TheHighCalling.org: Integrity

The Speed of Sound (Audio)

Howard Butt, Jr. — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Gil's quick wit was the stuff of legend. The right crack at the right time? Gil had it. He was funny. No, he was hilarious. People shook their heads, amused and amazed.

One day Gil tossed off a put-down about a coworker's looks. Predictably, it got great laughs from people nearby. But Gil's words continued to fly through the office at the speed of sound.

Soon the object of the laughter came to Gil. "You talk a lot about your faith," she said, "but I hear who you are."

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. Coworkers may never know what we believe, but there's no doubt about what we say and do . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. (James 3:9-10)

God's Beloved at Work (Bible Reflection)

Gary Klingsporn — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Last year, Time photographer Anthony Suau caught a picture of a well-dressed man in a business suit standing in the middle of Wall Street. He was in front of the New York Stock Exchange on October 10, 2008, throwing his hands into the heavens in dismay as stock prices melted down. The picture vividly captured the anxiety and uncertainty of people during a difficult time in America. An accompanying article spoke of "the signs of trouble" everywhere, from For Sale and Foreclosure signs on the lawns of suburban homes to losses of jobs, savings, and retirement. The article read, "The dark mood grew darker as the months ticked by and the credit crunch driving the U.S. economy's slow-motion topple accelerated into a full-blown crash."

We all experience life like that at one time or another. For any number of personal reasons (health, stress, aging, grief, loss) we all stand like that man, looking up, our hands lifted to the heavens. We all experience pain, loss, vulnerability, the uncertainty of the future. These are difficult and painful realities of human life as we experience them.

The Beloved: Who Jesus Is and Who We Are

In Mark's Gospel, the story of Jesus' baptism can help us address these painful experiences. When Jesus comes to the Jordan River to be baptized, a heavenly voice says, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." From the very beginning of the story, Mark wants us to know who Jesus is: Son of God and Servant of all.

The primary thrust of the baptism story is Christological—to reveal Jesus' identity as the Beloved of God. In his baptism, we see who Jesus is, but we also begin to learn who we are as followers of Jesus. In our baptism that same voice comes to us and says, "You are my Beloved." When we rise from the waters of baptism, we are named God's beloved sons and daughters. In a world filled with all kinds of other voices, in our baptism God gives us a new name, a new identity, as sheer gift. Our new identity has profound implications for the way we understand our lives.

(See Henri Nouwen's Life of the Beloved as one example of the development of this theme.)

The Gift of God's Power and Spirit

Mark says that Jesus saw "the Holy Spirit descending like a dove on him." As Jesus is given the gift of God's Spirit in baptism, so in our baptism God gives us the gift of the Spirit—the promise of God's enabling and empowering presence in our lives. For example, the Holy Spirit is the sustaining presence and the animating power of God at work in the life of the church and the individual. The Spirit gives us guidance and the unique gifts (charisma) we need to conduct our daily lives and work.

So in those times in our lives when we stand with our arms lifted to the heavens, looking up in fear, pain, grief, or uncertainty (the man on Wall Street), there is always that Voice saying to us, whether we can hear it or not: "You are my Beloved—my son, my daughter. I have put my Spirit upon you. I am with you always."

We Are Sent Daily to Live Our Calling

Blessed with our identity as "the Beloved," and given the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are sent to do God's work in the world. The rest of Mark's Gospel describes how Jesus fulfilled the mission given to him by God. We also are sent daily to live out the callings God has given us. Martin Luther said that our baptism is the sign of God's call to live out our faith in our daily work, our families, and relationships. In baptism, we are called to a common vocation—to serve God by loving and serving our neighbor. Luther said it this way:

"Only look at your tools, your needle, your thimble, your beer barrel, your articles of trade, your scales, your measures, and you will read this saying written on them. . . . 'My dear, use me toward your neighbor as you would want him to act toward you with that which is his'" (quoted in Barbara Brown Taylor, The Preaching Life, Cowley 1993, p. 29).

In other words, our everyday work is God's work. In baptism we are set apart as God's people to share Christ's ministry in the world. Each of us has a calling from God. Barbara Brown Taylor goes on to describe every Christian's divine vocation "to see the hand of God at work in the world and to see one's own hands as necessary to that work. Whether those hands are diapering an infant, assembling an automobile, or balancing a corporate account, they are God's hands, claimed by God at baptism for the accomplishment of God's will on earth."

The Voice Is Always There

When life becomes difficult and the way grows dark. When we hurt and fail one another, or lose someone we love. When faith grows dim. When our work grows wearisome. When we face an uncertain future. When we lift our hands to the heavens in fear or pain—like the man on Wall Street—the Voice is always there: "You are my Beloved, gifted by my Spirit, called and sent to join me at work in the world. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine. You are precious in my sight and honored, and I love you. Do not fear, for I am with you" (Isa. 43:1-5). "Beloved" is our name. And that makes all the difference!

Questions for Reflection:

Read the story of Jesus' baptism in Mark 1:9-11. What does this teach us about the identity of Jesus? Who do you believe Jesus is?
Have you been baptized? If so, remember the experience. How can you act more like God's beloved child this week?

The Case of the Disappearing Painter (Personal Reflection)

Christopher Smith — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:00:00 GMT

"Now where has my painter gone?" the man wondered as he looked out the window. He'd hired a college student to paint his garage. He'd done this kind of thing before, as he was always glad to give a little work to someone trying to earn his way through school. Now that he was getting older and was no longer quite so steady on a ladder himself, it was a real help to him too.

The man was paying by the hour. He knew that young people sometimes needed help developing a good work ethic, so he had been glancing out the window from time to time to make sure his painter stayed on the job. He'd been gratified to see him work steadily throughout the morning, diligently scraping off any chipped or peeling paint before applying a new coat. The student had said he was an experienced house painter, and observation seemed to confirm this.

But now, in the middle of the afternoon, the student was nowhere to be seen. The man kept checking regularly, but only after a couple of hours did the student finally reappear and continue painting the garage.

Late in the afternoon the student finished the job. He came in and submitted a statement of his hours. It was for an entire day's work. Did he think he could fool an old man?

His employer delicately broached the subject of honest accounting.

"For a while," he began, "I couldn't see you out there working."

The student looked puzzled, so his employer continued. "You were gone for a couple of hours, in the afternoon. You know I can't pay you for time when you weren't on the job."

Finally the student understood. "If you couldn't see me, it must have been because I was behind the garage," he explained.

"What were you doing there?"

"Painting the back wall," he stated matter-of-factly. "I had to spend a lot of time cleaning off dirt and cobwebs so they wouldn't mix with the paint. And it was a pretty tight squeeze, since the wall of the neighbor's garage is right behind it. That's probably why you couldn't see me for so long."

The man was amazed. "I've hired a number of people to paint for me over the years," he commented, "but you're the first one who's ever painted the back wall of my garage. Why did you do that, when no one can see it?"

The student had no answer. He shifted silently for a moment. He seemed to be trying to figure out why anyone wouldn't have painted the back wall.

Then the man understood. He recalled that this young man shared his Christian faith and asked, reassuringly, "Was it because you knew God could see it?"

Relieved, the student answered, "Yes, I'm sure that was why."

"Well then," the man concluded, "you're a very thorough worker. I asked you to paint my garage, and that's what you did—every inch of it! I'm very pleased to have a garage that's so clean and freshly painted, even where only God can see."

He paid the student a full day's wages.

As this true story illustrates, sometimes the excellence of our work will be apparent only to God. The little touches that make the difference between “good enough” and excellent will not always be noticed by our employer or by our coworkers. But the Bible tells us to give our employers our best anyway, “not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one of you for whatever good you do” (Eph. 6:5-8).

When we use our abilities to do our very best, even if no one else sees, we give God pleasure and glory. And that's always a good day's work.

Fear Buster (Bible Reflection)

Paul Seebeck — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 06:00:00 GMT

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.
Mark 1:40-45, NSRV

What are you most afraid of? I don't think I need to mention out loud all of the unspoken fears that are present with us in the inner sanctuaries of our lives. Just a few months ago, we were all afraid of the swine flu. I heard stories of people who sneezed and entire grocery store aisles cleared out.

