The Future

April 27,2011

A month ago I was dead broke. A week after that my online sidelines were failing - sinking. A few days after that my fiancé lost her grandfather. A few weeks ago I gave a ring to the one I love. Just yesterday I got promoted.  Today i am in a business trip in Cebu with all expenses paid and staying in a 5-star hotel. In six months time I will be married to the woman I've been praying for.

The bible speaks that God has prepared great things for those who seek after His kingdom (Matt 6:33). I am blessed and thankful that He has heard my prayers and has lifted my head up from the pit. Sometimes (if not always), God allows us to go through the valley, over rocky roads, in the dessert, through the fire, in raging waters, in the darkest night (yup i got that from an old worship song)…but he never leaves us there alone - better yet, he never leaves us there (Deut 31:8). These places are the most painful places for us to be, but these are the most beautiful places for us to go. Because it is in this places that we are kept in check. Our hearts are tested and refined over and over again. Just as a gold loses its luster and shine overtime, so do we Christians. And since we are too precious in God's eyes a moments loss of shine worries him, just as a jeweler worries over the loss of shine of one of his gems. For this reason, God shines us again and again, gives us a little buff, runs us through the refinery again. If we caught some dust in us or a blemish is seen inside us He works on it immediately. He works on our lives every day until he fulfills his promise "the good work that I began in you I will bring it to completion" (Phil 1:6). 

May we grow to be more and more Christ-like everyday. Keeping in mind that God is more concerned with our character than our comfort.

Serve God, not men… even in the workplace

“You cannot serve two masters. You will love one and hate the other. (Matt. 6:24)”

 I have been long torn between being at work and ministering in a church, but I have no choice except to work in a secular company rather than in a ministry because being in the ministry cannot help me support my family. The verse above made me feel like I am serving two masters—work (which equates to money in some sense) and God.

Through the book “A Man’s Guide To Work”  I learned that the Christians who are working in the market place (business field) is as equally called as those who are working full time in the church like pastors, deacons, and ministers. This boosted my morale over what I am doing as I have been long torn between being at work and working in a church. It is through this book that I learned that what ever work a person is given (be it in a secular or Christian environment) it is God who appointed them in that position to be used for His glory.

The book also tackles the biblical truth on how to minister in your workplace ethically. This book broke my belief that as a Christian I should be radical in sharing my faith to my coworkers during office time or while I am in the office, but it is unethical. It is not right to use the time that the company is demanding from me to be able to do my job and use it for something else. Jesus said, “give to Cesar what is Cesar’s and give to God what is God’s.” Do not get me wrong, I’m not saying that as Christians we should not share the word in the work place. What I am trying to say is that we put it in the right place and time. We can share our faith to a co-worker during lunch breaks, coffee breaks, or even after office hours. But not during the time of work. This way, the people around us will have a good impression over Christians in the workplace. Always bear in mind that we are called to be “Good witnesses”, in view of that we must be careful not to soil our witness by being unethical with our actions.

Another point that this book taught me is to always aspire for excellence, Christians must be known in their workplace as someone who is reliable, trust worthy, and disciplined. Paul said in one of his epistles, “Slaves, serve your master as though you are serving God himself.” As an employee (slave) I cannot afford to settle for second best since I am serving not man, but God. My bosses are just figure heads. They are not really the ones that I am striving to do my best for in this workplace. It is God.

I can go on and on sharing what I have learned from that book, but as one pastor would remind us, “It must be every Christian’s desire to know God more and more personally and in an intimate way – Epiginosko”. It’s for others to find out more Biblical truths that “A Man’s Guide to Work” has cited to inspire and encourage them to know God and live for Him… even in the workplace.

“A Man’s Guide to Work” by Patrick Morley is published in the Philippines by  Church Strengthening Ministry, Inc. and is available for P260.

July 26, 2011