Guest Contributor: Eileen Sommi Have you ever met someone who is just plain old good? They always do the right thing, even when it’s unpopular or hard. They are kind to everyone, even when no one is watching. They live with a healthy fear of the Lord, always wanting to please him. I have known some good men and women in positions of influence who are not only able to run successful businesses, but also affect others in significant ways... Read more
A recent article in The Atlantic, “It Pays To Be Nice,” noted the benefits of investing in workplace relationships. A premise of the article is something most of us probably already know intuitively: “Being collegial is good for both individual workers and for businesses as a whole.” And, according to some research, if you have leadership ambitions, you’re more likely get further if you’re someone people can trust, someone who displays “integrity, compassion, forgiveness and accountability.” The article noted various strategies to... Read more
Guest Contributor: Eileen Sommi The words “God is faithful” fly off the tongue of the Christian as readily as a “God bless you!” follows a sneeze. But what if you couldn’t find employment after months of looking? What if your business went belly up? What if, after years of faithful service, your company let you go? Or, as seen in the story of Ruth, what if you were trying to cope in the aftermath of economic downturn and great personal... Read more
Guest Contributor: Eileen Sommi I have heard the story of Ruth told many times. I’ve read it for myself over and over again. But when I started studying the book of Ruth in preparation for writing the Bible study for the Theology of Work Project, I discovered truths and wisdom that had eluded me in past approaches. How did I miss them? The Bible is an amazing book. There is always more. Things we never saw before. New truths that... Read more
Parenting children is among the most important kinds of work there are in the world, and it both deserves and requires the greatest respect. The Commandment to Honor Parents There are many ways to honor your father and mother. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees wanted to restrict this to speaking well of them. But Jesus pointed out that obeying this commandment requires working to provide for your parents. We honor people by working for their good. “Then he said to... Read more
Many of us sometimes wonder if we’re in the right place at the right time. In particular, we wonder if we’re investing our time and energy in the right job, career or work. How can we tell? Here are a few basic principles to help guide you toward your calling. 1. We need to first focus on God’s cosmic purpose or calling to the Kingdom. This operates on a far broader canvas than the debilitating deterministic and individualistic “dot” or “bullseye” approach... Read more
Work and rest are not opposing forces, but elements of a rhythm that make good work and true recreation possible. If you’re trying to establish healthy rhythms for your life, here are 3 reasons to try practicing Sabbath rest. 1) We are designed to rest. So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. – Genesis 1:27 God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God... Read more
In this series, we’re looking at three major considerations for discerning God’s vocational guidance. The needs of the world Your skills and gifts Your truest desires This week, we’ll examine the final consideration: your truest desires. The Bible says that your truest or deepest desires are important to God. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalm 37:4 He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry, and saves them. – Psalm 145:19... Read more
In this series, we’re looking at three major considerations for discerning God’s vocational guidance. The needs of the world Your skills and gifts Your truest desires Last week we discussed how the needs of the world fit into the work you’re called to do. This week, we’ll examine the second consideration: your skills and gifts. The Bible says that God gives people gifts for accomplishing the work he wants them to do, and it names some of the gifts and skills that God imparts: Do... Read more
We’ve partnered with The High Calling to create free work-related reading plans for Christians seeking to live out faith in their everyday work. Our first four plans are out now and available through YouVersion’s Bible App. You can do them online or right from your phone. Since their release, our devotionals have been completed over 5000 times. Check it out! 1) Ambition and Your Work (6-day devotional) Discover practical wisdom from the Bible about ambition at work–the good and the bad. Explore ambition from the... Read more
Theology of Work Project
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