This gospel passage speaks about what fear does to us and how God responds to our fear. Imagine for a moment what it would've been like to have leprosy in the first century. The man in the first chapter of Mark has lost his job, family, community, security, everything. He is desperate.

The Old Testament law was quite clear—any person with leprosy was to wear torn clothing, keep their hair unkempt, cover their upper lip and cry, "Unclean, Unclean!" Even worse, they were to live alone as outsiders, away from the camp of the Israelites. By coming to see Jesus, this man is breaking the law and could be stoned if caught by the religious zealots.

In this context of deathly fear, Jesus speaks grace and truth. The man approaches Jesus, kneels, and says, "If you choose, you can make me clean." Notice what fear and loss expose in the leper—any illusion of control is broken, gone.

Then Jesus chooses. Love and mercy meet in a great action statement of compassion: "I do choose," Jesus says—demonstrating that God is trustworthy, beyond all our loss and fear—"be clean."

Jesus then tells the man to go to a priest for a ceremonial cleansing, making a clear distinction between being healed from a disease and being made whole. Through the ritual of cleansing, this man would be restored back into the community of faith. According to the law, even though he had been healed, he would be ceremonially unclean until it happened. Jesus didn't just want to heal this man physically. He offered spiritual, social, and communal wholeness. God knows that people can be healed from sickness and go right back to their ways of living in fear. Our fears of rejection, isolation, and loss distort our sense of wholeness, driving us into destructive behavior that makes our fears come true. It is a vicious cycle, and it isolates us.

This gospel story reminds me of the 2008 movie Gran Torino. Clint Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a Korean War veteran who lives in a changing Michigan neighborhood that increasingly is dominated by Asian immigrants. In one scene, Kowalski's neighbor says to him, "You are a good man." He blows it off with a gruff, "some people would say otherwise" or something to that effect—he sounded just like my father.

But these words of love and grace speak to Walt's fear and self-hatred for killing innocent Asians in the Korean War. His relationship with his neighbors, previously limited by his own prejudice and hatred, deepens. Walt couldn't reach his own children, and he feels terrible about that. But he ends up a player in God's goodness and reaches out to save an entire neighborhood. It is an incredibly redemptive story of the gospel.

God is with us in our fear and loss of control. In the grace and truth of Jesus, God chooses to make us whole so that we might live beyond all fear in our daily lives.

Honoring All Your Commitments (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Naaman, a top general of the Syrian king, went to Israel seeking a cure for his leprosy. The prophet Elisha told him to bathe seven times in the Jordan River. And God cured him! Naaman believed in God and pledged to worship him only.

But he worriedly told Elisha, “May God pardon me when I go with my king into his house of worship—because when he leans on me to bow down, I have to bow down with him.” Elisha rejected that legalistic thinking. He said: “Go in peace.”

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. Obedience to God doesn’t require you to shirk your responsibilities to your employer. God honors both your commitment to himself and to your job. Go in peace . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. (2 Cor. 9:13)

Glass Houses and Broken Windows (Bible Reflection)

Gina Conroy — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Many of us don't think much about communicating on the Internet. When we fire off an email, leave a comment, or post an update, we leave a trail. Our words are there for all to see. And with Facebook, Twitter, and blogging, communication has never been faster.

Communication online is like living in a glass house, except we have more power to create the person others see. Some fabricate an identity, and others choose to be authentic. Whatever your internet persona, when others meet us in real life, they'll expect us to be the same person they met on their computer. That's why conducting ourselves with authenticity is so important online and off.

The apostle Paul did not have the luxury of sending emails or blogging the gospel (I'm sure he would have if given the opportunity), but he knew the importance of presenting himself with integrity and consistency. In one letter he told the Corinthians,

"Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God" (2 Cor. 4: 1-2, The Message).

Paul lived what he wrote. Though others accused him of being inconsistent, he preached the same gospel in his letters as he did in person. More than that, he tried to be the same person on paper as he was in person.

"What's this talk about me bullying you with my letters? 'His letters are brawny and potent, but in person he's a weakling and mumbles when he talks.' Such talk won't survive scrutiny. What we write when away, we do when present. We're the exact same people, absent or present, in letter or in person" (2 Cor. 10:8-11, The Message).

Paul lived in a glass house and knew people had their noses pressed to the window, watching and scrutinizing his every word and deed. He knew the importance of integrity in sharing the gospel and how it needed to match up to his life. He knew inconsistency in his life would discredit his reputation and hurt the advancement of the gospel.

We shouldn't expect our internet activities to be as significant as Paul's, but we still need to present ourselves with authenticity, void of exaggerations and deceit. This is not a call for exhibitionism. I'm not advocating airing our dirty laundry but rather representing and conducting ourselves with truth and honor. We should follow Paul's example whether we're emailing coworkers, blogging about Jesus, or twittering about our lives.

Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, has a similar admonishment for those in the publishing field. "People are not going to get away with embellishing the facts much longer. It's just too easy to validate the claims. So how do you survive in this brave new world of total transparency? Simple. Tell the truth." He offers some wise words and tips for living in a transparent world, and his advice applies to anyone doing business via the Internet.

Jesus preached the same message. Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. Even though Paul's glass house didn't encompass the World Wide Web, we can learn from his wisdom. Integrity and consistency should be the cornerstone of any business, whether professional or personal, on the Internet or in person. There's no going back. Globalization and the Internet have put us all in glass houses. People are watching us. If they don't like what they see or feel they've been deceived, they aren't afraid to break windows.

Do Not Grow Weary (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Paul bought his daughter a dog: a purebred from a respected breeder. But first, Paul made sure the pup saw the vet and had her shots.

Then, two days later, the dog fell deathly ill. The family vet could not save her. "But what did we do wrong?" Paul asked. The answer was, "Nothing." No routine exam would have caught the infection. All the right shots could not cover this illness.

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. The Bible calls us to always do right, yet gives no guarantee of right outcomes. And while life is often unfair, we know that God is just. Because we trust, we do not grow weary in doing right . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Gal. 6:9)

Part 2: An Interview with Daniel Lohrmann, Chief Technology Officer of Michigan (Interview)

Becky Garrison — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Daniel J. Lohrmann, author of Virtual Integrity (Brazos Press, 2008) is an award-winning computer expert. As Michigan's chief technology officer, he directs over 750 technical staff in the State of Michigan's Infrastructure Services Administration. This is a continuation of his discussion with TheHighCalling.org about how Christians can maintain their virtual integrity in the workplace.

What is integrity theft?

The Internet is an incredible tool that can help companies offer new products and services, become more efficient and improve communication. At the same time, new temptations towards the dark side of the net are emerging every day.

Everyone has heard about the dangers of identity theft. Integrity theft is similar, but rather than your money being at risk, you can lose your reputation as a result of online actions. I have seen colleagues sacrifice years of education and put their careers in jeopardy for a few moments in cyberspace. Every day in America, people are disciplined for unacceptable online behavior at work, and many lose their jobs. Worse than that, I've witnessed marriages that end, families that split, church ministries torn apart, and staff arrested and put in jail.

Why do we need to worry about integrity theft?

I'm sure that Internet surfers never suspect that their online activity could end up with tragic consequences when they started. Yes, these individuals made wrong decisions, but I call it "integrity theft" because most people underestimate the impact of their virtual activity. They foolishly think "cyber sins" don't count the same.

Proverbs 7:22-23 says it this way: "All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life."

Just as we take steps to protect sensitive information, we need to take steps to protect our personal integrity in cyberspace. Most of us ensure that our credit card statements are accurate, personal data is encrypted as it traverses the Internet, etc. In the same way, we need to understand and protect ourselves from the lurking cyber threats to our Christian character.

Elaborate on how you see ethical and moral lines being increasingly blurred in cyberspace by Christians who use the Internet in their work environments.

