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  • Writer's pictureChazzRG

You're a Full-Time Christian and Part-Time everything else.


(Article taken from "Every Day Jesus: Growing Daily In Your Relationship With Jesus" by J. Mark Jordan)


It has been said that "coincidences are God's way of remaining anonymous." Everything that happens to you, every advantage you enjoy, every blessing you receive, and every opportunity that comes your way are not coincidental to your relationship with Jesus Christ. They define your existence as a Christian. You are not an executive that happens to be a Christian; you are a Christian who happens to be an executive. You are not a nurse who happens to be Christian; you are a Christian who happens to be a nurse. This establishes two salient points.


First, it identifies your real employer. It is natural to feel some allegiance and loyalty toward the individual or company who hired you. You have a sense of gratitude for your job, and you demonstrate a willingness to please the one who has the power to let you go if that person so desires. By realizing that you are a full-time Christian, you direct that gratitude and obedient spirit to God. If you are beholden to anyone, it is to Him, not to a temporal boss. This does not mean that you show any disrespect to an earthly leader, but that your primary allegiance goes to your Heavenly Father. You base this deference on the fact that God holds your eternal destiny in His hand. "And do not fear those who kill body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). To state this principle in a positive way, remember that you are never unemployed. If you lose your job, change your job, get demoted, or get promoted, it doesn't matter. You will always have a full-time position. You don't get wages, but the gifts make up for it and the benefits are out of this world!


Second, a relationship with Christ imposes a uniform standard and evaluation on every believer. Every soul is worth the same in the church. There may be a system of eldership, and church governance means some anointed leaders provide oversight to the body, yet no one person is more important than any other person in the Kingdom.

"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?" And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:37-40, ESV)


In God's economy, no one is more valuable than you. You are not expendable, you cannot be terminated, you are not subject to downsizing, and your position will never be phased out. You will undergo performance reviews, but these are designed to help you get better. Training is always available, and you may have as close a relationship to the owner as you desire.


Your ultimate success in the pursuit of your career has nothing to do with six or seven figures in your salary. The name plate on your office door, the position you occupy on the organizational chart, the accolades you receive, or the awards you win do not measure your real success. Some people may earn all these temporal honors and yet fail miserably. You will always define your success by your relationship with your Lord Jesus Christ. If you do become successful in terms of this world's standards, it is only the blessing of God, and it is only because God has put you where you could provide the best benefit to His kingdom. Joseph represents the classic example of the truth.


"So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 45:4-8, ESV).


Thanks for reading. Be blessed.

ChazzRG

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