis 3, after the fall, work itself is not introduced as a curse, but it is affected by the curse. The ground is cursed because of sin, and work becomes difficult and toilsome. Thorns and thistles now grow in the garden, and provision comes through pain and sweat. Work is not the punishment for sin; rather, sin distorts work, just as it distorts every part of creation. As a result, work now includes struggle, frustration, and hardship. There are thorns and thistles, and at times it will be demanding and exhausting. Considering this, how do you and I show up to work each day in a way that honors and reflects God? I find thinking of work as a gift from God—something he created me to do—helps maintain perspective. The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:17 to do everything with all our hearts, as working for the Lord and not for human masters. That truth reframes even the menial, boring, or difficult tasks every job includes. Those tasks matter, and you and I are called to do them with excellence—for his glory. Work is also necessary. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life… to work with your hands…so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12). The Thessalonians had fallen into idleness, relying on others for support. Paul encourages them to work—not only to provide for themselves—but as a way of living out their faith. Your work matters not only to pay the bills and sustain a living for you and your family, but as a witness to others. Let’s go to work and remember who we really work for.[1] — [1] Some content used with permission by Tim Vickers and IFES Graduate Impact.

Presented by Julie Busteed When you hear the word work or think about your work, what comes to mind first? Do you think about work primarily as something that you have to do to pay the bills? Is it a source of boredom, frustration, and drudgery? Or maybe you enjoy your work, and it is a space where you can be creative and challenged and satisfied. Probably for most, it’s some combination of both. So, let’s look at how God created work and how you and I can undervalue or overvalue it. The word “work” first appears in the Bible in Genesis 2 after the creation story in Genesis 1 and before the fall in Genesis 3. Work is not a result of sin entering the world. Work is affected by it, but God’s original purpose for work was for our good. In Hebrew there are two different words which are translated into “work.” The first one is in Genesis 2:2-3. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done (Genesis 2:2-3). This indicates work is something God does. So work is good. To see how God works, we go back to Genesis one and look for all the action verbs and the work characteristic that it goes with: God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). This displays his authority. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness (Genesis 1:4). God separated, which shows organization expertise. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night” (Genesis 1:5). God names things, which provides order and administration. Throughout much of the creation account God speaks things into existence indicating his creativity, authority, and communication. At the end of his work God saw that it was good. God saw all he had made, and it was very good (Genesis 1:31). He reviewed and evaluated all that he had done. Another important skill used in work. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27). Since you and I are made in his image, we are made to do good work, to do amazing and wonderful things. It is God’s gift allowing you to express your identity through your creativity.[1] — [1] Some content used with permission by Tim Vickers and IFES Graduate Impact.

I read an article in a Christian magazine entitled “Three Marketplace Worldviews: The secular marketplace view, the non-biblical compromised Christian view, and the biblical marketplace view.” This article really caught my attention, and I want to share with you some further good information from it. A worldview is simply the way we look at things, the paradigm through which we see our world. A marketplace view is the way you look at your job, career, or business. It’s part of your worldview, but it could be very different from other parts of your worldview. Basically, your marketplace view is the way you think about the whole issue of work, careers, and your particular job. The Bible tells us as we think in our hearts, so we are, so your marketplace view has a very strong influence on why you get up and go to work each day, how you perform once you get there, and what you hope to achieve as a result. Let’s look at some further differences between these three marketplace views. How does a secular marketplace view understand the moral foundation and guidelines for business? That view says, “The ends justify the means.” A secular view rejects the Bible as truth and considers it irrelevant to business. They would consider anyone with a biblical marketplace view as a bit weird, certainly radical. You’ll find a wide variety of behavior among those who hold a secular marketplace view. Many are just out for themselves, using whatever means necessary to achieve their aims. They are into office politics, underhanded deals, deceitful sales pitches, or tweaking numbers—whatever it takes to reach their goals of more money, more success, more promotions. Others, on the other hand, will recognize there is merit in being honest and helpful. People who are not believers in Jesus Christ can still benefit greatly when they choose to live by biblical principles. I know people who would never call themselves Christians, but who also would never be dishonest in their business dealings. I read an article about a man who got a tax refund that was grossly in error. Instead of a small amount, the check was for over two million dollars. Knowing he had no right to the money, even though he had the check in his hands, he returned it because it was the right thing to do. Even a non-believer can operate out of right principles, but they still hold a secular marketplace view and are in the job to get the most they can for