At work, we are given powerful technology tools that can touch lives on the other side of the planet in an instant. But is our online marketing offered in ethical ways? Are we honest in relationships or are we being deceptive? While there are gray areas, many businesses push dangerous approaches.

As you surf the net at work, where are your eyes drawn? What messages are coming through? While previous marketing approaches were broadcast to everyone via TV, new approaches are much more specific. Ads target various audiences using information like age, surfing tendencies, location, gender or buying patterns. You may end up somewhere you never intended to go five minutes earlier. These personalization techniques are being used for good and evil.

On a more personal level, there is a tendency to justify online activities at work with excuses like "everyone is doing it." Thinking that virtual decisions don't count the same as "real world" actions, Christians conveniently rename immoral activities. Plagiarism becomes copying text, stealing becomes downloading files, lying becomes protecting yourself—often without a second thought.

What's virtual trespassing?

Virtual trespassing is just like physical trespassing—except it occurs in cyberspace. For example, we are not required to allow someone into our house if we think they will harm our family. While online laws are different, similar laws exist to protect children from cyber predators. There are also protections from spam, fraudulent or deceptive practices, and other online activities.

Everyone is entitled to a workplace which does not discriminate against their religious beliefs. Just as posting pornographic pictures on the walls at work could lead to lawsuits for a hostile work environment, staff cannot be required to visit online websites which violate their religious values or beliefs.

How does virtual trespassing occur?

Virtual trespassing occurs when content enters your digital space (devices such as your home PC, work laptop, or mobile device) that violates your values and beliefs. If you had your way, you would not view this content. At work, you should not be asked to perform actions and/or view material that conflicts with your Christian faith. No doubt, mistakes are still made. I recommend addressing these situations as quickly as possible so that you are not asked to continually compromise or tolerate actions if you deem them to be unethical or immoral.

As we move forward, I expect to see more situations where employees feel that their religious beliefs are threatened online at work. Companies like Google claim they will "do no evil," but who's definition of evil is used? As "cloud computing" matures and businesses are offered "free" office applications like email if their staff just watch ads and commercials, who decides what's allowed? The desire to cut technology costs could lead to the marketing of evil at work.

How does one develop an e-conscience?

In 1 Timothy 1:18-19, Paul told Timothy to "fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith." We are in a daily battle to keep a clear conscience, and this pertains to every area of life. Remember that Jesus repeatedly described lust as a matter of the heart. Our thought-life is clearly the first step towards our actions which become habits.

How does one refresh their values in cyberspace?

There are essentially three steps in this p

Repairing the Marketplace (Bible Reflection)

Vera Jackson — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The book of Nehemiah opens with a "state of the union"-like assessment of Israel following Babylonian captivity. The bedraggled remnant is in a state of "great affliction and reproach" and "the walls are broken down" (see Neh. 1:1-3). Nehemiah was not a complainer but a problem solver. He took these issues to God in prayer and after receiving direction set about the long and arduous task of rebuilding the broken walls.

Nehemiah might assess the condition of believers in the modern workplace with similar descriptions. Certainly we can all think of many examples of "great affliction" at work, as well as "great reproach." It is also easy to think of places where the "walls are broken down." The walls of civility and morality—walls that once guarded our behaviors and protected our souls—are now in disrepair wherever we look.

Tools for Repair

God has sent each of us to our unique professional subculture to carry his Good News, to fulfill our marketplace assignments with professional excellence and to demonstrate an uncompromising devotion to him. Today that devotion requires we go beyond our formal job descriptions, being open to minister to those around us as God leads.

The picture painted in Nehemiah 3 is an exciting one. Thousands of laborer-warriors are grouped by family and clan, working together to rebuild the walls. We too can work to rebuild civility, morality, and integrity in the marketplace by being salt and light. No one person has the capacity to repair all that ails institutions and individuals, but each of us can take our place on the wall and perform the work that God has called us to do.

Once, my work on the wall involved Jacob who had lost his job because of sin. Although Jacob had followed biblical principles regarding spiritual restoration, his family was on the verge of losing everything they owned because no one would hire him. After an extended period of prayer, I believe God instructed me to hire Jacob. Jacob humbled himself and accepted my job offer at a much lower pay rate than his previous position. Yet his heart was encouraged, his character strengthened, and he was able to modestly contribute to the needs of his family. After two years of faithful work, Jacob accepted a job with a major salary increase at another company. The God of "second chances" used me to help repair a broken man who desperately needed a new start—and the footing to take his place on the wall!

Here are six steps for working on the wall as described in the acrostic R-E-P-A-I-R.

R – Repent: The first step is to repent for neglecting our responsibilities—for missing opportunities to demonstrate God's love, grace, and mercy (see 1 John 1:9). We must also reject the mindset of a captive and become the watchmen God has called us to be (see Isa. 62:6; Luke 21:36).
E – Entreat: The second step is to entreat God in prayer for our superiors and coworkers, earnestly seeking guidance for responding to them (see Luke 11:9-13,1 Thess. 5:17). As we take our places on the wall, we may see large industry changes on the horizon or something as small as the fact that the usually cheery receptionist seems depressed.
P – Persevere: The third step is to persevere while on the wall (see James 1:1-4). At times, the view may be overwhelming and distracting. Trials will inevitably come too, but the assurance that the Word of God provides is our reward for faithfulness (see Heb. 10:36, James 1:12).
A – Attitude: The fourth step is to make certain our work on the wall is performed with a Christlike attitude (see Phil. 2:5). When we do this, our superiors and coworkers will be drawn to the light of God's love and truth.
I – Integrity: The fifth step is to be a living witness of integrity and righteousness where we work. We stand as God's representatives entrusted with a message of hope and salvation (see Matt. 5:16; 2 Cor. 5:20).
R – Rejoice: The final step is a commitment to cultivate the inner joy that comes from God himself (see Neh. 8:10). When we protect this joy, we will find that others are quickly drawn to the Jesus in us.

There is a righteous call for you and me to be a Nehemiah in our marketplaces. None of us is responsible for repairing the walls alone, but we can all be found faithful where Christ has assigned us.

___________________________________

Dr. Vera R. Jackson is president and CEO of a nonprofit in the Washington, D.C., area and author of Taking Jesus to Work (Chosen/Baker Publishing Group, www.chosenbooks.com). She may be reached by email at vjackson@verajacksonassoc.com.

Bringing God's Kingdom to the Post Office (Personal Reflection)

Ed Cyzewski — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 06:00:00 GMT

I had a pile of birthday cards, thank you notes, and some important business mail bundled up for the post office one morning. I forgot to swing by the post office in my hometown, so I dropped in at another one in the next town on my way to the café—my favorite spot to write.

My mind was still clouded with work when I stepped up to the post office counter and noticed the clerk wasn't making eye contact with me. Her counterpart whispered into her ear, "He's on the phone with the hospital because he has chest pains." I saw the postmaster walking to the back room with the phone to his ear. The clerk in front of me glanced in my direction and told me all I needed to know through her eyes that bore the marks of fear, pain, and heartache. Tears crept out.

I passed along my envelopes, handed over exact change, and moved toward the door, wanting to give her some space. I stopped just shy of the door when I realized that I needed to pray for the postmaster and the two clerks. In fact, God brought me to that spot at that time to pray for safety and healing.

My prayer was made all the more urgent when an ambulance sped by with blaring sirens.

Just stopping to pray for this man made me realize something. God may have plans for my career, but that's no excuse to ignore the needs I see every day. While praying, I realized I was doing the most important thing in the world at that moment—asking for God's loving touch on another person.

I'm shocked by how stingy I can be with blessings, to say nothing of how I overlook God's concern for the people I meet every day.

On days like this, I realize my default orientation is insular and self-serving. God is pushing his people outward, sending us out of our protective inner circles to those who are broken and in need.

A few days later, I stopped in the post office to find the post master standing at the counter. "The other day I heard you were having chest pains," I said while handing over a bin of mail. "How are you feeling?"

"Great. It was only a severe muscle spasm," he replied. "Thanks for asking."

