Do you find yourself wearing different hats between a career and your work in church? So many times, I find myself being a completely different person than I am on Sundays, Wednesdays, or even after 5:00 when I'm at home. Being a single, female, mid-20s business woman, it's so hard to have Biblical principles in my career, while still being successful! Can I get an Amen, or am I the only one?
One of the blessings of my position is that I'm in a very Christian community and have the freedom to cover my desk area and computer screen in posters and post-it's of Scripture.
Because I believe all our worship should first and foremost come from The Word, here are some of the Scriptures I have around my desk:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for The Lord, not for men.""You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
- Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
- Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)
"Let your conversation be always full of grace,
seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how to answer everyone."
- Colossians 4:6 (NIV)
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
- Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
- Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
The Fruits of the Spirit are the Scripture I refer to most often. Thanks to a print from Etsy, I try looking at the poster whenever I'm thisclose to coming undone at someone and decide, "okay Lord, let's work on some gentleness today!"
If you work in an office or classroom, what are some Scriptures that get you through the day?
If your job is at home, what Scriptures keep you encouraged?
Sometimes teaching feels like a fruitless endeavor. I can't share the gospel with my students, I can't tell them of Christ's love for them when they come to me hurting and heartbroken, hungering for something they can't even define because they DON'T know Christ. I can't say, "YOU NEED JESUS," to a student who is horrible in class, bullying others and treating his classmates with disrespect daily (in those moments, I have to sometimes force myself not to shout it to them and put the fear of the Lord in them lol). But then I remember that I CAN proclaim the gospel through my behavior and actions towards these students, those that are easy AND difficult to love. All I do is model Christ's love the best I can. It doesn't always feel like enough, but being in public school this is about all I can do right now. These are verses I have posted around my desk at school, be it on my desktop or taped in my drawer to see when I open it, reminding me that what I'm doing IS significant and that I CAN proclaim Christ, just not in such a manner as missionaries or pastors.
ReplyDelete“If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.” Romans 12:7
“Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” 1 Peter 4:10
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor. 15:58