themselves. What is the non-biblical compromised Christian view of the moral foundation and guidelines for business? This person thinks, “God is more concerned about our church than my job or my business.” He is not sure the Bible has much to say about how to do business. After all, it was written too long ago. He may think it impossible to live by Christian principles on the job because nobody else does, and it’s a dog-eat-dog world. He or she sees his or her work as a separate from life and faith. Why do far-too-many Christians have this compromised view of their jobs—this unbiblical attitude toward work? Because they don’t know the Bible well enough. Because they don’t spend time truly searching God’s word and applying it to their lives. Because they’ve never heard a message like this, challenging them to have a biblical view of their work. Because they so easily fall into the world’s mold and are not willing to pay the price of living for Jesus on their jobs. There are many reasons. We have an enemy of our soul who is going to use every tactic possible to keep Christians from being effective witnesses for Jesus Christ, and this is certainly one weapon he uses. He deceives us into thinking incorrectly—after all, lying is his specialty—and once we think wrongly, we act wrongly. How wonderful it is to find a Christian with a Biblical marketplace view. This person understands God’s principles and precepts for business and is committed to doing business God’s way. This person truly studies and applies what the Bible teaches regarding business and money. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, a biblical marketplace view causes this person to see her job as part of her mission in this world, even if persecution and suffering may result from doing business God’s way. I have a friend whose family owns a successful business, begun by his father and now being passed on to his sons. This business is based on biblical principles, and everyone who works there knows it. There are many employees, and though it is not required for an employee to be a Christian, the owners are not hesitant to make it known that the business belongs to God and is operated to bring him glory. I’ve been there to give a brief Bible study at lunchtime, and the employees I met love to work there. It’s really a testimony to what it means to have a biblical marketplace view. I have a friend who is a very successful attorney, and he has frequently told me operating by biblical principles as an attorney has been a great benefit to him, not a handicap. My brother owned a business and over the years he established a reputation for honesty. Others could rely on his word, and his honesty was known throughout his industry. That’s because he ran his business by Christian principles. Another friend and one of our board members has a high-level career as a patent attorney. She sees her job as the place God has put her, and she prays daily about all her encounters with her coworkers, clients, and anyone she interacts with. She not only prays for wisdom and success, but more importantly, she prays that with every interaction, she will show the love of Jesus to others—in the way she conducts her business, in the tone of her voice, in her care and concern for others. She has a biblical perspective of her workplace. Do you see your job as your mission field? A person with a secular marketplace view wouldn’t even know what that means. A person with a non-biblical compromised Christian view might be fearful of trying to combine their faith with their business or career. After all, they might get sued for mentioning God in the workplace—right? Or their employees or coworkers might get upset with bringing God into the business. But a biblical marketplace view understands a Christian should be called to their life’s work, should know they are doing what God has intended for them to do. Therefore, their business and career are part of their ministry—a big part. Their workplace is their mission field, and they see their financial success as a way to fund kingdom ministries. I served on the Board of Trustees for LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas for about 12 years. This school was begun by Mr. R. G. LeTourneau, who was a very successful inventor and entrepreneur in earth-moving equipment. Mr. R. G. believed God gave him success to help others, and he donated 90% of his earnings to God’s work, keeping only 10% for himself. The good he did for the Kingdom of Christ is incalculable. He has left a heritage of good things, including this wonderful university which is training Christians to go into the work world with a biblical marketplace view. You may be thinking that incorporating a biblical marketplace view could be costly. You’re right. Jesus told us when we follow him, there can be a price to pay. I know situations where Christians have lost their jobs because they refused to compromise their Christian principles on the job. I have a friend who knows she is treated unfairly in some ways because of her Christian principles; she’s not one of the “in-crowd,” so to speak. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name…So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good (1 Peter 4:14-16, 19). Truly suffering for the name of Christ should be a cause for rejoicing that you are considered worthy. It is a badge of honor, not one of shame. Certainly, suffering is not something we seek or desire, but fear of it should not keep us from living by biblical principles. Let me encourage you to pray about your own perspective of your job. Do you see it as a drudgery or a necessity or maybe as your own road to success as you climb the ladder? Or do you recognize as a follower of Jesus Christ, you report ultimately to him? Therefore, you are working to bring honor and glory to him. When you have a biblical view of your job, it truly makes it so much easier to get up and go to work! It won’t always be fun or full of what the world calls success. There are truly hard days, but a biblical perspective will give you great satisfaction and contentment to know you work for Jesus. What you do each day matters to him.