"I want you to know that I felt a strong burden to pray for you that day," I said.

"Well, it sure worked. I really appreciate that," he replied.

The line behind me grew as we chatted, and so we left things at that. I don't visit that post office very often these days, but as I drive by I'm often reminded to continue praying for the good people working there.

I pray that we can continue to take these steps toward God's Kingdom as we go about our daily work each day.

Part 1: An Interview with Daniel Lohrmann, Chief Technology Officer of Michigan (Interview)

Becky Garrison — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Surfing your values means connecting your offline values with your online world. It starts with a good understanding of the risks you face every time you enter cyberspace. Our integrity is being attacked every day, and the Internet is now at the frontline of that battle. It also means living out the implications of your faith when you connect.

I know people who are afraid to use the Internet today because of the temptations they face and their inability to block content that violates their convictions. As Christians, we have an opportunity to influence how the Internet evolves in the future. Many technology companies like Microsoft are interested in providing easier ways to surf your values in cyberspace. They rightly view online trust to include much more than just security and privacy.

How do you see the concept of online trust developing?

As we move forward over the next decade, I would rather have a few trusted Internet partners hold my data than hundreds of smaller online retailers who can't properly secure my data in cyberspace. Think of these data brokers as similar to banks that currently hold our financial data, but these companies will hold our detailed "values" profiles. This approach can enable online experiences to revolve around our beliefs, as well as likes and dislikes. But we will control the settings. This information will be vital to provide characteristics for coming avatars (online representations of us). While this may sound like "Big Brother" to some, I believe it can enable Christians to maintain a more wholesome experience in cyberspace. Rather than filtering as we do today, websites will deliver the content that we value—personalized to our beliefs.

What suggestions do you offer to those Christians who find themselves getting caught up in blog battles while defending their religious beliefs?

First and foremost, be humble. Psalm 41:12 says ". . . In my integrity you uphold me . . ." Spurgeon's commentary points out that God's power and strength enable our integrity and every good gift. We should praise God that he restrains each of us from gross sin. When others sin, they show us what we would do but for his grace. Remember that most of the arguments floating around cyberspace have been around for hundreds or even thousands of years, so you probably won't be the one to end various controversies. Ask yourself if you should even be in these conversations during work. Know what is appropriate for various situations.

Second, be kind, polite, professional, courteous, etc. Rude comments will not reflect well on you or Christianity in general. The Internet provides an impersonal channel that seems to allow us to "vent." Usually, this is inappropriate. Ask: would I say this to the person's face?

Third, understand the limitations of technology. Talk in person, when appropriate. I have seen professional colleagues who were sitting right next to each other send long emails back and forth that became more and more heated in tone. Once I even intervened and called an impromptu meeting in my office to talk through a situation.

Finally, think about the long-term impact of your words. Will I view this comment as positive five years from now? Will this blog reflect well on my marriage or company?

What's wrong with a bit of harmless flirting or horseplay online to break up the monotony of the workday given you'll probably never meet these folks in person?

Others are watching and things often get out of control. Are you being a good Christian witness? Remember that whatever you say or do online is a reflection of your actual character. Tragically, there are even married people who flirt—which is clearly wrong.

Cyberspace often acts like an accelerator, bringing devastating consequences to careers, families, marriages, and even your faith. Oftentimes, people go way too far down the primrose path before they stop. Like a snowball rolling down the hill, you may be surprised how difficult it is to break bad habits. I have seen people fool themselves by saying that their online activities were harmless—right before significant problems surface.

The temptation people face is to go a bit further than yesterday. The old "thrill" no longer satisfies, and they click one more time. I've seen this behavior over and over again. Stay away from the cliffs, and you won't go over the edge.

Why do you encourage people to seek out an accountability partner?

Accountability works in every area of life. We wrongfully think that accountability is for losers. But the best athletes, musicians, and employees all seek accountability with coaches and mentors to help. We value accountability for diets such as Weight Watchers and for exercise regimes. Why? Because accountability helps us succeed at our goals. In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul exhorted Timothy to "set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity."

While online, accountability partners will reduce the temptations you face. By simply being open with others about your surfing habits, you will improve your effectiveness. Contrary to popular opinion, I think accountability enables more possibilities such as social networking at work. If managers know that staff are not abusing the privilege of Facebook, they will be more likely to support the use of social networking tools at work.

I use Covenant Eyes at home, and my wife gets my accountability report. This simple step reduces many temptations. Another misperception is that experts don't need accountability. To the contrary, the best and brightest are the most tempted to break the rules—because they know how to not get caught. &

Where Do You Get Your Wisdom? (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Wendy was unhappy in her marriage and thinking about divorce. "The Bible says, 'To thine own self be true,' " she told her friend Judy. "Besides, God helps those who help themselves."

"Wendy, I don’t know about your marriage," Judy said. "But I do know you're not quoting the Bible. 'To thine own self be true,' is Shakespeare. " 'God helps those who help themselves'—that’s Ben Franklin."

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. Wisdom has many sources—but the most reliable source is God's word. When you seek counsel—or quote it—be sure you know the person, the book, the magazine . . . the philosophy . . . that you’re using to shape your decisions . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 3:14-15)

Religious Liberty (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:00:00 GMT

As our nation’s 233rd birthday is upon us, I wanted to ramble about one of its founding principles—liberty. Mostly this word gets reduced to a synonym—"freedom." Or it may be reduced even further to mean "being free" (i.e., without restraint).

Liberty is something more than just being free. In the political context in which it used in the Declaration of Independence, freedom means being released from arbitrary governance by another political entity, England. The separatists or Puritans left England to establish a colony where they were free from the restraint of the Church of England. Their liberty came from the elimination of religious constraint.

While exercising their religious liberty, they did not establish freedom of religion. We can just look to Roger Williams for that evidence. Williams preached religious tolerance and the right for people to pursue God in their own way, and he was exiled from the colony. Eventually, he founded a new colony based on these principles of religious liberty at Providence, Rhode Island. This colony is the birthplace of the Baptist congregation in America.

Through this principle of religious liberty grew a founding tenet of the United States of America, the separation of church and state. It grew out of an understanding of liberty that allows the individual to throw off the shackles of an oppressor to pursue God in their own way.

Religious toleration is at the heart of our country’s founding, and it is very much alive today. Despite its abuses, this tolerance makes possible a forum for dissenting voices. Fifty years ago, the voice of the atheist was crushed in the United States. Today, that voice is allowed to be heard and is openly debated in many Christian media outlets. Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins have a voice in our country because the overwhelmingly Christian populace allows it. That's religious liberty.

Building a Reputation (Bible Reflection)

Andrea Emerson — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The other day, I was reading a best-selling author's advice on how to keep a co-worker's incompetence from damaging your reputation: "Take him down publicly," the self-proclaimed expert advised, "a little humiliation goes a long way." Ouch. Sadly, that mirrors much of today's popular wisdom for making a name for ourselves. (Have you ever watched The Apprentice?)

The importance we give to what others think, and how that relates to cultivating a reputation as competent business professionals, is a pursuit that can easily be mishandled or get out of balance. Take me, for instance. Because I still resembled a high-schooler in my twenties and was often mistaken for an intern, I obsessed over getting the business hotshots I interacted with to view me as a peer.

So I devoured books like Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office and adopted a series of comical measures to appear wiser and more credible: wearing glasses when I didn't need them, getting a grandma-type haircut, lowering my voice pitch and mastering body language, which included "power postures" and fighting a hair twirling habit. I also emailed the "power players" at odd hours (say, Saturday at 11 p.m.) in an effort to showcase my dedication to my work. At the end of the day, the whole credibility-building business was exhausting.

Then, studying the Scriptures, I came across that famous "you know a tree by its fruit" bit:

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. (Matt. 7:16-18)

It was one of those moments when a familiar verse hits you right between the eyes with fresh, new meaning. It occurred to me that if the internal make-up of a plant determines the fruit it produces with automatic, scientific precision, then it followed that my character and spiritual growth would be far better business investments than my outward personal presentation. Simply put, you can't force a harvest without cultivating the soil.

