Work, Passion, and Calling

I have had many jobs in my lifetime. When you begin a new one, you may feel fear or anxiety about what you need to learn or how you will perform. If you are fortunate enough to find work in a field you are passionate about, your heart may seem like it is bursting with anticipation and excitement as you drive toward that new job. You have that “I can’t believe I get to do this for a living!” moment.

But after a few years, it becomes a habit. The alarm clock rings, you hit snooze, your body aches, and you wonder if there is ample reason to call in sick. There isn’t, so you grudgingly get out of bed, drag yourself through the shower, and pour a cup of coffee. Another day, just like yesterday. Tomorrow will be no different. We’ve all been there. The answer is usually, “We have bills to pay, and we like to eat.” So, we push on.

We look at our coworkers and know they are experiencing the same thing. Then there is always that one person who seems to have joy and enthusiasm about doing the same tedious job you dread. They are not in it for the money. For them, it is their reason for existence. You think this is both admirable and somehow sad.

Paul’s Example of Joyful Service

The church at Corinth was fighting among themselves over whether Paul was even qualified to lead it. He wasn’t “on staff.” Of his own choice, he refused to accept payment. For him, it was an honor to preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12–18). (1)

At my church, I get to preach a dozen times a year, maybe a few more. I never think of it as, “I have to preach this week.” For me, it is joy. Sure, there are hours of research and preparation, and my nerves are on edge all morning leading up to the start of service. But it is why God wakes me up every morning.

A Change in Direction

I pushed myself through the morning routine for over two decades to sell software. It was a good job at an excellent company, and they paid well. But in the last year of it, I felt God wanted me to do something else. I wouldn’t have quit over this feeling, but when they laid off my department, I knew it was a sign that God had a different calling for me.

Now, I can’t stay in bed in the morning. I wake up earlier because I will spend most of my day studying the Word of God. After studying, I write a devotional or maybe a sermon. Later, I check my social media and learn someone in Liberia or Ghana is using the devotional to teach children. This confirms that I am doing exactly what God wants me to be doing, and it is my joy.

Refusing Payment for the Gospel

I receive no compensation. The sales of my books don’t even cover the cost of them. But, like Paul, I would not want to do anything that would hinder the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12). I have complete faith that Jesus will supply everything I need (Philippians 4:19).

A gentleman at our church once became angry because I received no payment for preaching or doing the webcast duties. I told him, even if they paid me, I would only sign the check back to them as an offering. People hearing the gospel and being saved are the only compensation I desire.

That was how Paul felt. He would want no one to look at him and think he was there for a paycheck. We see preachers driving luxury automobiles and living the lifestyle of the rich and famous, and it makes us skeptical of the gospel they preach. When scandals erupt, people stumble. Non-believers see this and attribute it to all churches and Christianity as a whole. We must guard against this by checking our motives.

Faithfulness Over Fame

Would I love my books to become bestsellers? Absolutely—but only because that would mean more people are reading about Jesus. Would I change what I write to be more popular and attract a wider audience? Never. I write what God places on my heart. To do anything else would put my faith in financial success instead of Christ. Even millions of dollars can vanish. There are many tales of people who had riches and ended up penniless.

We can count only on God. He is faithful. We must be faithful to serve Him for His glory, not ours (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Tomorrow, we will read 1 Corinthians 12-14.

Footnotes:

Bruce W. Winter, After Paul Left Corinth: The Influence of Secular Ethics and Social Change (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001), 121–135.