Breaking Up and Reconciling – Both Are Hard to Do

Way back when there was a lilting tune by pop singer Neil Sedaka called “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.” I remember silly words it contained: “dum-do-bee-do-dahm-dahm. Comma-comma-dum….” But as the title suggests, the song was about breaking up. Like many in the early ‘60s, it expressed the teenaged angst of love won and lost.

 

Yes, breaking up indeed is hard to do. All of us who have experienced it at least once – and who hasn’t? – know that no matter how many breakups you’ve gone through, it doesn’t get easier. When cherished relationships become broken, it hurts.

The flip side of this also is true: Reconciling can be very hard to do as well. Whether in a marriage, family, close friendships or long-standing business relationships, when those ties become damaged, it can be extremely hard to achieve true reconciliation. It requires humility and forgiveness – which can be difficult to muster when one or both parties have been deeply hurt or betrayed.

 

This is one reason the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so poignant and compelling. After defining a true follower of Jesus – “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) – the apostle Paul explains this is the perfect example of what reconciliation means:

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them…” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

 

When we think about a broken relationship we’ve had and how difficult it was (or would be) to become reconciled, imagine the magnitude of what these words express – God earnestly wanting to reconcile us to Himself, despite our rebellion, refusal to obey the commands He gave us for our good, and defiance in worshipping just about anyone or anything but Him. In a word, our sin.

 

Philippians 2:7-8 tells us that God “…made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and become obedient to death – even death on a cross.” These words sum up most profoundly what true humility, sacrifice and forgiveness look like.

 

It’s impossible to capture this in strictly human terms. Imagine one of us taking on the form of a caterpillar, or even a beetle. That certainly would be humbling, but even that image in no way conveys what it was like for the God of the entire universe to take on human form in the person of Jesus Christ. And yet, that’s the extent to which He desperately desired to become reconciled with wayward, willfully disobedient people. 

 

And going to the cross, dying in our place to atone for our sins as our Redeemer, was the only way He could accomplish that. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Perhaps we should keep this in mind when we struggle to become reconciled with another person who has hurt us deeply.

 

There’s one other thing I find in this passage that strikes me as amazing: God not only has provided the means for becoming reconciled with Him but also asks us as His children to become agents for this reconciliation. It states, “And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

 

There’s so much that could be written about this, but through the centuries this is exactly the apostles, patriarchs of Christianity like Martin Luther, John and Charles Wesley, Charles H. Spurgeon, Billy Sunday, D.L. Moody, C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, and even Charlie Kirk have been doing: Imploring men, women and children to be reconciled to God.

Best of all, since we also as children of God are given the title of “Christ’s ambassadors,” this is our privilege too. Who do you know that needs to be reconciled to the Lord, to learn that He loved them so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for them, as we’re told in John 3:16? After all He has done for us, isn’t that the least we can do for Him? 

Pros and Cons of ‘Professionals’ and ‘Amateurs’

The line between “professional” and “amateur” seems to be blurring, possibly on the brink of obliteration. Especially in the world of sports.

 

For example, we once looked upon the Summer and Winter Olympics as events in which athletes took part for the glory of representing their countries and competing with the best in their sports. Along with what ABC’s Wide World of Sports once called, “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” Except for travel expenses, room and board, and incidentals during their time at the events, the athletes competed as amateurs. Simply for the joy of it.

 

Now athletes arrive as paid professionals, competing not only for medals but also for prize winnings and a shot at lucrative product endorsement deals. They’ve already been paid for their time invested in training, so the once-hallowed term of “amateur” has virtually disappeared from the Olympic vocabulary.

 

The same is happening in college sports. With NIL (Name Image and Likeness) and now revenue-sharing with their respective colleges and universities, athletes in numerous sports are receiving substantial compensation for their participation. The simple privilege of competing for ‘dear ole alma mater’ is being overshadowed by dollar signs. To paraphrase Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” ‘Toto, we’re not in amateur land anymore.’

 

This isn’t to begrudge these talented athletes the right to be compensated for the many hours they spend training and practicing. Things have come a long way from when it had been forbidden to even buy a recruit an unauthorized hamburger, or offer financial assistance if a family emergency occurred. What I wonder about is the whole notion of amateurs vs. professionals. As someone has observed, “Remember – amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic.”

Particularly in the spiritual realm, we tend to exalt the ‘paid professionals’ and minimize the amateurs, those sometimes classified as ‘lay people.’ For years I was like many who regarded those holding titles like pastor, priest, minister, ‘the reverend,’ and missionaries as the elites in Christianity, the ‘Special Ops’ forces in God’s army. By comparison, everybody else was simply to hang their heads and mumble, “Well, I’m just a layman.”

 

In truth, however, the Bible never makes such a distinction. Yes, in the Old Testament we find the priests who were assigned duties as religious intermediaries, performing the daily and festival sacrifices. But even then, it was mostly common folks who were charged with much of God’s special work. 

 

Once sold into slavery by his own brothers, Joseph – a nobody – rose to prominence in Egypt and was instrumental in helping what would become known as the nation of Israel survive a severe famine. Then Moses, who survived the Egyptian pharaoh’s edict to kill all the male Jewish infants, was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of slavery and into the Promised Land.

