As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
From The Cripplegate. By Jim Stitzinger.
The COVID-19 pandemic will leave a scar on every person in our society. We cannot expect anyone to be unscathed by something of this magnitude. Some will experience the harsh medical trauma of the virus, others the loneliness of isolation. And with nearly 30 million Americans unemployed now, many scars will come through the loss of work.
“The following interview with Beth Smith (Class of ’88) was submitted by Melanie Schell, Class of ’84 and professor in BJU’s Division of Health Sciences….Smith works as an infection control specialist in Greenville, South Carolina.” - BJU Today
“Whether directly connected with our passions or not, God calls us first and foremost to do the next thing well, to his glory, with all of our might. Short of this awareness, we risk ‘Christianizing’ a sense of entitlement. Instead of asking, ‘What is God’s will for my life someday?’ we should be asking, ‘What does God want me to do next?’” - IFWE
“In this episode, Jim Hamilton, author of Work and Our Labor in the Lord, discusses what to do when you hate your job. He offers encouragement for those frustrated in their work, reflects on God’s original intention for work at creation, and explains the difference between a job and a vocation.” - Crossway
“The Puritan perspective on calling is not above critique but the following brief commendations highlight the wisdom their writings offer for pastors today. Each point provides a helpful contrast to the approach of many modern evangelicals.” - 9 Marks
“ ‘My dream is to one day …quit my job and do real kingdom work.’ …But at the same time, I cringe at the false dichotomy I hear in statements like this. As if ‘real kingdom work’ only takes place when one is volunteering at church or getting a paycheck from a nonprofit organization.” - Daniel Darling
“Our work… ought to be seen as the service that we are called to do for others, whether we are paid for it or not. This view of work leads to a truer and healthier framework for approaching the various demands of jobs, spouses, children, parents, friends, and neighbors.” - Acton
In my five decades of attending Bible-preaching churches I’ve heard precisely one sermon series on work. It was my own, and was pretty weak.
It’s possible that the topic has been receiving systematic attention all over the place all these years, and I’ve just managed to miss nearly all of it. But I think not.
“Those people who are frustrating to work with are not just ‘difficult people,’ but they’re also special to God, created in his image.” - IFWE
“The truth is that if your desire is to do your work with excellence for the glory of God and the good of others, you simply can’t be anything you want to be.” - IFWE
Discussion