Henry and Richard Blackaby put it like this in God in the Marketplace:

Christian character [or a stellar reputation] is not something you have to work up to or put on. It's the natural result of the Holy Spirit's activity in a believer's life (Gal. 5:22-23). [Godly] character is Christ expressing life through you (1 Cor. 15:10; Gal. 2:20). It comes from abiding in Christ (John 15:5, 7-8).

Along these lines, Jim Gleason, one of my mentors, is known to harp tirelessly on the importance of integrity in our business dealings. And he's right to do so, considering "a good name is more desirable than good riches" (Prov. 22:1).

Jim says you and I can easily set ourselves apart, earn people's respect and loyalty if we do this one thing: Keep our word. (On that note, if Jim tells you he'll call on Tuesday, you can bank on it, even if he has to call from a hospital room–which he's done before.) As the Bible tells us, "let your ‘yes' be ‘yes' and your ‘no' be ‘no'" (James 5:12).

Since I'm still far from perfect (and, I'm guessing, so are you), it's important to note that God doesn't expect perfection from us. But he does expect progression and a heart that pursues his pleasure above all else. In Hebrews 5:11-14, we read that "though by this time [we] ought to be teachers," many of us are still stuck on the elementary teachings of Christ. Rather, we are told to move from God's "milk" to "solid food," which "is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves." The bottom line? Immersing ourselves in the solid food of the Word of God is precisely the ingredient that produces good fruit, without fail.

As I've learned where my true value lies—that is, in fulfilling God's purpose for my life and advancing his truth—I've quit worrying about what people think so much, except when it comes to how I reflect and represent the God I serve and love. As we fix our eyes on him, there's no need to worry about a reputation: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matt. 6:33). As it turns out, producing fruit according to God's design is far easier and satisfying than trying to manufacture fruit without God.

An Undivided Life (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Remember your cafeteria trays in elementary school? The large rectangle was for your main dish. The milk carton had its square. The silverware went in the long, skinny trench. Every serving had its place.

We tend to serve up life that way: church, work, home—all in separate compartments. But it doesn't work. We were made to be whole.

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. When the rich young ruler asked Jesus how to have eternal life, Jesus told him to obey the commandments and to sell his possessions. But his possessions were his compartmentalized idolatry! What Jesus told the young man, he's still telling us. Our faith doesn't fit into one compartment. It fills the whole tray . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess. 5:23)

A Colleague's Story (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Here is an example illustrating the power of story in the life of one of my coworkers. I’ve created a story about Katie's journey as I understand it. Some people may say I’ve projected a story onto my colleague. No matter, the following example helps me better understand my relationship with a colleague. And it’s a fun way to try to understand someone.

Katie came to work at Laity Lodge Youth Camp straight from college. She worked as an intern , then as an assistant director. And now she is an associate director. Working with Katie and observing her journey has always been a joy.
There exists in Katie an authenticity that is refreshing. She is earnest in her faith and open about her struggles as well as her triumphs. She is devoted to Christ and his leading in her life. In fact, Katie is so fervent about her faith, it is both encouraging and startling at the same time.
One day in our staff devotion, Katie shared some health concerns. She was in constant pain and doctors weren't sure what was causing the pain. Over the months as Katie continued visiting different doctors, her pain increased. No relief was in sight. Each new report she shared was bleaker than the previous report. When she did receive a diagnosis, the doctor said she had rheumatoid arthritis. Katie was only twenty-five.
Her medication included some difficult side effects. It was serious, but Katie’s outlook never changed. She remained upbeat and faithful even as she shared her fears. Eventually, doctors determined that Katie had suffered because of a virus that brought on symptoms like arthritis. After the virus finished running its course, Katie was perfectly healthy again.
For nearly two years, she struggled with pain and uncertainty. But then Katie was restored to full health. She moved forward with her plans to be married. After this summer, Katie moves to another adventure as she and her new husband, an Air Force pilot, take an assignment in Japan.

Journey or “The Great Journey” is one of the common themes of literature. Applying this theme to my coworker, Katie, I am better able to identify her uniqueness. I continue to marvel at her enthusiastic and encouraging spirit and the power of her faith. All life is a journey. Sometimes we encounter people who inspire us with their journeys. Katie is one of those people.

Katie's journey through illness isn't the end of the story though. Katie’s whole life will be a journey, and she is just at the beginning of that journey.

Now it's your turn. Think about two or three people you work with on a regular basis. Apply one or more of the common themes listed below to each of the people you selected. Create a story around their lives.

Abundance and Service (Personal Reflection)

Mary E. DeMuth — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Years ago, my husband and I met a friendly couple in our church who invited us to a party. As I put my coat away in their bedroom, I noticed charts everywhere tacked to the walls—proof the couple was gung-ho about a particular business venture.

"I think I know why they had us over," I whispered to my husband. He couldn't believe they would invite us just to introduce us to their business, and he smirked when they mentioned nothing of it that evening.

A week later, we received a phone call from the couple, imploring us to become a part of their amazing business. We declined. They never invited us over again.

Several years later, I sat at a church luncheon next to a woman I hadn't met. She asked, "What's your passion in life?"

Though I hadn't expressed it publicly, I felt God nudging me to say, "I want to be a writer."

She smiled. "Really? Do you know what one of my passions is? To help develop and train new writers!" The result? This professor and published author mentored me. Her servant's heart changed my professional life forever.

Two truths contradict each other when business and Jesus collide: To win in the business world, you have to market yourself, your product, your wares. Yet Jesus didn't come to earth to be served. He came to serve others without expectation of reciprocation. How do we reconcile marketing that appears self-serving with Jesus' admonition to serve others? By exploring fear and abundance.

Our friends' pressure to join their venture unmasked their fear. Worrying about making enough money, they leveraged each new relationship in the church to meet that goal—and then moved on to another church. But the author, who struggled financially, freely gave her expertise and time to someone who couldn't necessarily benefit her. She gave from a place of God's abundance, from her belief in an upside-down kingdom where eternal rewards resulted from simple obedience.

Fear will cause some people to exploit others, but recognizing God's abundance in the here and now, as well as the not-yet, compels us to bless others with our service.

In fact, forsaking fear and embracing God's abundance helps us serve others in four ways.

1)   God's abundance replaces insecurity with confidence.

John wrote, "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:21-22). When we're insecure, we tend to see people as pawns for financial gain. This attitude does not please God. But when we start obeying him in every aspect of our lives, we have the kind of confidence we need to view customers as fellow image-bearers who deserve to be treated the way we ourselves love to be treated. Our settled confidence in God's goodness is contagious, spilling over into the way we treat people.

2)   God's abundance takes focus off yourself and places it on those you serve, making you both attentive and savvy.

Placing yourself in the customers' shoes gives you keen insight into their needs, their habits, their frustrations. When in those shoes, you create better products, services and technologies. You've heard it before, but customer service is ultimately about understanding customers and meeting their felt needs.

3)   Abundance gives you the long view.

Making an immediate sale is tempered by cultivating life-long loyalty. When you go out of your way to serve people, you connect with them. Even if they never buy anything from you, your service will be a gift to them.

4)   God's abundance puts marketing in perspective.

It's not that marketing or selling is evil, but like anything, it can consume us, particularly in this faltering economy. If we know we are ultimately provided for, marketing becomes more about enhancing someone's life, generating great service, and providing information or a product that benefits the customer. Having abundance actually enhances the marketing experience.

The couple that invited us to their party are a blip in our life story, but the author who gave of her time sacrificially is one of my best friends today. You can bet I buy every book she writes. She served me from the abundance of her heart. As a secondary result, she earned a lifelong customer. She typified Jesus' words, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Serving as Jesus did will produce surprising rewards and keep our hearts in the right place when we market.

Humility, Serving God's Will (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Benedict of Nursia, in the early sixth century, founded several communities devoted to living a godly life. Through his efforts, he developed his "Rule" for governing daily life. Benedict honored work and understood it to be a high calling. Today, The Rule of St. Benedict is growing in popularity.