 

David wasn’t a stellar student in Hebrew school; he was a lowly shepherd boy. And yet the Lord handpicked him to become king of Israel. Many of the Old Testament prophets, like Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah and Jeremiah, were ordinary individuals divinely selected to speak on behalf of the Lord.

 

Then in the New Testament, among Jesus’ personally selected disciples were fishermen, craftsmen, a despised tax collector, and even a political activist. Not a Pharisee, Sadducee, or religious leader in the bunch. All ‘amateurs,’ not ‘paid professionals.’ Yet those were the people the Lord called to carry on His work following His ascension to heaven, to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

 

Why is this important? Because in the Scriptures we don’t see God entrusting His eternal work of reconciling men, women and children to Himself only to people with credentials from seminaries and theological institutions. When the apostle Paul wrote, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9), he wasn’t addressing religious leaders. He was exhorting people who carried out their everyday lives in ordinary, everyday ways.

 

We see this shown clearly in the book of Acts when the ‘nothing special’ disciples were being used by the Lord to touch lives in amazing ways. Acts 4:13 tells us, “When [the people] saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.” These ‘regular guys’ had one special thing in common: They'd been with Jesus.

 

This should be encouraging for each of us, knowing the Lord doesn’t use only people we’d regard as ‘paid professionals’ to carry out His mission. In fact, most of the time He doesn’t. We might hear powerful sermons on Sunday, watch stirring videos and read inspiring books by pastors and preachers. But most of the time the ones God desires to reach with the Gospel are folks that we ‘amateurs’ uniquely encounter during the process of everyday living.

 

When Paul wrote, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20), he had in mind men and women just like you and me. People who, by virtue of having become “new creations in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17) can boldly tell of having been with Jesus in life-transforming ways.

As one wag quipped, “Pastors, missionaries and other vocational Christian workers are paid to be good. The rest of us are good for nothing.” (Ha-ha.) But that’s good. Because much of God’s best work through the ages has been done through amateurs. And it’s no different today. 

‘Schindler’s List’ – and Listlessness

Have you ever seen the film, “Schindler’s List”? I had viewed it when it was first released in 1993, but several weeks ago decided to watch it again. Once more I was struck by its powerful message, in one sense differently from what the filmmakers intended.

Based on the non-fiction novel by Thomas Keneally, it’s about Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist and war profiteer. In the beginning of the movie, we see Schindler (portrayed by Liam Neeson) welcoming World War II for its potential for enabling him to make a lot of money. He’s portrayed as an opportunist, an unapologetic materialist, and a hedonist. Although a member of the Nazi Party, Schindler’s only focus is making money.

 

As time passes, however, he starts becoming aware of the atrocities of the Holocaust and this drastically shifts his perspective. He then sets out to do everything he can to undermine the Nazi madness. Since many of the workers in Schindler’s Krakow, Poland factories are Jews, he realizes they’re in grave jeopardy, not only as employees but also as human beings. He sets off on a plan to shield them from being assigned to the Nazi concentration camps, even arranging for many of them to be transported to safer parts of Europe.

 

Schindler starts compiling the list that the title of the book and movie refers to – names of people who have been delivered from Nazi clutches through his intervention. By the end of the film, Schindler is a broken man, repentant of his self-absorbed lifestyle with only one wish: That he could have done more. 

 

Even though he helped more than 1,000 men, women and children escape extermination in the death camps, in the final scenes Schindler despairs, “I could have got more…. One more person.” “I didn’t do enough.”

 

What a poignant, heartbreaking scene when he looks at the few material possessions he has retained – a ring, a car – and thinks of how he might have sold them to generate money to save even more Jews from the gas chambers.

 

It struck me that Schindler’s passion was to save people from Nazi terror, even though they were individuals who would die one day of other causes – 100 percent of them. They were protected from genocide, but inevitably would all see an end to their temporal existence.

 

What would happen if we, as followers of Jesus, shared a similar passion and sense of urgency for people who need to hear the transforming message of Christ, which can rescue them not from earthly death but from eternal death and separation from God? Sadly, unlike Schindler who had a list of folks he’d been able to save from becoming victims of the Holocaust, too many of us are list-less – content with our everyday lives but exhibiting a listlessness when it comes to matters of eternal consequence.

 

Jesus spoke of this often, including His command to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), and His Great Commission, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to follow all that I commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

 

Today we hear much said about “God is love” (1 John 4:8), which is true, but it’s also true that at the same time, He demands justice. Apart from His greatest gesture of love, Christ’s atoning death on the cross as payment for sins and His resurrection, people remain “dead in their trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).

 

We’re clearly told in the Scriptures that the Lord’s promise of redemption and eternal life comes with one condition. As John 1:12 states, “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” The gift of eternal life Jesus described in John 3:16 must be received, just as a gift of any kind is of no value unless it’s accepted by the intended recipient.

 

Which brings us to our role as followers of Christ. The apostle Paul wrote about this to believers in ancient Rome, explaining many have not received this divine gift because they haven’t heard the Good News – at least not in a way that they understood: 

“How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are not sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15).

 

This is not an admonishment for us to invite people to church to hear our pastor’s sermon. For many people with whom we work, interact with every day, even live near, we are “Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). We’re to take the Gospel message to them.

 

We can applaud and admire the selfless commitment of someone like Oskar Schindler, who upon ‘seeing the light’ set out to save as many as he could from an unspeakable death. But in terms of eternity, this life we have is nothing more than a blink of an eye. As a child wisely observed, “Eternity is a really long time.” 

