|
News for the Pews |
Home
9th June 2024
SundayReflection
************************
Rob Carmack shares
Seeing the Good Side of Work: Work and the Reign of God
************************
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Philippians 2:3-4
The concept of work has become something quite small for so many people.
Work, we tend to think, exists so that we can make more money and have nice things and provide resources for our next family vacation.
While there is nothing wrong with any of these things, perhaps the idea of work should be something much bigger.
If our work is motivated by selfishness or is approached by a sense of indifference to others, there is a crucial missing piece, not only in our work but also in our own spiritual selves.
We should see work as an opportunity to represent the God we serve in our communities in ways that local churches would be less capable of doing.
As we consider this shift in our perception of work, we will explore three theological observations that will perhaps shed even more light on our sacred calling not only to work, but to "look to the interests of others."
First of all, we must be confident that our work is not doing direct harm to others.
If my job involves stealing ideas from competing companies or other regular acts of ethical compromise, I have a genuine dilemma.
The kind of work that benefits others is a loving, just, and merciful expression of the character of Jesus.
The question becomes, "How can I....?"
One organization that I am familiar with provides days off for their employees to work for service organizations like various food pantries.
These are not sick days or vacation days.
They are days that are specifically provided so this organization can build a reputation for being concerned about the well-being of the people who live in their community.
Most people do not realize how much power they possess.
In Micah 6:8, we are told that the LORD requires us to "act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly" with God.
If this is required of us, it must first be something that we are capable of doing.
You have more power than you could possibly realize.
The idea of serving and helping others is not to alleviate some sense of social guilt, and it is not to make our companies seem like nice enough folks.
No, our ultimate task is to reflect and honour the nature of our God.
In Matthew 25, Jesus gives his followers an interesting view of the end of reality as we know it and how we will be held accountable for our actions:
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance ....'"
For Jesus, God's heart is directly connected to the kinds of people who have very little power and influence and privileges.
As we seek to reflect the heart of God in our work, we must constantly be aware of how our daily tasks can either positively or negatively affect other people.
We must be aware of the well-being of our coworkers, our customers, our superiors, our local communities, and the world around us.
The heart of God is concerned about all of this.
Conclusion: Seek Out Opportunities to Make a Difference in the World.
This journey of helping others and working for the benefit of those around us begins with a simple yet crucial element: awareness.
We must be tuned in to the reality that surrounds us.
We must be cognizant of how our own actions impact the lives of other people.
May our work reflect the heart of this God who loves and is concerned with the well-being of other people.
May we be servants in our workplaces.
><(((°>
This is an edited version.
The full article is avaiable on request
Rob Carmack
is a graduate of Truett Seminary and currently serves as teaching pastor at Fellowship of the Parks church in Keller, Texas.
In addition to serving as teaching pastor, Rob is responsible for constructing sermon outlines for Fellowship of the Parks' other teaching venues and campuses in Grapevine and Haslet, Texas.
Contact the Rector
The Revd.
Nic.Edwards
The Rectory,
Church Lane,
BUGBROOKE,
Northampton,
NN7 3PB
Land Line: 01604 - 815496
(Can be accessed from the mobile device)
Mobile: .....
E-mail:
thebeneficeofbhkandr at gmail dot com
Contact the Benefice Office
Sunday School Rooms, Church Lane,
BUGBROOKE, Northampton, NN7 3PB
Land Line: 01604 830373
E-mail:
thebeneficeofbhkandr at gmail dot com
Mon., Tues., Wed,, Thur., Fri.
9:00am to 11:30am
For Baptism bookings (Christenings)
to arrange an appointment please contact
the Benefice Office.
For Wedding bookings:
please contact the Benefice Office to arrange
an appointment.
Who Made This?
Seeing as you asked, if you can give helpful
advice or report factual corrections and
'deliberate mistakes',email:-
regparker3 at gmail dot com
Email addresses shown using words in an
attempt to avoid 'spam',
Type the email address replacing 'at' with '@',
and 'dot' with '.'
|