Experiencing God

Chapter 24-Experiencing God in the Marketplace

Question 1. If you are presently involved in the marketplace, what have you seen God doing where you work? How have you been joining in that activity?

I have been working for the same manufacturing company for over twenty years. Let’s just say I have witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly. This is how I break it down:

Good

An excellent product

Hard working employees

A safe place to work

Bad:

Machine malfunctions

Slow process to getting a good product

Lack of efficient training for people starting new positions

Ugly

Gossip

Rumors

Employees verbally abusing others

Low morale

In any factory the good and the bad are expected. In my job, the company does an excellent job training new employees. It is when some move on to more labor-skilled positions where they have to develop the skills to perform their jobs. Some people take a longer time to learn from others.

It is the ugly that that tends to be very destructive. When the morale is low, especially when we do not get recognized for our hard work, tempers flare up. People start complaining about petty things and causing grief with others.

A person may hear something about another person. This person will tell another. Soon the whole factory will know about one person’s personal business, whether it is true or just a rumor.

There are only a handful of Christians of about five hundred employees. When it comes to “talk” at the factory, I just let it go in one ear and out the other. I have even said, “God tells me that it is none of my business.”

People at work know my beliefs mostly by what I read-I read mostly Christian books-and what I wear. I like to wear T-shirts that have Christian sayings on them.

I do a variety of different jobs at my work. Some of them are less pleasant than others. However, unlike some people, I do not complain. This is noticed by other employees on my shift. I hope some of my attitude rubs off on them.

Question 2. What skills, experiences, contacts and resources has God given you that He wants to use for building his kingdom?

I do a lot of things with my hands. At work I use my hands to pick up the products and to look for defects by feel and sight. At home I use my hands to sew, cook and clean house. I mostly use my hands when I am on the Internet. I sometimes spend two to three hours a day working on Bible Studies and typing out my personal notes. While I am the type to keep the traditional pen and paper journal, I enjoy sharing my notes with my online audience. My dreams are to reach out to people and help them draw closer to God and to help people to get into a relationship with him and his son, Jesus Christ.

While there are some people who question why God allows things to happen to good people, God allows us to go through these periods of hardship to make them realize that we must be dependent on him.

My contacts include my family, friends and co-workers, as well as contacts from different sites such as Twitter, Face Book and Hub pages. My resources include my computer, the Bible, bible Study books and various websites that I can reference to.

Question 3. How have you been seeking God’s kingdom first and then allowing God to add everything else to you?

God is first in my life. Before I do anything else when I wake up, I open my Bible and read some scripture. This is a daily activity. It is not something reserved for an hour or two a week when I go to church, God is at work all the time, especially in the marketplace. He was at work with shepherds and farmers such as Jacob and Elisha. He is at work in the business field today! Even Jesus was a carpenter. His twelve disciples were involved in one career-such as fishermen-or another.

When I go to church, I am around other Christians. However, in the marketplace, I am surrounded by people of different denominations and beliefs. By being a Christian employee, I am finding that God gives me many resources and opportunities to help seek and build his kingdom.

Question 4. How does the way you live reflect the fact that you believe God is Lord of your career and over your company?

I spend a majority of my day in the marketplace, working eight to twelve hours a day. On top of that I have a commute that takes me an hour-and-a-half each way. It should be no surprise to my co-workers that I turn down invitations to go to a bar or other functions. I want to have some time to spend with my family.

I wonder why I have been with this company and do not try to find a place closer to home. Well I know one of the reasons is that there is not enough jobs available in my area compared to the number of people living in a small city. The majority of jobs that are available are either minimum wage jobs or jobs for experienced professionals such as doctors, lawyers and college professors. I believe god placed me there so I can witness to my co-workers.

While I met Jesus on campus, I returned to him-after wandering from him for several years-in the workplace. It is a great place to share to people by speaking to them, leaving tracts in the cafeteria and setting the sample for others to follow.

Reference:

Questions are taken from Experiencing God Knowing and Doing the Will of God. Henry and Richard Blackaby.