ministry?

[steve]

something that i ran across on the TGIF site.
makes sense to me!

Your Secular Work Is Ministry
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
01-10-2012
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Col 3:23-25).

I sat across the table from the well known seminary professor and former missionary as he asked me a very direct question: "So, Os, tell me about this faith at work movement." "Well, there's really nothing complicated about it. I believe every person's work can be viewed as a ministry if done with a motive to glorify God based upon Colossians 3:23," I responded.

"How can you say that if you're not sharing the gospel in that job? You would have to be actively sharing your faith for it to be construed as ministry," he argued.

"No, that's not true. The work itself is ministry because the word for ministry and service come from the same Greek root word, diakonia. When you are serving others even through your secular work and do it with a motive to glorify God, that's why it is ministry. In fact, the Bible says you'll receive an inheritance when you do," I said.

We continued bantering back and forth on the issue. I continued, "God created even secular work to meet human needs. Man began to divide work into spiritual and non-spiritual terms which introduced a form of dualism in the third and fourth centuries. But God never secularized our work. He desires our work to be viewed as worship."

We concluded our meeting in disagreement. However, a few months later I met my friend at a booksellers convention. "Hey, you were right Os! I've done my study and work really is ministry because it is service. This man went on to write a book on the subject and said this; "Think about this. If you are filling someone's teeth, you are ministering to your patient. If you are playing in a symphony orchestra, you are ministering to the audience. If you are flying an airplane, you are ministering to the passengers. If you wait on tables, you are ministering to the customers. All of that clearly fits under biblical diakonia."

It was the first time I'd ever won a theological argument with a theologian!

 

[Tali]

Good stuff, Maynard.

 

[DougM]

Congratulations Steve. You have a friend with an open mind,seems rare at times. Just wish more thought/ felt that way.

 

[CecilW]

For YEARS the sole attraction of writing software has been that doing so makes someone's life easier. Service.

I agree. Good post, Steve.

 

[CecilW]

More food for thought along this line ...

The path of toil appointed to the dwellers on earth may be hard and wearisome; but it is honored by the footprints of the Redeemer, and he is safe who follows in this sacred way. By precept and example Christ has dignified useful labor. From his earliest years, he lived a life of toil. The greater part of his earthly life was spent in patient work in the carpenter's shop at Nazareth. In the garb of a common laborer the Lord of life trod the streets of the little town in which he lived, going to and returning from his humble toil; and ministering angels attended him as he walked side by side with peasants and laborers, unrecognized and unhonored.

When he went forth to contribute to the support of the family by his daily toil, he possessed the same power as when on the shores of Galilee he fed five thousand hungry souls with five loaves and two fishes. But he did not employ his divine power to lessen his burdens or lighten his toil. He had taken upon himself the form of humanity, with all its attendent ills, and he did not flinch from its severest trials. He lived in a peasant's home; he was clothed with coarse garments; he mingled with the lowly; he toiled with patient hands. His example shows us that it is man's duty to be industrious, and that labor is honorable.

The things of earth are more closely connected with heaven, and are more directly under the supervision of Christ, than many realize. All right inventions and improvements have their source in him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working. The skilful touch of the physician's hand, his power over nerve and muscle, his knowledge of the delicate mechanism of the body, is the wisdom of divine power to be used in behalf of the suffering. The skill with which the carpenter uses his tools, the strength with which the blacksmith makes the anvil ring, come from God. Whatever we do, wherever we are placed, he desires to control our minds, that we may do perfect work. Christianity and business, rightly understood, are not two separate things; they are one. Bible religion is to be brought into all that we do and say. Human and divine agencies are to combine in temporal as well as in spiritual achievements. They are to be united in all human pursuits, in mechanical and agricultural labors, in mercantile and scientific enterprises. ...

The essential lesson of contented industry in the necessary duties of life, is yet to be learned by the larger number of Christ's followers. It requires more grace, more stern discipline of character, to work for God in the capacity of a mechanic, merchant, lawyer, or farmer, carrying the precepts of Christianity into the ordinary business of life, than to labor as an acknowledged missionary in the open field. It requires a strong spiritual nerve to bring religion into the workshop and the business office, sanctifying the details of every-day life, and ordering every transaction according to the standard of God's Word. But this is what the Lord requires.

The apostle Paul regarded idleness as a sin. He learned the trade of tent-making in its higher and lower branches, and during his ministry he often worked at this trade to support himself and others. Paul did not regard as lost the time thus spent. As he worked at his trade, the apostle had access to a class of people that he could not otherwise have reached. He showed his associates that skill in the common arts is a gift from God. he taught that even in every-day toil God is to be honored. His toil-hardened hands detracted nothing from the force of his pathetic appeals as a Christian minister.

God designs that all shall be workers. The toiling beast of burden answers the purpose of its creation better than does the indolent man. God is a constant worker. The angels are workers; they are ministers of God to the children of men. Those who look forward to a heaven of inactivity will be disappointed; for the economy of heaven provides no place for the gratification of indolence. But to the weary and heavy-laden rest is promised. It is the faithful servant who will be welcomed from his labors to the glory of his Lord. He will lay off his armor with rejoicing, and will forget the noise of battle in the glorious rest prepared for those who conquer through the cross of Calvary.