Chapter Seven of The Rule is "Humility." Each person should strive toward humility. Benedict provides twelve steps in the process.

1.       Fear God and recognize your sins (Ps. 36:2).
2.       Love God and his will more than your own (John. 6:38).
3.       Be obedient to God and others in authority. (Phil. 2:8).
4.       Have patient endurance (Matt. 10:22).
   5.       Humbly confess (Ps. 37:5).
   6.       Be content in difficult times (Ps. 73:22-23).
   7.       Consider yourself lowly, being nothing without God (Ps. 22:7).
   8.       Submit to the common rule and the example of the elders.
   9.       Keep from speaking until asked (Prov. 10:19).
10.     Practice restraint in words.
11.     Speak gently and wisely.
12.     Be humble at heart and humble in all activities (Luke 18:13).

The Most Effective Social Network Ever (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Having our own social network online at HighCallingBlogs.com and having recently returned from an influential interactive media conference, I'm interested in the origination of social media. Of course, I can't identify the absolute first example of social media, but I can identify the source for the most effective social network in history. It was in Ur several thousand years ago. The originator was Abraham.

Through faithful response to the One God, Abraham became the founding father of the world's three great monotheistic religions. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all trace their roots back to Abraham. His network began as an oral tradition spread among the tribes. It was "by faith " that Abraham was able to fulfill his destiny.

By word of mouth, the God of Abraham was shared with the ancients. There were no books or scrolls, only words shared among people. This network of desert tribes eventually united under one God. The story of this one God is still shared today. In the beginning was the Word . . .

Today we're enthused by electronic social media. Its immediacy and range cover the globe. This is an amazing feat of technology. The three great social networks of today (Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter) didn't exist six years ago and probably won't be the the big three in six more years. Time passes and technologies change. New ideas replace old ones.

For thousands of years, the faith of Abraham has endured. It has faced trials and divisions. Wars have been fought. Cultures have disappeared. Empires have fallen. But still, the faith of one man, Abraham, and one woman, his wife Sarah, has endured.

It is the most effective social network ever.

Numbering Your Days and Your Finances (Personal Reflection)

Virginia Stem Owens — Sun, 24 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

(Psalm 90:12, NKJV)

Numbering my days is an abiding preoccupation with me, now that I am 67. And the larger that number grows, the more I am conscious of the need to apply my heart to wisdom. Or as the King James Version says it, “to get a heart of wisdom.”

Actuarial charts show the average lifespan of various populations based on their current age. For example, according to numbers supplied by the Social Security Administration, as a woman, I should expect to live another 17 years and nine months. This number can be further refined by factoring in such categories as sex, economic bracket, smoking history, and occupation. One of the most important factors is genetics—how long your own parents lived. Mine lived into their eighties. If I follow their pattern, I should probably overshoot my predicted number.

So should I count on another twenty years? Do I want another twenty years? Not particularly, considering that my mother lived the last decade of her life in the throes of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Those years were a trial to our family and a nightmare for her.

Moreover, my own bodily afflictions, minor though they are compared to hers, on some days make me eager to shuffle off this mortal coil.

Actuarial charts supposedly help with numbering our days as Psalm 90 encourages us to do. But when I apply my heart to wisdom, I confront other truths. First of all, actuarial charts deal only with averages, not individuals. I might die sitting here at my computer at any moment. For none of us really knows the full number of our days. We can only count them day by day, one at a time. Pondering one’s end may be wisdom; trying to predict is not. At best, such an attempt is pointless. At worst, it leads to fear or disappointment.

So what is the point of numbering my days? How does it get me a heart of wisdom? Psalm 90 (vs. 10) also puts the average lifespan at seventy—which would mean three more years for me. “Or by reason of strength, four score.” That would yield another thirteen.

I try that on to see how it feels. How would I live if I knew I had three more years? Would I blow my shrinking retirement nest egg in three years on big travel plans? Would I pay for my graduating granddaughter’s first year in college? Or would I buy my husband the Jaguar he’s always wanted?

Would I live differently if I had thirteen more years? I’d probably just choose a new fence for my chicken yard and dole out the rest in cost-of-living increases . . .

Linking longevity to my financial resources isn’t simple materialism. If one‘s heart lies where one’s treasure is, following the money can show me what I truly value. And knowing where my heart and treasure is—that can be wisdom.

Do You Feel Broken and Fragmented? (Bible Reflection)

Ann Voskamp — Sun, 10 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

God has only one loom.

You wouldn't think so by the fragmentation of our lives. Our days look like the scrap floor of a studio, frayed bits of work, remnants snipped off family, a heap of countless fabrics—ministry, creativity, worship, volunteerism. We're ripped into pieces, and putting our lives together again is like turkey stitching a crazy quilt—driving us a bit crazy.

We've sheared the textile of our own lives. And it's time to put down the scissors. Why cut up 100% pure avodah?

That's what God's weaving. God doesn't experience a disconnect between our screens and our sanctuaries, between the people on our street and the paintbrushes on our desk. We have these labels for the bits and pieces of who we are and what we do. But God takes up the all the threads of being and weaves them into a seamless silk. He calls it avodah.

The Fabric of Work

He began the weaving in the beginning. "The Lord God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15). We read the translated word "work" and think that is what God meant for us to do. The Hebrew word is avodah. It is the same word in Exodus 34:21, in the writing of the Ten Commandments, "Six days you shall work…." Six days you shall avodah.

The Fabric of Worship

But we know we're meant for more than work. We know we're meant to glorify God, to worship with our lives. Exodus 3:12 speaks to God's serious call to this life of worship: "When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." We read "worship." In Hebrew, the word reads avodah.

The Fabric of Service

And yet God Himself calls us to even more than work and worship. Deuteronomy 10:12 records the question and answer: "So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." We read the English translation: to serve—to minister unto God, unto his people, unto the needy, the seeking, the hurting. The Hebrew original: avodah.

The Fabric of Creativity

We work. We worship. We serve. But there's another integral element to our identity as human beings, the part that we've inherited from our Father who can't stop creating, producing designs, dreaming beauty. 1 Chronicles 28:21 refers to these innovative, imaginative efforts: "The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing man skilled in any craft will help you in all the work." The text renders it as craft—creative acts, the arts—and God whispers again: avodah. He emphasizes his singular loom by whispering avodah twice in this one verse: work and craft are both expressed as avodah in the original Hebrew.
The ancient Hebrews even used the term avodah to describe the sacrifices offered in the temple. And that is the key. To live a fully devoted, interwoven life, we must see everything as a sacrifice to God.

Nearly four hundred years ago, a man peeling potatoes as an act of worship, Brother Lawrence, said, "Our sanctification does not depend as much on changing our activities as it does on doing them for God, rather than ourselves." We don't need to change activities from monetary work to missionary work to be devout. That very construct is false. All Christians are in full-time ministry. So we can stop tearing our lives into the categories of worldly and spiritual. We can put away the scissors of selfish ambitions and self-seeking comfort and self interests. If our lives feel fragmented, it's because we are tearing up God's one-piece fabric.

We wear God's seamless silk when we mindfully offer everything we do as a sacrifice to God. Paul explained this clearly to the Romans: "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering" (Rom. 12:1 MSG). When we see our lives as a sacrificial offering unto the Lord—avodah—our work becomes art and our art becomes ministry and our worship becomes serving and our serving becomes work.

Just as the "LORD our God is one LORD" (Cedar Waxwings are brownish birds with black masks and pale yellow bellies. They are frugivorous—fruit eaters. Those bellies of pale yellow are full of berries!

And sometimes those berries are fermented, and Cedar Waxwings get drunk. Yes, drunk! They fall to the ground, hit windows, get hit by vehicles, and die from injuries.