 

Should we not feel an even greater urgency to tell those around us about the saving grace of Jesus Christ? Don’t we want our loved ones, friends, coworkers and neighbors to “have life, and to have it abundantly,” as Jesus promised in John 10:10? Starting as soon as possible? 

It’s Important to ‘Be Where Your Feet Are’

Have you ever found yourself daydreaming about the future – what could be, or where you’d like to be? Or yearning to be somewhere else, anywhere other than where you are in life presently?

 

We’ve probably all been there at least occasionally in our lives. This can be especially true in the workplace. The excitement of the job has worn off. Or you’ve realized it’s not at all what you had hoped it would be. You might be thinking, ‘If I were somewhere else, I could really show what I could do.’ Maybe you’ve even explored other opportunities, but no doors have opened. That can be frustrating.

 

What should we do, just muddle through each day? Sneer and bear it? Sulk because the higher-ups don’t appreciate what we have to offer? Maybe even get mad at God because He hasn’t extricated us from our dismal situation?

 

I read a quote recently that applies to those kinds of circumstances. Jim Tressel is a legendary former football coach, including 10 years with the Ohio State Buckeyes, leading them to a national championship in 2002. He also served as president of Youngstown State University for 10 years, and now serves as lieutenant governor of Ohio.

 

Speaking to a former player who had solicited his advice, Tressel recommended, “Be where your feet are.” In other words, choose to focus on the present – what’s right in front of you – rather than daydreaming or longing for what may lie ahead in the uncertain future.

 

I’ve heard of people eager to go to the foreign mission field, convinced that God could use them in wonderful ways to take the Gospel message to people groups that need to hear it. And yet, they’ve had absolutely no success in telling people about Jesus where they work and live. In some cases, they haven’t even tried. Why? Because they haven’t learned the wisdom of ‘being where your feet are.’

 

The Bible has much to say about the importance of being faithful to stand up for Christ right where we are. As 2 Corinthians 5:20 states, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

 

This verse speaks in the present tense, not referring to some future assignment. We ARE therefore Christ’s ambassadors. This is true whether we are high-ranking corporate executives, professional people, laborers, department managers, salespeople, grocery store cashiers, schoolteachers, carpenters, physicians, nurses, maintenance workers, or any other vocation we can imagine.

 

As Ecclesiastes 9:10 exhorts, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might….” Why? Another passage elaborates: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17). 

 

Ultimately, we are wherever the Lord has placed us to serve Him, to use our gifts, talents, experience – and opportunities – to be, as Jesus said, “the salt of the earth…the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14).

 

However, work can be boring, aggravating, uninspiring. It may be unfulfilling, and we wonder if we’re doing any good at all. The apostle Paul apparently understood that, because he frequently wrote words of encouragement to Christ followers in other cities hoping they would ‘hang in there.’ Writing to believers in Galatia, he urged, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

 

Ancient Corinth with its rampant pagan practices certainly wasn’t a utopia for living out the Christian faith and biblical values. Men and women committed to Christ must have often wondered why they were there, whether their efforts to obey Jesus in serving as His “salt and light” were accomplishing anything. Paul admonished, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

 

That’s a key point: Wherever we are, even if we can’t imagine why God has us there, we can trust that “our labor in the Lord is not in vain.” As someone has said, “if you can’t serve the Lord where you are, you certainly can’t serve Him where you are not.”

 

We can take heart in knowing the place where God has us at the present moment doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a permanent assignment. I’ve learned that a number of times myself. Sometimes the Lord had more for me to do before moving me elsewhere; other times He was preparing me for another role, but I had more to learn first. Often, it’s like a line of dominos – the first one has to fall before the remainder start tumbling in succession.

 

What matters is what we do and how we conduct ourselves, no matter how undesirable current circumstances might be. Perhaps God has us where we are so we can learn faithfulness, perseverance and trust. As Jesus taught in His parable of the shrewd manager, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” (Luke 16:10). This applies not only to wealth and material resources, but also to where the Lord has placed us.

 

The question is, are we being faithful to work hard, pursue excellence and display godly character where we are now, even if it seems to be of little value? We might discover it’s just a proving ground for demonstrating our readiness for greater things. ‘Be where your feet are,’ even if you’d prefer to be elsewhere. When God’s ready, He’ll take you to another place where you can serve Him just as faithfully. 

Living Under the Influence – the Right Way

Who’s influencing you? One of the phenomena of the Internet and social media is the emergence of people often described by the term, “influencers.” They come at us from many different directions, sometimes for good, sometimes for bad.

We have the “famous” people: Politicians; TV and movie stars; entertainers and musicians; giants of business and industry; news reporters and commentators; billionaires; authors; religious leaders. It seems these days everyone has an opinion about everything, whether they know anything about it or not – and they’re all too eager to share it with others.

 

Then there are the folks who are “famous for being famous”: Faces we can see and voices we can hear on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (are “tweets” now X-rated comments?), and others.

 

There are podcasters who speak with conviction on everything under the sun, from marriage and raising kids to what’s wrong with society to how to master a musical instrument. It’s so easy to be influenced these days. The question is, do we recognize who is influencing us – and how? 