-- Ellen White, a pioneer of the Seventh-day Adventist church, writing in 1912 (Review and Herald magazine 10-03-12)

 

[steve]

ask yourself this question:

is polygyny about the blessings that i/we may recieve from it, or is it a ministry?

i have found that i have a full-time job as a husband to two wonderfull women, i just drive a truck on the side so that we can all keep eating.

 

[Shadowjak's Dancer]

I believe this is a line of thought often neglected in believing circles these days... Often in Scripture you hear about a righteous individual who obtained favor in the "eyes of God and man"... Joseph earned a good reputation working in a secular environment, as did Daniel, and others. They excelled at what they did. Secular people recognized that the Almighty was with them.

How can that not be a great ministry? If it is the believers that are the ones who do their work with a spirit of excellence, without complaining, won't they stand out? Won't people wonder what is different about them? Absolutely, you don't want them to associate you with no integrity in your dealings with others, someone who gets paid without putting in the hard work to deserve it, someone who always is complaining about the boss, and showing up late.

It's like people who have believer bumper stickers on their cars and drive like hell: people are watching you, and they will measure up the things that you do... I hope that I don't give them reason to sneer at Christianity/the Bible because I am being a poor example!

 

[FollowingHim]

I have a great book which was given to my great-great-grandfather in 1868 by a close friend, when he was leaving England for New Zealand. It is called "From seventeen to thirty: The town life of a youth from the country, it's trials, temptations and advantages: Lessons from the history of Joseph". It is a lecture given at the London YMCA by T. Binney to young businessmen who had themselves left the country to seek their fortune in the city. It is extremely encouraging and has some great lessons in it, which as I look at it again I realise I need to take some of them to heart more myself...

Key points of interest:

Joseph rose in rank wherever he was (Potiphar's house, prison, Pharaoh's court) because God was with him, but also because he was willing to work diligently and conscientiously on anything that was available. He didn't mope about his misfortunes but instead took what opportunities existed to work, and through those small opportunities was recognised as somebody to be given greater responsibilities, until he was completely in charge of Potiphar's house, the prison, and then the entire country.

It is again to be remembered that all is attributed to God. It was He who drew to Joseph the jailer's respect and inspired his confidence; his success in all things was owing to this, that that which he did "the Lord made it prosper." But our former statement is also to be remembered, that God does not bless or prosper indolence, carelessness, or stupidity. His blessing descends on wisdom and work; on the sagacity of the head and the skill of the hand; on means judiciously selected and employed.

It took Joseph a very long time. He was 17 when he was sold by his brothers. He was 30 when he finally was pulled out of jail and became the second in command of the entire country. For 13 years he descended into slavery, then further into being a prisoner, and yet he did not despair but still worked diligently in each situation. It was 2 years from when he translated the butler's dream until when he was finally asked to attend the Pharaoh's court, a very long time hoping to be remembered by the butler and mentioned to Pharaoh, with no idea of whether this would even happen at all. Yet he came through all these long periods of difficulty with God's help.

He was apparently open about his faith.

But Christian young men should especially remember this, - that Joseph evidently made no secret of his religion. He cultivated all righteousness from a reverential regard to God, and "acknowledged God in all His ways". He no doubt made it manifest that a religious principle lay at the bottom of his virtue ... In any conversation he might have with Potiphar, he would not hesitate, if necessary and becoming, to speak of "the God of his fathers," the Jehovah whom he served, and to attribute to Him whatever he possessed of wisdom or skill. The impression produced upon Potiphar, by what he saw, heard, and understood, was such, that "he perceived that the Lord was with his servant," and that Jehovah, the God whom he served, "made everything he undertook to prosper."

There's a lot we can learn from Joseph, the more you consider his life the more you realise there is to learn. Joseph worked in secular environments for 13 years as a slave or prisoner, 7 years of plenty gathering grain, and then through the 7 years of famine. But it was through this secular work (and interpreting three people's dreams) that God achieved a massive religious ministry - saving the family of Israel from starvation, along with countless others. And providing us a wonderful example in scripture who we can learn so many valuable lessons from.

 

[CecilW]

I have a great book which was given to my great-great-grandfather in 1868 by a close friend, when he was leaving England for New Zealand. It is called "From seventeen to thirty: The town life of a youth from the country, it's trials, temptations and advantages: Lessons from the history of Joseph".

WOW! Great post, Samuel. Is there any chance that that book is available online, or that you'd be willing to scan it? Sounds very, very relevant for today.

 

[CecilW]

Well, I'll be switched. Figgered it was too old to go looking at Amazon. Will wonders never cease?!

Thx

 

[ChrisM]

It is always worth a quick search. I have found that even the oldest of good books are still around. Some are used of course, but people are bringing back some great books of ages past with the use of modern technology. We are blessed to have the wisdom of those who have gone before us.

 

[FollowingHim]

Great find, that's awesome! I should buy a few copies and send them around my cousins, I don't like being the only one with it.