Husband. Dad to 5. Student Ministry Pastor. Follower of Jesus. Yatta yatta.

WORK LIKE JOE

I go to church on Friday nights at Journey.

Tonight was the second week in a series called, “the other Joseph”. It’s on the Joseph of the OT, not the NT spouse of Mary we often think of with Joseph.

Anyway, some of the best preaching I’ve ever heard has been on the life of Joseph. One of my favorite messages of all time was a teaching on the life of Joseph and enduring tough times given by Andy Stanley at Catalyst several years back. It was absolutely amazing. This series has made we want to track it down. (I’m pretty sure it’s a message called, “in the meantime”. If so, it’s here if you want to get it.)

Anyway, tonight Ed lived up to the Joseph tradition in my life. There were two quotes I wrote down that rang true for me.

“Do the right work, regardless of the job you do… Your faithfulness in your work will come back to you”

“Be the guy that you boss can trust. The one he can give a job to and walk away with a confidence that when you say, ‘I got it’, you mean it. It’s as good as done.”

I want to be both of those things. I want to be the kind of guy that works hard, regardless of the job, out of pure integrity and devotion to worship Jesus. I want to be the guy that when I tell you, “I got it”- you can walk away and check it off on the to do list as done.

I believe, that like Joseph, that is the kind of work God blesses, regardless of what miserable circumstances life may throw at you. I believe that is the kind of man or woman that God chooses to entrust more and more to. It’s the kind of leader and volunteer that are far too few and far between in the church. I want to be this. I want to work and spend time with others who desire this too.

These two insights are so hard to find today. I’d say they are an endangered species in some contexts. I often tell students, if you do the following three things…. I don’t care where you start in your company, you’ll eventually end up in upper management. Probably sooner than later.

  1. Do an honest days work. Show up on time and actually work the hours your paid for.
  2. Don’t steal from your employer.
  3. Follow through with your commitments. Be a man or woman of your word.

One final thought: The Quakers had a phrase they would say regarding work. It was this, “Hands to work, hearts to God.” It meant that they saw how they worked as an extension of their connection with God. So they valued a simple excellence in all they did. It’s why we still have near perfect Quaker furniture from the 1860’s in antique stores. When my heart is in the right place, my work will reflect it. Joseph’s work history is Case #1 evidence this is true.

Comments

  1. Kathy (Shane's Mom) says:

    Brian –
    Nice to meet you yesterday. I like your take on the Joseph message. I missed it but my husband relayed a lot of it to me, as I really struggle with the work I do vice what I want to do, and how is any of that serving God. I’m learning to see my job as a way to provide income and medical care benefits to my family rather looking for some personal fulfillment from it. Although some days it’s very difficult to even want to do a good job, I see how Joseph’s example can help my attitude adjustment!

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