Purpose Driven Work?

I've heard it taught, and I think I agree, that work is not a punishment resulting from the fall, but rather that we are created to work as of, and unto, God. It is an extremely fulfilling thing to be able to put to use the skills God has given us to accomplish something worthwhile. In my mind, I start with that acknowledgement and move on to my many questions. I don’t suppose they are new, but I’m personally just getting around to processing them. I'm thinking through my answers here, but happy to consider other ways of looking at things.

One of the first challenges I have when thinking about work is how does one balance the desire to do something one is passionate about with the need to provide for ones family? There are two things I have heard taught often about this subject. The first is that you should choose to work somewhere that allows you to be involved in something you are passionate about and is connected to your life mission. The second teaches that work is not your provider, God is. Initially I would agree with both of those teachings, but I definitely think they deserve to be looked into at a deeper level.

I have several questions in regards to the exhortation to work in a position that enables one to be involved in their life purpose. To start with the most direct challenge, I seem to remember a verse in scripture that says something along the lines that he who does not provide for his family is worse than an infidel. Sometimes we do not have an opportunity to work some place we feel particularly called to work and yet the bills still need to be paid. I’m not talking about the bills for the cool toys or sweet digs and duds, but the basic necessities of life. I have no doubt God will provide, but I think that sometimes the way He chooses to provide is through a job – regardless of whether it is a job we would have chosen for ourselves or not. Additionally, I think that sometimes we need to work in a position that we do not see as moving us toward our life’s goals and dreams because it serves another purpose in God’s economy. The purpose could be anything from giving us time to mature, giving us the opportunity to minister to a co-worker, or providing back ground skills that will come in useful down the road. I think it is dangerous to hold firmly to the idea that you will only work somewhere you feel particularly passionate about. One needs to feel that what one is doing is serving a worthwhile purpose, but every job may not be the job that allows you to work directly in your area of passion.

I am not saying that everyone should take the first job offer received to pay the bills. I’d start with acknowledging to God that I am willing to make some sacrifices, if that is what is necessary, to work in a field God is calling me to. I would then apply myself to diligently looking for a job in my field and praying for God’s help in finding the right job. If the option that presents itself is not one that I understand, then I hope I would seek God’s peace about taking that job and receiving it as His provision. Then I would need to be grateful for the job and do it to the best of my ability for God.

On another level, does all work have to be apart of our greater passion or can it just be something we are skilled at, enjoy doing, and are able to add value to people through it? Perhaps one feels their area of passion is something they do not intend to do vocationally but their work gives them the freedom to be able to participate in their ministry.

Somewhat along those lines, another question would be, can our purpose and passion behind our work be the simple desire to get out of, or avoid going into debt? If so, almost any job is an opportunity to live purposefully in our vocation. Again, in this case, the job would be providing the opportunity to experience financial freedom which can allow us to serve and share in so many ways. In working with Christian financial planners, I have heard several stories of extremely successful business people who become Christians and want to get out of business and into ministry without realizing that their business can be a huge part in having the ability to facilitate ministry. God seems to have gifted them in making money and if they are willing to be agents through whom God’s money is distributed then what a blessing they can be through staying involved in making money. Of course, they also have a great opportunity as Christians in business to make a difference in the lives of employees, co-workers, consumers, vendors, etc, who are encountered in the daily routine of being a business man or woman.

I’d love to dig into the idea that God is our provider, not work, as well as what vocations I would not be able to do with a sense of working as of and unto God, but this is already getting long so for now I’ll keep my thoughts to myself :-)

Vocationality - if that is a word

I always find it interesting to see how applicable ancient history is to current issues and challenges. Hopefully, by studying history we can understand the driving principles behind the issues of the past, and will be able to learn vicariously, rather than have to needlessly go through the trials once again.

