How 1 Timothy Chapter 6 Can Be Applied to Our Work - Continued
I hope we're all reading Scripture every day. If you do so in the morning (or any time for that matter),
many times you'll come across passages that you can apply to your work.
On a recent morning, I read 1 Timothy Chapter 6 and found more than one passage that fits the bill here. We posted one such passage last time. In another we learn that
"...godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world and certainly we can carry nothing out. But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content..."
So many strive for "more" at work: more money, more promotions; and if we get to those higher ranks, we seek even more power in order to defend our corporate fiefdoms or even propel us to the exalted "C-Suite." Personally, the latter never really held much attraction for me - not that there was any realistic possibility of such advancement ever happening (maybe that's why it never attracted in the first place?). But the former, definitely has occupied much ongoing effort: decades of striving, with mixed results.
Nothing wrong with the effort to make more or advance in your career. Just don't lose sight of the basics along the way. The passage is quite explicit on this: food, clothing and shelter. And don't just settle for these: Be content with them.
Think about it. For me it's a no-brainer. I've had periods of good fortune and not so good fortune. As opposed to some who begin a career and build it straight up, I'm in the camp of those who've had hits and misses. The misses never found my family wanting food, clothing or shelter. So during those "misses" times, it would have been a great comfort to have understood that being content with these ddn't mean I was a slouch or a loser. I guess I did learn some of this as time went by. But by the time I learned it, the misses became fewer. (Then again, you never know what the future holds, right?)
So if you're in a "miss' period, contemplate this passage. Ask for the grace to be content. Receive and accept that grace will put you into the "godliness with contentment" camp. Considering that "we brought nothing into this world and can carry nothing out," you'll be in a blessed enlightened state. And being thus, you'll have taken a few steps closer to God - the real objective of all our earthly striving.
Now, having done better spiritually doesn't preclude efforts to do better materially. Heck you may even some day find yourself one of those privileged few who've managed to grab the golden ring of material success. If you do, though, heed the warning from this passage:
"...For they that will become rich fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition..."
You only have to think about this for a few minutes to know exactly what's being said here. When you've got lots of money - and maybe lots of power too - temptations abound.
And don't fall into the trap of thinking: "Heck, I can manage those temptations. Just give me the money!" Don't kid yourself. I've worked with people in this class, in a professional capacity. I've witnessed far too many who have succumbed to, some having even been buried by, such temptations. Human nature being what it is, it's not for me to judge such people. Every once in a while, I've prayed for particular individuals who clearly were being sucked into the bowels of the devil. (Frankly, it's not a pleasant sight.)
The worst cases involved younger people - typically children of the wildly successful. It's painful watching a young person's sense and innocence unravel - some more quickly than others.
In any of these cases, by the grace of God, I've never succumbed to thinking any of these folks has "gotten what they deserved." To do so would be to judge their intentions. None of us can ever know these with assurance. We can judge an individual's actions as being wrong, but never the workings of their minds or souls. That's God's business.
If you're rich, becoming rich, or striving to be rich, do remember this passage. Maybe paste it on your wall.
Well, since it's not a problem for me, and may not be for you, next time, we'll look at something that St. Paul explains can be for not only the rich amongst us, but all of us.
On a recent morning, I read 1 Timothy Chapter 6 and found more than one passage that fits the bill here. We posted one such passage last time. In another we learn that
"...godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world and certainly we can carry nothing out. But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content..."
So many strive for "more" at work: more money, more promotions; and if we get to those higher ranks, we seek even more power in order to defend our corporate fiefdoms or even propel us to the exalted "C-Suite." Personally, the latter never really held much attraction for me - not that there was any realistic possibility of such advancement ever happening (maybe that's why it never attracted in the first place?). But the former, definitely has occupied much ongoing effort: decades of striving, with mixed results.
Nothing wrong with the effort to make more or advance in your career. Just don't lose sight of the basics along the way. The passage is quite explicit on this: food, clothing and shelter. And don't just settle for these: Be content with them.
Think about it. For me it's a no-brainer. I've had periods of good fortune and not so good fortune. As opposed to some who begin a career and build it straight up, I'm in the camp of those who've had hits and misses. The misses never found my family wanting food, clothing or shelter. So during those "misses" times, it would have been a great comfort to have understood that being content with these ddn't mean I was a slouch or a loser. I guess I did learn some of this as time went by. But by the time I learned it, the misses became fewer. (Then again, you never know what the future holds, right?)
So if you're in a "miss' period, contemplate this passage. Ask for the grace to be content. Receive and accept that grace will put you into the "godliness with contentment" camp. Considering that "we brought nothing into this world and can carry nothing out," you'll be in a blessed enlightened state. And being thus, you'll have taken a few steps closer to God - the real objective of all our earthly striving.
Now, having done better spiritually doesn't preclude efforts to do better materially. Heck you may even some day find yourself one of those privileged few who've managed to grab the golden ring of material success. If you do, though, heed the warning from this passage:
"...For they that will become rich fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition..."
You only have to think about this for a few minutes to know exactly what's being said here. When you've got lots of money - and maybe lots of power too - temptations abound.
And don't fall into the trap of thinking: "Heck, I can manage those temptations. Just give me the money!" Don't kid yourself. I've worked with people in this class, in a professional capacity. I've witnessed far too many who have succumbed to, some having even been buried by, such temptations. Human nature being what it is, it's not for me to judge such people. Every once in a while, I've prayed for particular individuals who clearly were being sucked into the bowels of the devil. (Frankly, it's not a pleasant sight.)
The worst cases involved younger people - typically children of the wildly successful. It's painful watching a young person's sense and innocence unravel - some more quickly than others.
In any of these cases, by the grace of God, I've never succumbed to thinking any of these folks has "gotten what they deserved." To do so would be to judge their intentions. None of us can ever know these with assurance. We can judge an individual's actions as being wrong, but never the workings of their minds or souls. That's God's business.
If you're rich, becoming rich, or striving to be rich, do remember this passage. Maybe paste it on your wall.
Well, since it's not a problem for me, and may not be for you, next time, we'll look at something that St. Paul explains can be for not only the rich amongst us, but all of us.
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