View work with an eternal perspective.
A foreign missionary, dutifully performing “spiritual” work, may do so with an improper focus of life. On the other hand, a person in business or “secular” work may conduct his affairs in the world with a totally different focus. This focus is essential for comprehending work as a platform for fulfilling the Great Commission. Paul, in 2 Corinthians, explains,”…for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (4:18, KJV). Either your focus in life is on the eternal, or it is on the temporal; there is no middle ground. Secular work is sacred only when the focus of your life is on the eternal. Therefore, a missionary could have a temporal focus (such as becoming director of the mission), while a businessman can have an eternal focus (working as unto the Lord while seeking opportunities to share his faith). Paul illustrates this temporal/eternal dichotomy in 1 Corinthians:
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. (3:11-13)
Here, the apostle describes building materials of two classes: inflammable and flammable, or those which will survive the test of fire and those which will not. We could call this “eternal building materials vs. temporal building materials”. On the job, you may either possess an eternal focus of life or a temporal one. Your focus will exhibit itself primarily in your mindset or attitude toward work. Why are you there? To chase dollars and succeed in the same fashion as your unbelieving colleagues, or to work in a manner pleasing to God, trusting Him for opportunities to minister to others? Do you minister to people by meeting their needs, or do you manipulate them to your own ends by using them as a source of financial gain?
Jesus said you are to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you . . . “ (Matthew 6:23). The workplace is the arena for extending God’s Kingdom, but only if it is viewed as a pulpit – as a platform from which to launch your ministry as an ambassador, representing the interests of a sovereign in a foreign land. God plans to populate the earth with His own people, but He has chosen to execute this plan by person-to-person communication of the gospel. By sending out emissaries like you and me, armed with a life-transforming message, God intends to fill the earth with His glory (Ezekiel 43:2).
The world is filled with people needing the Good News of Jesus Christ. God has called all of His children to be witnesses (Acts 1:8), and there is to be no distinction between “professionals” and “laity” in the proclamation of the gospel. The only difference between a vocational Christian worker and a marketplace minister of the gospel is the manner in which God funds their ministries. While the Lord may choose to fund a businessman to do the ministry primarily through his job, He funds the vocational minister primarily through the gifts of His people.
So, when you feel like quitting your job to go into the ministry, remember: you are already in the ministry! Change your mind about your job today. Begin to view work with an eternal perspective; you are where people in need of Christ are. You are a key player in God’s program – after all, you’re a layman!
From Robert Tamasy, The Complete Christian Businessman (Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1991). © Christian Business Men’s Committee of the USA. cbmc.com Used by permission. Content distributed by WorkLife.org > Used for non-profit teaching purposes only.
