We are destined to work. Very few of us will graduate high school with a fat savings account from grandpa awaiting us. Most us will have to work exhaustively and, willingly or not, for long hours earning minimum wage or close to it. We succumb to the schedule that is set for us by the boss in order to achieve the greater goal of adventure during our off time. Life is about our jobs more than it is about life.
When you meet someone new, you ask the question, "what do you do?" immediately following the "what is your name?" question. We are defined by our occupation because our occupation is where we spend most of our time. We become friends with our colleagues and co-workers because we are forced to spend time with them. If we don't become friends, then we risk a miserable atmosphere for 8+ hours everyday. Jobs are the quintessential aspect of our lives that, when we are teenagers, is the furthest from our minds. We were not told, nor shown, the gigantic impact our occupational selection will have on our future: time, money, location. We will devote countless hours to our occupation to what end? This is the ultimate question, "to what end?" Christ in the NT calls the disciples away from their occupations to begin ministry, to be trained for his eventual departure. They become the first missionaries. However, all of us are not called into occupational missions. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ even where we live. Christ told the disciples they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem first. This was their current residence. Our job, just like the disciples, is to impact the world around us with the gospel. We are to be the hands and feet of Christ in our communities: at the grocery store, at the mall, at the movie theater, on the ball field. Our jobs, which is how we make a living and continue our ministry to the community, is nothing more than an avenue to spread the gospel. We don't have to bombard those around us with "Jesus this" and "Jesus that." We merely need to be loving hands of Christ when people are in need: in need of a friend, a listener, some help. Your job, whether it is hard labor or a cushy desk job, is not really work when you see it as an opportunity to positively impact the lives of others around you. I heard a story once at a conference: A young girl was valedictorian of her class and had stepped in front of the microphone to give her val-speech. With tears in her eyes, she quietly read from her notes, "I have spoken to each one of you before this day. I have told you that Jesus Loves You, and so do I. Some of you treated me kindly and others did not." She continued to tell how she made it her goal to tell each person that they were loved and created for a specific purpose. She wanted every student to know the love of Jesus Christ. She ended her speech, "And I will leave you with this, it is never too late to know the love of Jesus. He loves you more than you can imagine! And I love you!" DO WHAT? School was not about popularity, good grades, athletics, performing arts, fashion, and the like. School for this young lady was about telling her classmates, not just friends, that Jesus loves them. School was not work for her, it was an avenue to impact the lives of those around her! Are you working today? Are you impacting the lives of people around you? Make your workplace something more than just work, make it the place where you show others the love of Jesus! Make it your mission field! |