Reviews, Interviews, News, Commentaries, Excerpts, My Top 5 Books, Wilson's Bookmarks, Book AwardsYou Don't Have to Quit to Find Life-Giving Work
Even if you don't like your job, you have a calling to serve God and others.
[ posted 4/2/2012 9:27AM ]
Leroy Barber is president of Mission Year and CEO of FCS Urban Ministries.
Taken from Everyday Missions: How Ordinary People Can Change the World by Leroy Barber. Copyright(c) 2012 by Leroy Barber. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press PO Box 1400 Downers Grove, IL 60515. www.ivpress.com.
Copyright © 2012 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere:
Earlier Christianity Today articles on work, employment, calling, and vocation include:
Calling All Callings: Amy Sherman on 'Kingdom Calling' | Christians can build thriving communities by exercising their vocational gifts. (Feb. 9, 2012)
Blessed Are the Jobless: How Ministries Aid the Unemployed | For millions of discouraged workers, the church can turn job loss into a gift. (Jan. 13, 2012)
Working on Eternity | Ben Witherington sets earthly labor in kingdom context. A review of Work: A Kingdom Perspective on Labor. (June 15, 2011)
The Meaning of Business | Christians in the marketplace, says Jeff Van Duzer, are not second-class citizens of the kingdom. (January 14, 2011)
Career Counseling in Church | More congregations launch job-search programs for the unemployed. (September 2, 2009)
The Purpose-Driven Job Hunter | Richard Nelson Bolles on discerning God's will when facing unemployment. (September 2, 2009)
Work Is Our Mission | Why the godly baker's most significant task is baking good bread. (Nov. 14, 2007)
Reflections: Work and Vocation | Quotations from Thomas Merton, Dorothy Sayers, and others (Sept. 1, 2003)
The 'Handicap Icon' Gets New Life
New York’s revamped accessibility symbol began at a Christian college.
Sidelining the Stigma of Mental Illness
Amy Simpson challenges the church to step up its ministry to a vulnerable population.
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Pax Paws
I would like to submit that 'Rob' in the story might have had influence in his previous role if he had the attitude he developed in his promotion role. And likewise, if Rob had retained the negative attitude of before, he likely would not have seen change. Actually, as followers of Christ, are we not all to enter each day with an attitude and an eye for being a positive influence on those around us and in all that we do? Are we not to bring Christ with us into every interaction and into everything we do? Might we make a grocery checker's job and day better if we hold them in high esteem? The same within our family. And at work with co-workers... and even with those who make our job difficult. We honor God when we honor one another. We honor God when we are grateful... when we are joyful in all circumstances. This is not coming from a rosy little day I'm having... it's Biblical. May God bless us all with Christ-like attitudes and influence in the world within which we walk.
Eric Crawford
This is a real nice article Leroy, and I think it speaks to many folks (especially active Christians) situations. I like how you point out that it doesn't need to be an either / or type of thing (work or a mission in life). In fact, I knew someone who had dreams of "working full time for God" but ended up falling into a good job and never heard a clear vision for what else to do, so instead he decided to stay there and made great money and gave generiously to those who were running missions full time, and that was very fulfilling to him as $ is often a key need to any mission. Eric