One aspect of the early church that is particularly interesting is their concept of vocationality. In the early church scattered for service we see Christians who did not live dualistically - separating the sacred and secular, but rather attempted to live out all of life in a way that was consistent with their Christian presuppositions. Tertullian exhorted Christians to do their job for the common good, and it was common practice to do whatever your job was, as of, and unto God. Christians living out their faith in the marketplace, political realm, and cultural realm allowed them to be agents of change in the culture they were apart of.

In some circles today there seems to be a growing disconnect between the local church and the local believers (i.e. Barna’s “Revolution”). Some in church leadership have retreated from public life and do not address their members as business people or cultural drivers, but rather only teach on matters of personal spiritual beliefs and practices.

I have a friend who leads an organization dedicated to serving Christian CEO’s. He says the CEO’s are in desperate need of support from grounded, mature Christians who understand the environment they are trying to live their faith out in. I am guessing the need could be met in several ways such as linking local churches to para-church ministries that specialize in ministry to executives, or perhaps the church itself could develop affinity groups of the various types of vocations represented in the church. There could also be value in the church promoting a high view of the role the laity plays in living out their faith in the marketplace, whatever that market may be. If the church could affirm that almost all professions can serve a redeeming purpose and commission it’s members as salt and light to the field they are in, and champion them as people serving the common good I believe we would see a greater participation in church, as well as, a greater impact on society as a whole as we saw among in the Roman empire in the first few centuries after Christ.

I am not picking on churches. I know we Americans are incredibly blessed to be able to participate freely in so many great churches, and I appreciate the godly men and women who dedicate their professional and personal lives to leading people into a growing relationship with Christ. The pastors I know do a far better job of it, than I could ever hope to, so I speak only as an observer wondering how we could do a better job of serving one segment of our population.

I have been listening to podcasts of some of the emergent church services and regardless of ones personal views on the emergent church, it does seem that they have taken a lead in encouraging people to do whatever it is that they do for God’s glory, and for the common good and that may be part of the reason the emergent church enjoys a sense of relevancy greater than some traditional denominations. The wholeness created by seeking to live out our roles in the world for God’s glory and the common good goes a long way to provide the transformation we seek as Christians.

Then and Now

Today I spent a few hours reading church history. I learned a few interesting things I do not remember knowing. I read that Augustine and many others believed in infant baptism because they believed it washed off “original sin” (the sin of Adam the child had supposedly been born with). I read how many others believed baptism cleansed one of all of their sins up to the point of baptism, and then once you were baptized it was expected that you would not sin. Christians in this era and particular group of followers were allowed only one egregious sin after baptism if they wanted to remain in the local body of believers. It sounds crazy to me, but it is not that far off from the old holiness school of thought that believed that once you were sanctified you did not sin. Augustine, and many others, believed baptism and the Lord’s Supper were requirements for salvation. Probably the most interesting thing I read was that some churches baptized people naked. Wow – baptisms would be down at our church if that were the requirement, and yet somehow attendance might trend upward :-)

The rituals I read about were vital to their faith and practice. They sound strange to me, but to them they were earnest attempts to live the life they felt Christ had called them to. They were well thought out and were practiced intentionally. I believe most of my fellow church attendees are sincere in our desire to come together as a community to worship God and to strengthen our relationship with Christ, but reading about the early church does makes me wonder what it is in our church services or in our forms of worship that will seem unreal to Christians of the distant future? I also wonder what it is we have given up by moving so far from our roots? I am most appreciative of the dynamicism of Christianity that allows us to change the way we practice our faith while maintaining the substance of our faith and belief.

I also wonder what a balanced, and or correct view of baptism is. Baptism was so essential to the church fathers. I don’t have any idea of how baptism is viewed by the American evangelical church as a whole, but in my little corner of the world baptism seems to be an opportunity to share our story of what God has done for us, and an opportunity for us to show God our willingness to submit to His request that we be baptized. It is a rich experience, but far from essential. Can you imagine what the church fathers would think of a) my perception of the value of baptism and b) the actual baptisms in my church? About five years ago I called my church and told them I was ready to be baptized after years of having been a Christian. We set a date for me to come in and film my testimony, and then on a scheduled Sunday morning I stood in the baptismal in front of thousands as my story was shared on big screens in the auditorium and I was formally baptized via immersion. In so many ways, that experience would not be something the early church could possibly have imagined.

