Better a little that is good than a lot that is not!

Working in a largely secular environment has been such an incredible joy and blessing!  I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to face the challenge of having to "give an account of the hope that lives within me" 1 Pet 3:15.  I am surrounded every day by many persons do who not know the peace and joy of being in Christ.  And, so it is a privelage to be able to bring Kingdom values, Gospel grace, and the nature and attitude of Christ (Phil 2:5) to bear on the individuals and systems that I relate to.

I wrote some time ago of my 'awakening' to the general view that successful business persons have of the average pastor.  It was a shock to learn that I was viewed as largely irrelevant, something of a failure (since I could not provide many of the secular 'proofs' of success (i.e., money, power, status, possessions).  It is clear that the measure of a man (so to speak) is quite different in the business world!)  I have taken much time to pray about the emotions that this judgement has evoked.  First, I faced the pressure to consider changing the values that I hold dear in order to comply with the 'new' value system that was being pressed upon me.  But, as I prayed, read the scriptures, and took time to allow God's Spirit to work within me, I realised that I needed to amend some of my perceptions (particularly those that are related to my 'ego' - for example, what does it matter if I don't measure up to the standards of worldly success?), but I also realised that I had a wonderful opportunity to impact, encounter, and gently change the corruption of some of the perceptions of those who judge me and other pastors.

You see, the Jesus I serve, love, and know, does his best to find people in the 'thin places' of life and bring them into the centre.  This Jesus is born in a stable, not a palace, he studies a trade, and does not enter a profession, he lives like a pauper, not like a prince, and he dies with the outcasts, not with the acclaimed.  There is a sense in which the Gospels portray a picture of Christ (the Messiah, the King, the Lord) as a counter cultural figure...  As the narrative of the suffering servant in Isaiah puts it, he was despised and rejected by people:

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3.

This week I sat in on a number of meetings in which remuneration, leave, and working conditions were central to our discussions.  My point of departure was to emphasise that no amount of financial reward can compensate for balance and family.  You see there is a difference between opulence and survival.   I work among some people who will leave home early and arrive home late in order to make ends meet, but I also know some (and I am one of those) who will spend the extra hour or 'few' to gain more than is necessary (whether the gain comes from a form of financial reward, or the acclaim and recognition of one's peers).  I know that the Christ whom I love and serve would never bless a transaction where precious family time is 'purchased' by one's employer!  

Of course this does not mean that one is entitled to offer less than one's best at work.  The Christian employee should be above reproach in the reasonable standards of efficiency, dedication, quality, and commitment.  But, it was a difficult argument to make.  As I tried to convince those in authority that perhaps we should re-negotiate compensation in order to allow some greater measure of flexibility for staff to connect with their families there was not a lot of support!  But, this is part of my ministry!  Christ deserves not only to be glorified and blessed by the persons who love him, but also by the economic and social systems within which they live and work.

I found the little quote below quite challenging...

Lead me from death to life, 
from falsehood to truth.
Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust.
Lead me from hate to love, 
from war to peace.
Let peace fill our hearts, 
our world, our universe.
Peace, peace, peace.

- Satish Kumar