 

Despite being a journalist for all of my adult years, I’ve found that allowing myself to be exposed to the news too much is toxic. If there’s any doubt about whether the world is going to hell in the proverbial handbasket, just a few minutes’ worth of the day’s news will dispel those questions. That’s not to say we shouldn’t be aware of what’s going on around us and across the globe, but too much of “the sky is falling!” can be – and is – hazardous to our mental and emotional well-being.

 

How can we sift through the noise and learn to concentrate on the good and positive influences, while avoiding the scourge of bad influences? For those of us who are followers of Christ, one of the best ways is to spend time alone with God each day, reading and studying His Word, praying, and seeking to gain His perspective on what’s happening in these chaotic days in the middle of the 21^st century’s third decade. 

For example, in Philippians 4:8 we’re admonished, “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute – if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise – dwell on these things.”

 

The people we see on social media, the music we listen to, the books and articles we read, the commentaries we hear: Are they enhancing our lives, building us up and equipping us for impactful, fruitful lives? Or are they tearing us down, eroding the hope and confidence we have in God’s sovereign plan for us and His creation?

 

This is another reason to determine to meet regularly with other believers, in traditional church settings and in other ways as well. Hebrews 10:24-25 says it so well: “And let us consider how we ay spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day [of Christ] approaching.”

 

There’s another side to this influence coin: What kind of influence are we having on others? Do people perceive us as good news so we have opportunities to communicate the really Good News of Christ, through our lives and when possible, our words? It’s not easy, but the Scriptures command that as we’re going through everyday life, we’re to “be witnesses” (Acts 1:8) and  “Christ’s ambassadors” (1 Corinthians 5:20). 

 

Chris Simpson, President of CBMC International, expresses it this way: “Creating human influence is cheap and easy – tell them what they want to hear. Godly influence is costly – it will challenge and rebuke, as it encourages and empowers.”

 

We can’t fix the world. That’s way above our pay grade. Ultimately, only God can do that. But if we strive to do as the apostle Paul declared in Acts 17:28, “in Him we live and move and have our being,” we can minimize negative outside influences and increase our own influence for Christ – to His glory.

The Privilege of Being a Participant in the Action

Suppose the coach of your favorite team were to call you out of the blue and invite you to meet with him (or her) and the staff to discuss preparations for the upcoming game. You’d be beyond shocked, right? But if the offer were genuine, you’d probably be highly honored to be asked to participate in the important strategy session.

Or what if the President of the United States, or the governor of your state, were to contact you and request that you meet personally to develop action steps for addressing issues of special interest to you – and you knew it was a serious offer, not a patronizing gesture? Again, you’d consider it a great honor to receive such an opportunity.

Years ago, many U.S. companies instituted a “participative management” strategy – some called it a “quality circle” – enabling frontline workers to take an active role in corporate decisions directly affecting how they did their jobs. In many cases, this approach had a very positive impact on both employee morale and productivity.

 

In reality, however, many of us feel that the likelihood of being included in such important actions is very low. Who wants us to be involved in what the “big shots” are doing, right?

 

Good news: Everyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ has in fact received such an invitation. It’s one that transcends the realm of athletics, government, business and any other earthly endeavor. What am I talking about? Read it for yourself: “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9).

 

Fellow workers with God? Sounds incredible, but it’s true. The Creator of the universe doesn’t operate solo. He wants His people to take part in the action, to serve as His arms and feet in accomplishing much of the work He intends to get done.

 

It all began in the opening chapter of Genesis, when the Lord delegated responsibilities to humankind. “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food'” (Genesis 1:28-29).

 

Some theologians term this the “cultural mandate,” God’s directive for men and women to serve as faithful stewards of all He has created. So, when people engage in discussions about the environment, preserving the natural beauty of everything around us, and caring compassionately for both people and animals, we’re only pursuing the work the Lord has entrusted to us.

 

But there’s more: We all know that we’re finite beings with limited lifespans. As Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 states, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die….” An important question is, ‘Then what?’ We’re born, we live for a specific span of time, and we die. Then what?

 

The answer to this question is enfolded in another initiative the Lord has assigned to His followers: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

 

Jesus also addressed this in what is commonly referred to as His Great Commission, recorded in Matthew 28:19-20. Just before ascending to heaven, He instructed His disciples to “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

 

To serve as Christ’s ambassadors, to develop young believers into mature disciples who will reproduce themselves spiritually is a weighty responsibility. No doubt about that. But this has been happening for 2,000 years all around the globe, although it will never be reported on the evening news.

 

If this charge seems daunting, even overwhelming, we can take heart knowing the Lord hasn’t left us to fend for ourselves. He concluded His commission by offering the assurance that “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 

In addition, Jesus said they could rely on the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, for wisdom, guidance and strength: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26).

 

Isn’t this amazing? We might never receive a phone call or text from a famous football coach enlisting our help in developing a game plan. A top elected official may never contact us to seek our counsel on important matters. The CEO of our company probably won’t invite us to a high-level planning session. 

 

But God, who created the earth and everything in it, not to mention the entire universe, wants to be His “fellow workers,” partnering with Him – having a part in the action of accomplishing His eternal purposes. Think about that!

Fixing Flaws to the Masterpiece as Only the Creator Can

Imagine being a renowned artist who has just finished a painting for a major art exhibit. After examining it with pride, he believes it might be his best work yet. About the time the artist is putting his signature to the painting, one of his grandchildren, four-year-old Eva, arrives with her mom and dad. Excited about their visit, the painter leaves the artwork to greet them. 

