April 26, 2006

He (God) chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. Ps 78:20-21

What you do in the workplace is as much of an act of worship as what you do in the Worship Center on Sundays! This last Sunday, we looked at Col 3:23-24 and built the case that our work should be otherworldly because we are not serving a boss, or a company or a board, but if we are following Jesus, we are to give our whole hearts to work because we are serving and will be reviewed (2 Cor 5:10) by our Heavenly Father.

God cares about our work also because it is a God like characteristic (John 5:17), and because our workplace is our mission field. You are a redemptive agent for most of your colleagues, as they most likely will never set foot in a church on their own. You bring the Kingdom of God to work with you every day.

What does that look like practically? What is it about your life that should set you apart? I would humbly submit to you that there are some areas of your life that should be different, and I see those areas displayed in the life of David above in Psalm 78. Let me briefly share them with you:
· Calling: (He [God] chose David) This is your understanding of your divine job assignment. You are not in your workplace by chance. This aspect encourages you by the fact that God, in His sovereignty, has placed you where you are for His glory.
· Chemistry: (his servant) Chemistry is the posture you take with your colleagues. It is your lateral influence and your display of Christlike character towards others. You are an asset to the team, to the company, because of your chemistry.
· Commitment: (And David shepherded them) Commitment is the tenacity and vigor and resolve you bring to the job. Because of your calling, you are not half-hearted in what you produce; you throw your all into your job.
· Character: (with integrity of heart) This is what separates you from all other colleagues who don’t know Jesus, and binds all the other components together. Character is the vital necessity of integrity and consistency displayed in all you do, in all that you are. You perform not to meet industry standards but Kingdom standards. Of all five components, I believe this is the most vital aspect (not at the neglect of the others) you bring to the job as a follower of Jesus because it allows your life to match your message.
· Competence: (with skillful hands he led them) Competence is the unique skill set God equipped you with to fulfill His calling. It is the ability to produce, to do a job and do it well. It is what you bring to the company and do better than anyone else, your sweet spot.
Looking at Sunday’s text, we can see these 5 C’s displayed as well:
Col 3:23-24: Whatever you do, work (Competency) at it with all your heart,(Commitment) as working for the Lord, not for men, (Character) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. (Calling) It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Chemistry).

I implore you dear saints, take some time and sit in these 5 C’s, asking God to give you new eyes for your workplace as well as new eyes for your identity so that work can be the redemptive arena God designed it to be.