Lauren Winner’s, “Girl Meets God” opened my eyes to the fact that the community and age in which I practice my faith is relatively devoid of rich, meaningful rituals. Ignorantly, I had thought rituals were mind numbed, memorized, and institutional performances. I now see there is another side to that coin. I, personally, am content to be in a denomination (or lack there of) that does not emphasize formal rites of worship, but I can see how more traditional ceremonies and acts of worship could be extremely meaningful to others in their walk with Christ. It is interesting to think of the different roles customs have played in past and current communities of faith, and interesting to ponder what that may look like in future generations.

Get Ready...Fall is Coming

I love summer! I like being outside, I like never being cold, I like the flexibility I have in my schedule and my sons schedule over the summer – it is a great time of year.

Summer 2006 was a good one for us. We spent a wonderful week at the beach, we ate many dinners on my parents newly screened in porch, I got to go running outside rather than walking the treadmill in the gym, we slept in more often and it was all good!

It appears that things are about to change, and I need to get ready to jump into a new season. My husband started a new job last week, my son starts pre-K this week and today was the first cool day we have had here for a long time – seasons are about to change. My job is extremely seasonal and I am slammed February through March and September through October and this year does not appear to be an anomaly. I hate to let summer go, but since I do not really have a choice I guess I will. I’ll be too busy to think much about it, but when I do think about the loss of summer 2006, I’ll have to remember the good things that come with fall such as pumpkin patches, football and good apples:-)

Raspberries

Margaret Feinberg’s blog ((http://margaretfeinberg.blogspot.com) recently sported a post about having an opportunity to over-indulge in raspberries. She lives in Alaska and so fresh raspberries are not readily available. She was in Colorado and so took the occasion to purchase 10 containers of fresh raspberries (nice and healthy!). In partaking of them, she learned something we all know, but something that is hard to remember. Somewhere between consumption of the fifth and sixth package of raspberries, they began to provide less delight. The law of diminishing rewards kicked in. How did something truly good turn out to be something lackluster? Her point was that:
“Over-indulgence promises you never-ending flavor and just when you think you've discovered it, the satisfaction fades away. You're left eating, consuming, but somehow unfulfilled. The promise of more only leaves you with less room for that which really satisfies. “
She then talks about how, obviously, that relates to more than eating and reminds us that sometimes “less is more.”

I agree with her, and appreciate her reminder. As I considered responding to her post, I knew that what she says is true, but I also know how hard that can be to see on the outset. It is so hard to imagine that when we get something good, in quantities greater than what we dared ask, it can be something that will not bring us the happiness we would associate with it. Think about it, if I like Seven Jeans and I get the opportunity to have one pair and I am thrilled about that, then it seems logical to assume that if I get the opportunity to have seven pairs of Seven Jeans then I will enjoy immense satisfaction. The challenge, as I see it, is two-fold: 1) how do I remember going into the situation that this is not going to bring about the desired outcome and 2) can I intentionally decide up front how much is enough and be content with the lifestyle God allows me?

The thing that brings me momentary happiness could be anything – food, money, praise, raspberries or jeans or whatever. Obviously, those of us who are Christ followers, should have ourselves rooted in our acceptance by Christ and theoretically, at least, should be less susceptible to allowing something else to provide us with ultimate satisfaction. However, we all end up being in situations where we have the opportunity to get a lot of something we like and it feels like a great opportunity. How do we get what we know to be true to the forefront of our minds at a time like that? I really have no grand solution, I’m in learning mode. I can only offer a few self-evident ideas, such as we need to remember moderation for a host of reasons, we need to remember that we are stewards of someone else’s treasures, and I guess we just plain ol’ need to remind ourselves of that which we know to be true. I like Ken Boa’s definition of faith. He says “Faith is believing God’s word despite my experience to the contrary.” I think that is applicable.