While they’re engaged in conversation, Eva slips away, enters the artist’s studio, and decides to try her own creative skills. Following the example observed while watching granddad at work, she goes to the paint palette, its oils still fresh, picks up a brush and happily starts dabbing paint on the lower corners within her reach.

 

Her grandfather, noticing she has disappeared from sight, tracks her down and instantly sees the damage Susan innocently has inflicted on his masterpiece. Because he loves his granddaughter, the master artist stifles an urge to cry out in dismay. He guides Eva away from the painting as calmly as possible, places the palette far out of reach, and immediately starts contemplating how to fix his now-flawed creation.

 

If the painter resolves to repair the artwork, do you think he would he ask little Susan to do it? Of course not. He would do it himself, since as its creator, he’s the only one capable of restoring it to its former beauty.

 

Even as I describe this imagined scene, I can’t help cringing, thinking about how I might react if I were in his shoes. The paramount work of a lifetime, painstakingly created and completed, seriously marred by careless hands. Do you just take a “mulligan” or a start-over?

 

In the most profound sense, this is exactly the story we find unfolding throughout the Bible, starting with its opening words, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), followed by its description of the creation account. That first chapter closes with these words: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…” (verse 31). By “very good,” I don’t think He was saying, “Not too shabby” or “it’s okay.” It was the greatest “Ta-Dah!” of all time.

 

But we know the story didn’t end there. The first humans, whom the Bible identifies as Adam and Eve, wrecked the Lord’s perfect, idyllic work. Committing what is commonly referred to as the original sin, they defied His command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A singular but devastating act of disobedience and rebellion, with tragic ripples that we experience to this day.

 

One term for those ripples is our “sin nature.” Adam and Eve didn’t keep their wayward ways to themselves. Throughout history, men, women and children have been carrying on their sinful “DNA.” As Romans 3:10 declares, “There is no one righteous, not even one…,” and Romans 3:23 adds, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” From the moment we’re born, we arrive with something inside that seems intent on continuing to taint the Lord’s masterpiece.

 

Toward the end of the 7^th chapter of the book, the apostle Paul – having confessed his own struggles with right and wrong – bemoans, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death” (Romans 7:24). Great question, one most of us have asked ourselves, probably more than once.

 

Hymn writer and former slave owner John Newton himself faced this dilemma, wrestling with his dismal past, but arrived at this joyous conclusion as he wrote, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.”

 

This wasn’t rationalization on Newton’s part. He had discovered and embraced this truth from reading the Scriptures after being dramatically transformed by Jesus Christ. He read passages like Romans 7:25-8:2, in which Paul celebrated, after having asked who would rescue him:

“Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

Adam and Eve, and every human ever born since, set about ruining God’s perfect creation, but He instituted a better plan, one that will ultimately dispense with the devastation completely. The Bible teaches this in many places, but one of the great passages explaining what the Lord has done – and continues to do – is 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.

 

It begins by revisiting God’s creative powers: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ…” Then we find the incredible declaration that we, even in our current imperfect state, have the privilege of being participants in this redemptive process:

“…And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made [Jesus Christ] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

 

As an old preacher said, “If that doesn’t light your fire, your wood’s wet!”

 

Maybe the imagined master painter we met above didn’t enlist little Eva to help him in restoring his masterpiece; but amazingly by His grace – as Newton recognized – God has chosen not only to reconcile us to Himself through His Son, Jesus, but also wants us to serve as His agents in seeing others restored in relationship to Him as well. Praise the Lord!

Who Are You? Our Identity Conundrum

Everyone these days seems concerned about their identity. “Who am I?” How we answer that question can take many directions, ranging from the work we do, to our family history, to the color of our skin, and increasingly, our gender.

 

For people in the working world, careers and jobs have long been a big part of their identity. I’ve lost count of how many times while traveling for business that I was asked, “What kind of work do you do?” I would ask fellow travelers the same thing. It might have been out of curiosity or sincere interest, but this  question functioned as a convenient way to discern where someone fit on the social importance scale. “Oh, you’re a doctor? Interesting!” “You’re a nuclear scientist? Wow!” “A professional athlete. That’s great!” “You’re a best-selling novelist? Well, so glad to meet you!”

 Alas, folks like hotel maids, sanitation engineers, newsstand operators and retail clerks usually don’t get the same kind of eager reception. Because some jobs equate to affluence and status while others don’t, and the more money you make, the more important people think you are. That’s what we’re taught to believe.

 

But jobs are only one of many determinants we use for identity. If you’ve ever taken an online survey, toward the end they often ask questions about marital status, the number and ages of children you have, your own age, education, race and gender. They might ask about your political affiliation. Sometimes they inquire about your income. All are used as means for identifying who you are. Or at least, who you’re supposed to be, based on demographics.

 

Twenty years ago, no one was talking about “gender identity.” It was agreed that gender, or sex, was determined by the equipment a baby had when it was born. These days, however, a whole cadre of people want to “identify” gender according to the impulses racing around their minds. You are who you think you are or perceive yourself to be, we’re now being instructed.

