Written January 24, 2023
Often I believe the lie that one must be a full-time missionary, completely separated from the earning of mammon to please God. This is not so.
What does the Bible say?
Well, first, we have to remind ourselves that we cannot meet God’s standard of perfection to “please him.”
Romans 2:12: “For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.”
The law demands perfection. No one has kept the law. Neither can Christians. On our own, we cannot “please God.”
Despite this failure, Jesus came to be perfect for us.
Colossians 1:20-22: “And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.”
He made peace by the blood of his cross to present us holy, that is, set apart. Ok, now to the section you were waiting for. Since Christ has transformed us, how are we to live our lives?
How are we to live our lives?
Colossians 3:2: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Does this mean that we should be totally unaware of what is going on around us and that we should put ourselves in some kind of Nirvana/heaven/hypnotized state? Of course not! God wants us to be a witness to the world—”salt and light.” We are not of the world, but he does want us to be in the world.
I have a strong desire to be a farmer. Is it possible to be a farmer and still be obedient to God’s call on my life? Absolutely.
Colossians chapter three goes on to say that we should put to death what is “earthly.” Oh, well, farming involves earth and dirt, so none of that, right? Nope, it says “earthly in you: … anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk.” We are to put on not clothes, but instead, “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”
To God, it doesn’t matter so much what occupation you are in, but instead, the attitude of your heart and how you treat other people. This is very clear in verse 17: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
So that means I can be a farmer and still be obedient to God. Money is not bad, but it must never be my goal to be comfortable and satisfied in this life. I must use my work as a way to glorify God and serve my neighbor.