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. Most people never see a Cedar Waxwing hatch, fly, dine on berries, or fall and die. But God does. Jesus said not one bird escapes his Father's loving eye. Not one. So don't you fear. You're worth far more than any bird. Think of that today—and go easy on the berries!—in the high calling of our daily work.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matt. 6:26-27)

Don't Sell Me That (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The best thing I didn't do last week was buy a car. I was close, one final signature close, but I decided against it. For several reasons it just felt like closing the deal was a mistake.The salesman was a good man, and the process went along smoothly. The price of the car was acceptable, but the trade-in value of my car was a little low. Still, that wasn't a deal breaker.

When I sat down with the finance person to work out the final details, things started getting weird. These days, before I go out to buy a car, I do considerable research. So I have in my mind the market value of the car I'm purchasing, the trade-in value of my car, and financing options. I signed a couple of papers to start the process, and then I was handed the total bill and the quick explanations that followed each line.

The finance person stated, "Of course, you want this included. And certainly, here's another necessary item."

Suddenly, an overwhelming urge to get out of there struck me. I paused. No! I couldn't do this. It didn't feel right. I got up and politely announced that I couldn't follow through on the deal. The next thing I remember is that the finance person was dropping items from the bill. Hundreds of dollars came off the price. That only made me more determined to get out of there.

As I've reflected on the experience, a few things come to mind. I don't think this experience reflects the high calling of our daily work. I understand car dealers are trying to get as much money for their cars as they can. What bothers me is the way the dealer has chosen to deal with the concerns of their customers.

I've done business with car dealers who do care about their customers and deal with them fairly. So this isn't an indictment of car dealers. It's an illustration of how our work may or may not glorify God in all that we do.

I don't expect a car dealer to give me a car. I don't expect them to not make money off of the car they're selling me or the car I'm trading in. I do expect to be treated respectfully with full explanations and choices each step of the way. Treating the customer as a person deserving respect goes a long way in transforming a workplace.

How we treat each other is how we reflect Christ's love. That's how we turn our jobs into the high calling of our daily work.

24-Hour News Cycle (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

During election years, the 24-hour news cycle is bad news for me. I want to keep up with everything. As for the candidates: they can never let their guard down.

Besides public speeches, a candidate's every statement, every gesture, every response is open season for reporters. Someone's always there with a pencil, a camera, a tape recorder. Wow! What if our every word was fodder for world headlines? "Today's top story: In Big Presentation, Joe Smith Fudges on Numbers."

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. In the Bible, Jesus tells us that one day, every word spoken in darkness will be heard from the rooftops. That's a news broadcast worth keeping in mind . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
Luke 12:3

Life on the Slippery Slope (Bible Reflection)

Steve Gibson — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Bill was at one of those defining moments. He didn't know at the time, and I doubt he realizes it now. But I remember it well.

Sales were down and the stress was high. In fact, I couldn't remember tension levels being so high. Employees worried about their job security. Others feared pay reductions. No one felt secure, from top to bottom. It wasn't a pretty sight.

Then one day in the midst of this company-wide trial, manager Bill made a business error in judgment, one that seemed to rise above all the rest. Actually, it wasn't that horrible, but it wasn't a good time to slip and fall. Once discovered, I waited to see his response—there was no hiding this gaff—and I wondered about what he might do. Blame his staff? Target his difficult workload, and thus indirectly blame his boss? With all of the uncertainty flooding the workplace, I knew he faced a world of fears. And I really wondered, "How strong is his integrity?"

Integrity represents the sum of a number of virtues. The term can be applied to many different life situations, from honesty to loyalty, from an act of humble service to forgiveness. As Christians, we define this sum of virtues by what we learn from God's word. In some sense, integrity represents a value system by which we can measure our own spiritual growth.

However, it's often far easier to meet a high standard of integrity when faced with few or no problems. Integrity is less about what you do in the good times and more about what you do in the bad. Life on the slippery slope is self-revealing.

Saul found that out the hard way. In 1 Samuel 13, Saul and the army of Israel faced the powerful Philistine army. Samuel instructed Saul to wait seven days for him to arrive so that burnt offerings could be made to the Lord. But when Samuel didn't show at the appointed time, Saul found himself on a slippery slope. The odds looked bad, really bad. In fact, his men were fleeing and hiding. Was Samuel going to be a no-show? Instead of waiting patiently for Samuel, Saul could stand it no longer and offered the burnt sacrifices himself.

Of course, Samuel did show up.

But the real problem was Saul's response to getting caught. Samuel expressed disgust over Saul's decision to proceed with the sacrifice, and he asked, "What have you done?"

Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time . . . I felt compelled to offer the burnt offerings" (1 Sam. 13: 11-12).

These words revealed Saul's integrity, his value system. Although Saul continued as king, he lost the kingdom that day. Perhaps a more honest answer could have softened the end result, I don't know. Certainly, King David would fess up to big mistakes. He suffered for his bad decisions, but David remained king and a "man after God's heart."

And Bill? There are times when bosses give authority to staff members and if they do not perform as asked, rightfully so, the blame should be on their shoulders. On the other hand, sometimes people take blame when there's no need to take it, which can be unwise. However, in this case, it was clear that Bill made the fateful decision. He had pulled the trigger.

When Bill was confronted with the error, he didn't hesitate. "Hey, this one is on me," he said. "It's my fault."

We'll never know how much courage it took for Bill to give that answer, especially under such dire circumstances. It would have been much easier to try and deflect fault in some other direction, but he didn't. I was proud of Bill for that. In fact, I wrote a very positive note to his boss.

Such decisions are rarely black and white—which is why they are so difficult. So we must call on God to direct us and give us wisdom. Perhaps that's the final element of true integrity. We move beyond cookie-cutter solutions, because they can sometimes create more problems than they solve. Instead, we call on God to help us make the right choice. It's never easy, and we may make a bad decision every now and then. But that's life on the slippery slope. Through it all, we trust God to change us as we look to him and desire to live a life in his Kingdom.

Where Are You? (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

In the Garden of Eden, Adam sinned—then he hid. And God called, "Adam, where are you?"

Remember the game "hide and seek"? Mark Roberts, our director at Laity Lodge, hears echoes of that game in God's call.

Of course, God knows where we hide. God's question revealed Adam's hiding place to Adam. When God asked, "Where are you?" he was reaching out to Adam, seeking fellowship . . . even in the face of rebellion.

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. God's questions have nothing to do with what he knows. They have everything to do with what we don't know. Calling "Where are you?", God woos us out of hiding—from him and from ourselves. Where are you? . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

Step of Faith (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

As the final piece of the SPIRIT series of posts, I’ve applied the principles of SPIRIT to my life. The following post serves as an example of SPIRIT applied.

A disturbing image jumped to the forefront of my awareness about a month ago when I watched a documentary called Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story (2005). It portrayed the culture of the late fifties and early sixties as well as boxing. It stirred in me some long forgotten memories including some warm feelings of watching Friday Night Fights with my dad. Emile Griffith was a frequent boxer on these televised fights. He was one of my favorite fighters. The image was Emile Griffith pounding a fighter, Kid Paret, into submission and eventually death.

The darker memories of fear, violence, and death came quickly. First the name, Benny “Kid” Paret, stirred a negative response. For years, I didn’t know who Kid Paret was, but when they spoke his name a visceral almost angry response rose within me. It didn’t make sense, but I never spent much time thinking about it—until I saw this documentary.

Emile Griffith held either the world welterweight or middleweight championships for most of the time between 1961 and 1968. He was a skillful and dominant fighter. Paret and Griffith met three times with the welterweight crown on the table. It was the third fight that gives me pause. I have no recollection of the fight, but I think I may have watched it with my dad.

There are two reasons why I believe this to be true. One was the joy my dad and I had watching sports together, especially Friday Night Fights. The second and more compelling reason is the visceral reaction to the mention of “Kid” Paret. Why did I want to turn away or scream, “No!” whenever his name was mentioned? I didn’t remember anything about him, but I reacted almost violently.

When I was in my early teens and perhaps before that whenever I took a blow to the head, I would go home, sit in my room, and wait to die. This irrational fear of death was so shameful to me that until I watched this documentary I’d never mentioned it to anyone.