 

Rather than wading into that debate, I have another question: Is it really fair – or right – to define someone’s true identity solely based a single criterion, or even several external criteria? Such as the kind of job they have; how many years they spent in college; the size of their bank account and investment portfolio; whether they’re married, single, or divorced; the color of their skin; or even their lifestyle choices? 

 

For instance, I’m a male, Caucasian (for which I offer no apology), a husband, father, grandfather, writer and journalist (in the traditional sense of the term), college graduate and Buckeye fan. But not one of those descriptions – or all of them together – represent my full “identity.”

 

What if we resolved to determine our identity not based on what we do or have, or how we feel, but rather according to what God says about us?

 

Indeed, what does God say – and think – about us? Answers to that question could fill a book, but I’ll highlight just a handful of passages that have meant a lot to me, ones that have made a huge difference in how I understand my own identity. For instance, Psalm 139:14 says I am, “fearfully and wonderfully made” – a unique and special creation of God. That’s very good news.

 

The Bible also tells me some bad news, that I’m a sinner: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and “There is no one righteous, not even one…there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:11-12). I don’t like this part of my identity, but it’s true.

 

But as the Scriptures so often do, when they give us bad news, they also provide good news to offset it. In response to this sin problem we all have, which separates us from a perfect, holy, righteous God, we’re told, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This ties in with the passage most of us know well, John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” That is, to borrow the phrase from an old rock song, a whole lotta love!

 

Getting back to my identity, the answer to the question, “Who am I?” The Bible declares that as a disciple of Jesus Christ, I have received a brand new identity. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Abiding in Christ, as the Scriptures term it, I’m a new person, fully forgiven for my sins and empowered by His Holy Spirit to live this new life.

 

A few verses down in the same passage, we’re informed that as His followers, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors…. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (Romans 5:20-21).

 

We could consider many more portions of Scripture, but I think one verse sums up what our focus should be, the way we address the matter of our “identity,” the answer to “who am I?” If we have trusted in Christ, have committed our lives to Him in faith and are seeking to know and serve Him more and more each day, then we all can rest in this promise: “See how great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).

 

It matters not whether we’re male or female, married or single, with or without children; whatever kind of work we do, what our skin color or ethnicity might be, how much education we have, or how much money we have in the bank. Those are facets of our lives, mere fractions of who we are in totality. But they don’t define us. Am I a child of the living God, promised life both now and forever as a member of His eternal family? That is who I am. 

The Great Unemployment Problem – in the Church

I’ve been doing a bit of time traveling. At least it’s seemed that way. I’ve been re-reading the first book I ever wrote, The Gospel and the Briefcase, which was published back in 1984. I served as ghostwriter for Ted DeMoss, then the president of CBMC, now known as Christian Business Men’s Connection. 

 

CBMC is planning to republish the book, hopefully by the end of this year. So I’ve been reviewing it to see what revisions are needed to update the content. Ted passed away in 1997, but his stories in The Gospel and the Briefcase don’t need to be changed at all. They’re timeless. He explains how he came to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and how God later impressed on him the importance of sharing his faith with others. 

 

Many of the accounts of people Ted encountered over his decades of ministry in the marketplace are incredibly moving and inspiring. But it’s his passion and vision for reaching out to people with the life-changing good news of Jesus that come through most strongly.

 

Early in his business career, he was a rising executive with the Arrow Shirt Company in upstate New York. In his mid-20s, Ted had already been given responsibility for overseeing hundreds of factory workers. But one day he informed his boss that he was resigning – even though he had no idea what he would be doing next. “I just can’t give my life to making shirts,” he declared.

 

Eventually, Ted established a successful career in the insurance business, but that was never his main focus. It served as a platform for what he loved to do the most: tell others about Jesus. In his book, he stated, “As a Christian, a businessman should look upon his job as his avocation. I learned that my true vocation as a believer is to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.”

 

That perspective, shared literally thousands of times across the country and around the globe, stirred the hearts of countless followers of Jesus Christ. Seeing folks in the business and professional world as an “unreached people group,” Ted was constantly presenting evidence – from his own experience – that even in the marketplace, people are not gospel-hardened; they’re gospel-ignorant.

 

But aren’t evangelism and discipleship the job of the pastor, or the missionary? That, Ted explains, was his misconception as well. Then he discovered that many people would be most open to hearing about what the Bible says from someone like them, a peer. In his case, another business person. As it says in 1 Corinthians 3:9, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

 

In addition to meeting personally with people desperately needing to hear about Jesus Christ and what He could do in their lives, Ted devoted his life to persuading others that, as he said, their “true vocation as a believer is to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.” 

 

Sadly, there are too few people who share this passion. Too often, we’re like fans attending a football game – thousands of people desperately in need of exercise, watching 22 players desperately in need of rest.

 

The late Dr. Howard Hendricks, a beloved speaker, author, and professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, observed, “The greatest problem in the world today is the unemployment problem. Ninety-five percent of the men and women who are Christians today are unemployed – for Christ. They are active in their churches, but unemployed in sharing their faith. The end result is that nothing is happening.”

 

Many of us presume that if people want to encounter God, they will somehow stumble into a church. That’s rarely the case. And if they do, it’s because someone they know – someone they trust – has invited them. In these COVID days, even that’s more difficult than ever. 