Regarding the second part of the challenge – intentionally determining how much is enough, and choosing to be content with the lifestyle God provides us with – that is crucial. One of the things Ron Blue often teaches is that everyone needs to decide how much is enough. It is simply recognizing the reality of the human heart to realize that if we do not predetermine how much is enough, we will never feel like we have enough. When I first heard that idea, I disagreed. I thought surely if I had a million dollars I would feel like I had enough, but then I heard of so many examples where that was not the case in other peoples lives and there is no reason to think I am better than them. Think about it, when we were in college and living on $500 a month I thought if I could just make $30,000 I’d have it made, and then when I made $30,000 I thought now if I could be making $40,000 I certainly would be content but I’ve discovered that my lifestyle has grown with my wages. It still feels like if I ever make $100,000 a year I’d certainly be content, but I know better than to believe that now. I have to intentionally decide now how much is enough or I might be deceived into thinking one more box of raspberries, more dollars, or whatever would make me content.

I appreciate Margaret’s post. I hope to get in my heart that which I know is true, to determine how much is enough, and to cultivate a contentedness with the lifestyle God gives me. I may be naive, but in so doing, I believe I will be doing something to protect myself from a consumerism that can never give me enough to feel satiated..

Motivations

I listened to a lesson this week that sounded great, but of course, I thought too much about it and while it makes a lot of sense on one hand, it also raises some challenges on the other hand.

The lesson talks about how in our typical western mindset we push ourselves to not sin with a thought process that feeds our very sin nature. For example, we don’t want to lie because we should be better than that, or we do not do something we shouldn’t because we could be seen and people would see our obvious faults, or parents tell a child not to lie because they will get caught in their lies and it is all ME driven. The very act of not sinning causes a sinful pride to grow in us. The reverse also works, we do something we should because we think we somehow get some kind of brownie points and our kind act ends up causing pride. It reminds me somewhat of Dallas Willard talking about “The Gospel of Sin Management.” He talks about how we should be marked so much more by our love than by what we do, or do not do, on the outside.

Tim Keller addresses the issue by saying religion operates on the principle that I obey and therefore God accepts me but the Gospel operates on the premise that God accepts me because of what Jesus Christ has done for me and therefore I obey. Both look similar on the outside, but are driven from profoundly different motives.

The obvious goal is for good behavior to be the natural outflow of a sinner saved by radical grace and welcomed into relationship with Christ. It should be so easy, we know what God has done for us and we know we are so undeserving! Naturally, after what Jesus has done for us we should want to make choices that would please Him in every aspect of life – right? As much as that makes sense, it just doesn’t seem to be the reality that most of us live in. Given a non perfect reality aren’t we then to impose our beliefs on ourselves simply because we know the Truth and know we need to do what is right? Maybe I am looking at the question wrong or the challenge incorrectly, but if that is the question then yes, I do think we need to act correctly even if that would not be our hearts natural inclination. I also think we need to hope to get to a better place.

I hope our goal is to be truly transformed and to begin to desire the things God has for us, and begin to truly desire to please him in every area of life. The challenge is how do we get that to happen? How do we get beyond doing what we should because we know we should? How do we not allow following God's law to become ritualistic and meaningless? What is our role and what is the Holy Spirit’s role?

I know I can’t answer all of those questions, but I have a few thoughts. I think if we could live with an internalized gratefulness for what God has done for us and offers us daily then we would be more drawn to living in response to that. I think it would be worthwhile to cultivate a sense of gratefulness which notices and recognizes the goodness of God in the big and little moments of life. I think I am heading towards the goal when I try to connect with God in real, authentic ways, telling Him the truth about where I am, but also telling Him that I know He is the one who can create that true goodness within me. I’m sure I have said this before, but I remember Tim Elmore teaching us that emotions follow motion. I’m sure that doesn’t satisfy the relationship based emergents, and I’m open to learning more about how others would answer the questions, or for that matter, even how others would ask the questions.