I began to pray about what this documentary meant in my life. Was God telling me something or was it merely an interesting piece of nostalgia? I really wasn’t sure. The next day, during our weekly office devotional time, someone brought up a point that was like pulling a trigger in my mind. Perri, our Director of Development, mentioned a letter from a camper. In the letter this boy wrote about the fun he had at camp. He mentioned the counselor who could belch for fifteen seconds, donut races, and other fun activities. Then the boy made a quick mention about Jesus and closed his letter. Perri pointed out the philosophy of camp and its emphasis on fun.

For me, the “aha” moment hit. I chimed in about how the brief images of Jesus connected with fun will be with that boy forever. The name “Jesus” will be connected to a warm and wonderful time in that boy’s life. Too often, religion forces images of our own personal shame and unworthiness onto our understanding of who Jesus is. For me just the opposite had taken place. A brief image on a TV screen had influenced me over a lifetime.

As I continued to pray intentionally about the documentary, another insight came to me. I’ve written before about how kids are keen observers but poor interpreters. If I did see that bout with my father, he never said anything to me about it. He left me, a ten-year-old boy, who witnessed a brutal beating to just sort things out for myself.

I don’t blame my father for that. It was way too introspective for him to even go there with his youngest son. For me, however, I take the opportunities to explain what I think my girls have observed, no matter how controversial or sensitive. I’m not shy about interpreting life to them. Of course, they have many more experiences than I am witness to. And these inappropriately or inadequately interpreted experiences will help shape their lives also.

I grew up with an irrational fear of death, and it has shaped who I’ve become. I’ve applied the lessons of SPIRIT and tried to internalize what I’ve learned. It seems that this is an issue of trust. Internalizing what I’ve learned through reflecting on this incident has deepened my faith. It has helped me to understand that there is a part of me that wasn’t able to fully trust. I needed to control what was happening in my life. Circumstances, events, reactions (both mine and others) all brought anxiety into my life. It may sound strange but in the past month, I’ve noticed that my anxiety level has been reduced. Situations where I would normally be very anxious produced little or no anxiety.

If this is truly transforming, it will make an incredible difference in my life. No longer will I struggle with letting go of things I can’t control. I know this is a process, but I’m inching closer to being able to give things to the Lord and not to worry or try to control outcomes. It’s a tremendous step of faith.

Integrity Begins With Small Things (Personal Reflection)

Gordon Atkinson — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

When I was 16, a man in our church offered me a job for the Christmas holidays. A local department store needed extra help, and he wanted to hire me to sell small appliances there.

I was surprised at the job offer because I knew absolutely nothing about small appliances. I made milk shakes with my mother's blender on occasion and used a hair dryer in the mornings. But that hardly made me an expert. The man assured me that he could easily teach me everything I needed to know for the job. That didn't seem possible, but I needed the money. And he was an adult. At 16, I had been taught to respect grownups, and I had faith in their wisdom and experience.

We met at the department store the following Monday, and he took me to the small appliance department where they sold things like curlers, makeup mirrors, hair dryers, blenders, and toaster ovens. I received an official customer service badge from the department store and simple instructions:

"Whatever your badge says, you don't work for the store. You work for me. And I work for Brand X.* Just wander around the appliance section. When someone asks which appliance is the best, tell them Brand X is the best."

According to this man, Brand X made the best toasters, blenders, deep fryers, curling irons, hair dryers, and blenders. Everything Brand X made was the best of its kind, and it was my job to tell this to the customers.

And just like that, I was introduced to the dark side of the business world. Everyone was in on the con. The store agreed to allow Brand X employees to pose as customer service experts because they didn't have to pay for additional employees at Christmas. The real employees were briefed about our presence and were happy to let us interact with the customers. It made their jobs easier as well.

I had a sense that something was wrong about the whole thing, but my trust of adults and authority was so deeply instilled that I put aside my sense of right and wrong and handed over my moral authority to the man who signed my paycheck. For two weeks, I dutifully patrolled my three or four aisles and posed as an expert in small appliance wares.

What I was doing was clearly wrong. I was a liar and a fraud. But denial was so easy. The man who hired me was a family friend and a church member. He didn't seem the least bit ashamed of what we were doing. It was just business to him. The store managers and employees seemed to think it was okay. So it was easy for me to cede my responsibility to the authorities and go along.

But my conscience told me the truth. I hated my job. I felt guilty about what I was doing. I found myself hoping that customers wouldn't ask me for help. It was a long two weeks, and I was so glad when they were over. I could have told my parents what was happening and quit the job.

I was in high school and really didn't need the money. But I didn't want to offend anyone or cause my parents to lose faith in a member of our church. It was easier to go along with the whole thing. So that's what I did. I told myself this wasn't a big deal. The Brand X products were probably as good as the others. No one was really getting hurt. I slipped across an important ethical line with hardly a second thought.

The truth is, the small ethical dilemmas we face are very important. They prepare us to deal with harder, more complex issues with more at stake. Had I followed the leading of my conscience in this small and relatively easy circumstance, I might have found some of the more difficult decisions that I faced in the next few years easier to deal with.

Small ethical decisions prepare us for the more important ones. If you can't stand your ground for the little things, you probably won't for the big ones.

--------------------------------------

*The manufacturer's name has been changed.

No Clear Choice (Bible Reflection)

Camy Tang — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. (Prov. 9:10-11)

I can't count the number of times I wished God would just zap me with the right answer to a problem. Sometimes I need to make a decision in a sticky situation at work, and while I'd like a clear signal what to do, more often God simply gives me wisdom.

One weekend, I was growing cells for testing compounds. I had to set up an experiment on a weekend evening because of our fast-paced testing schedule.

After I painstakingly harvested the cells and counted them, I realized I didn't have enough cells for the experiment.

I had two options:

(1) I could reseed the cells and wait for them to reach the correct number, but that would mean delaying the experiment and messing up a very rigid test schedule.

(2) Or I could go ahead with the experiment, but the lower cell numbers could possibly compromise the results.

It was ten at night on a Sunday. I couldn't call my supervisor because she and her entire household were asleep. What was I going to do?

Why not pray? I have absolutely no one else to ask. God is always awake. I don't always hear God clearly, but I have nothing to lose now. Maybe he'll give me some weird sign to tell me what to do.

I prayed. I waited for a clear sign from God, a "nudge" in my spirit or a fantastic idea that just popped into my head.

Nothing.

I prayed again.

Nothing.

I started to panic. The cells were going to die soon if I didn't make a decision.

Maybe God just wanted me to make the decision on my own. If so, I still needed help. I prayed for wisdom. I thought about the two choices. Then I chose option one as the lesser of two evils and messed up the test schedule. I wasn't sure about the decision, but I trusted God had given me the wisdom I needed to make the better choice.

My supervisor wasn't happy when she heard about it on Monday, but she also realized I had no good choice, and said she'd have done the same thing I did.

So what did I learn from this?

Sometimes God doesn't give clear direction (like a sign written in cells under the microscope: "Reseed"), and that's okay. He has given his children wisdom to help them through certain situations, even those as trivial as deciding what to do about a low cell count.

I honestly believe God did direct me at that time, even if it wasn't a handwriting on the wall. It opened my eyes to more ways God can guide me, in ways not so obvious.

Integrity (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

More than moral correctness, integrity also stands for the soundness of the whole. Testing the integrity of a building has nothing to do with morality, but everything to do with the condition of the structure. It's a good metaphor for moral integrity.

I can cheat on my expense account and rationalize it by saying, "They owe it to me anyway for all I do for the company." Or I can be tempted to cheat on my wife and say, "No one will ever know." Or I can just get tired of going to another large staff meeting because, "It's just a waste of my time." Giving in to these temptations diminishes our spirit. It eats away at the soundness of our being. We are spiritually weakened because of it. It damages our integrity.

So, while we're continually bombarded by moral choices, our prayer is to lead us not into temptation in order that we may stand before God as wholly sound people. Our integrity is not only measured by our ability to withstand the big threats to our character, but also the tiny fissures that weaken the soundness of our souls.