 

Romans 10:14-15 explains the solution to this problem: “How, then, can they call on the one they have no believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”

 

Before we conclude, “Aha! That’s the job for preachers only!” we need to understand the Scriptures are not talking about “men of the cloth,” people with formalized religious training. As the Good News Translation states it, “And how can the message be proclaimed if the messengers are not sent out?”

 

Another passage, 2 Corinthians 5:20, affirms this: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” If we’re willing, He wants to send each of us.

 

We don’t have to be a Billy Graham, Ted DeMoss, a best-selling Christian author, or the latest and greatest radio preacher to speak to others about Jesus. As Hendricks said, as followers of Jesus we have no excuse for being “unemployed for Christ.” When we walk out the front door of our home, step out of our office or cubicle, or even log onto a Zoom call, we’re entering the mission field.

 

As long as we’re being good news to the people we meet, we can trust God to give us opportunities to share the good news with them. We need to get out of the unemployment line! 

Wanted: Effective, Consistent Witnesses in the Workplace

Wow, how life can change in such a short time! Only a few weeks ago, everything was humming along, the economy was robust, nearly everyone that wanted a job could find one, and many were anxiously anticipating the annual basketball obsession called “March Madness.”

Then the China virus, Wuhan virus, Coronavirus, COVID-19, or whatever you want to call it, burst upon the scene. Suddenly, up was down, and down was up. “March Madness” took on new meaning. Millions having service-related jobs became unemployed, or at least laid off for the duration, and lots of folks were discovering what working from home is all about.

I’ve had a home office for years, so it’s not much of an adjustment for me. But this whole social distancing thing, avoiding close interpersonal contact of any kind, is different even for people who can handle large quantities of “alone time.”

We all wish there were a specific ending time for this massive, international health crisis. Besides the fear, we also hate the uncertainty, not knowing the what’s and when’s and how’s. But as they say, inside every dark cloud is a silver lining, and as we’re self-quarantining, maybe we can use this as a time to “reboot,” to reset our perspectives and priorities.

When things were normal, many of us perceived work as a “necessary evil.” We considered our jobs as a means for paying the bills, and they also consumed time between weekends. But for lots of people, if they could find a way for eliminating work, they’d quickly respond, “Where do I sign?” Circumstances changed, of course, and lots of folks can’t wait to report for work again. Home’s familiar confines have become too familiar, and everyone’s ready for a return to normalcy.

Once this crisis starts fading in the rearview mirror, however – as crises eventually do – the gratitude we feel for having somewhere to go to work will begin to fade, too. Sooner than we might expect, it will regain “necessary evil” status. Which is unfortunate, because that’s not what it’s intended to be.

From the start, God planned work to be a blessing, not a curse. In the Bible’s opening chapters, it’s clear He ordained labor – although at first it was neither hard nor tedious. It says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). Humankind was given the privilege of overseeing the Lord’s creation.

Then, of course, the first man and woman messed it all up by disobeying God’s simple command to stay clear of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” The result of their sin was the proverbial game-changer: “…Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you…. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…” (Genesis 3:17:19).

So when your boss says you have to rewrite that proposal you’ve worked so hard on, blame Adam and Eve. When that sale you expected to close falls through, blame them. When you’re teaching a class in school and the kids won’t pay attention, blame the first man and woman. And when you’re working in your yard and find weeds growing faster than your flowers, yup, it’s their fault!

But it’s that way for everybody. Even the best job gives its pains in the neck. So we can grumble and complain or, given this bit of a respite from our accustomed “rat race,” we can re-examine the Lord’s desire for us as His emissaries. As 2 Corinthians 5:20 puts it, “Christ’s ambassadors.” Many of us spend more of our waking hours in the workplace than anywhere else, including at home or in church, so as Jesus’ followers, there’s no better place to represent Him.

How do we do this? There are lots of ways, but here are just a few:

    - We can pursue our work, no matter how mundane, with excellence. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “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.” Someone has said, “God doesn’t make junk” – and we shouldn’t, either.

    - Recognize our work is part of God’s calling on our lives. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Again, our work is more than whatever our boss tells us to do; it’s a sacred, God-ordained assignment.

    - Our work also can provide a platform for us to serve as witnesses for Christ, through our performance and attitudes, as well as our words. The entirety of 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 

Many of the people with whom we work shoulder to shoulder – when we’re not practicing social distancing – won’t ever darken the door of a church on their own initiative. So, in a sense, the workplace is where we can bring Christ to them. Acts 1:8 declares, “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Exactly how are we to do this? Colossians 4:5-6 tells us: “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”

This global virus crisis has disrupted everyday life and work for all of us. Perhaps this is a time when God would want us to pray, acknowledging He’s calling us to represent Him in the best possible way through the high quality of our work, and asking for wisdom to recognize opportunities He sends our way.

Christ’s Ambassadors: Where We Work Or Live, Wherever We Go

How would you like to be appointed ambassador to some foreign land? Our nations of choice might differ – some might prefer Italy, France or Germany, Japan or China, Mexico or Brazil, Kenya, Egypt or somewhere else. Wherever you might choose, imagine representing the United States and its interests in that country. Wouldn’t it be an honor to be the official spokesperson?

Did you know that all followers of Jesus Christ are in fact His ambassadors? It declares that in 2 Corinthians 5:20, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” Nowhere in this brief passage do we find the option, “if you choose to do so.” It’s our job; our assignment. Wherever we go, whether in our homes, neighborhoods, at school or where we work, we’re called to represent Him.

'Marketplace Ambassadors' recounts the nearly
90-year history of CBMC, along with the
rich spiritual legacy that continues today.

So I was grateful for the opportunity to write a book about Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC), which for nearly nine decades has been comprised of business and professional men devoted to serving the Lord and their communities in His name, seeking to tell others about Him. Marketplace Ambassadors has just been published and tells how God has been using CBMC to touch countless lives for Jesus since its founding in 1930.

Over the years the CBMC ministry has intersected with many notables – people like Jimmy Carter (then governor of Georgia), Charles Colson, Dr. Billy Graham, Joni Eareckson Tada, members of Congress, and others. But most of all, God has worked through everyday people with a heart for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. 

Churches and parachurch ministries have developed effective strategies and resources for reaching various segments of society – young and old, women, young people, couples and families – but relatively few have concentrated their attention on the marketplace. Particularly business and professional men with their unique needs and challenges. This is where CBMC has excelled, and I’ve had the privilege to help in communicating this mission in one way or another since 1981.

Marketplace Ambassadors includes dozens of stories of men and women whose lives have been transformed by being introduced to Jesus and discipled, so they could grow and mature in their faith. Some of these folks I’ve come to know well, and they have served as role models and mentors for me along my own spiritual journey. What has impressed me most is their love for the Lord, their passion for serving Him and zeal for telling others about Him.

In His Great Commission, Jesus instructed us to, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). In many segments of Christianity, this has been either underemphasized or ignored entirely. But it was the last thing He said prior to ascending to heaven – kind of like telling us, “This is what I most want you to remember.” It’s been my great privilege to experience and observe firsthand that CBMC has not forgotten the Lord’s final instructions.

A theme verse CBMC has embraced over the years, especially since the 1970s, is 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things you have heard me [Paul] say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” When the apostle wrote this to his protégé, Timothy, he described four generations of believers: “spiritual multiplication.” However, this is not directly only to the business and professional world. It’s a charge given to each of us, no matter where God has placed us.

This is why we’re called Christ’s ambassadors. A faithful, effective ambassador does not do whatever he or she wishes; they understand that they serve on behalf of their “sponsor.” And for those of us who profess the name of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we’ve been placed in our workplaces, schools, neighborhoods and churches on His behalf, to be “salt and light” to many who need to learn about Him.

Worship in the Workplace

What does worship mean to you? I’m not referring to “worshiping” a favorite entertainer or musician, sports team, or the most important person in your life. My question pertains to true worship – giving adoration and praise to our Creator.

For many of us, worship occurs in a sanctuary or another place where prescribed activities take place. We hear or recite some prayers, participate in a liturgy or engage in a less formalized plan for the service, sing or listen to hymns and/or songs, and hear a sermon or message delivered that typically is based on the Scriptures. Then we leave, worship over.

Worship can also take place at a conference or during a retreat. For some, attending a Christian concert is a worshipful experience. Some believe they can worship God in nature; to some extent that’s true. God created everything, whether it’s majestic mountains, dense forests filled with furry creatures, or beaches resounding with the steady crashing of waves.

But have you ever thought of worshiping – at work?

This isn’t about worshiping your job or career, as a workaholic might. No, it involves showing up at your workplace – whether it’s an office, a conference room, a construction project, classroom, restaurant or retail store – with the attitude you’re there to serve God and others in His name.

Work has always been God’s idea, entrusting the stewardship and maintenance of His creation to us. In Genesis 1:28 we read, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.'”

Some theologians refer to this as “the cultural mandate” – the Lord delegating the oversight of His created world to humankind. In myriad ways, we’re to work and care for everything He has made as a caretaker would oversee a wealthy person’s property. In some respects we haven’t done a very good job, but it's still part of our calling as children of God.

The Lord promises to provide for our needs, but often that provision comes through our work. The apostle Paul pointed out work should not be regarded as optional. Writing to believers in the Greek city of Thessalonica, he said, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat'" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

Throughout history, great artists and composers have viewed their work as a divine calling, their endeavors for God’s glory. I observed this in frescos, murals and sculptures displayed in Vatican City, and we can hear it in compositions by the likes of George Frideric Handel (“The Messiah”), Johann Sebastian Bach (“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”) and many others.

Writing to Christ followers in ancient Colossae, Paul wrote, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him…. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:17,23-24).

Our workplaces can serve as some of the best settings for sharing our faith in Jesus Christ as well. When Jesus gave His Great Commission to “go into all the world and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19), He didn’t instruct us to merely invite them to attend church with us. Literally He meant “as you are going,” which includes our reporting for work each day.

The young woman understood this when asked what kind of work she did. She replied, “I’m a disciple of Christ, cleverly disguised as an administrative assistant.”

When ambassadors are appointed, they venture into foreign lands to serve as their nation’s representatives. Similarly, we’re to be God’s representatives to communicate His Good News of forgiveness and redemption to people who need to hear it. As Paul wrote, “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

How are we to do this? One way is in how we approach our work. The Scriptures teach, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).

As we perform our job responsibilities, we’re hopefully doing so in a manner that raises questions through our commitment to integrity, excellence, initiative and faithfulness. When people become curious, we’re to be ready to respond: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:15).

What better way to worship God than to be an outstanding worker for our company or organization, earning such respect that we gain opportunities to tell others about Him?