CALLED OR DRIVEN TO YOUR WORK

Building A Foundation

I realized early on in working for my Dad as a teenager, that the foundation for the house was very important. It had to meet certain specifications in width and depth and Mr. Jake didn't give a lot of tolerance in this area. It was the foundation that would give support to something being added. The addition's ability to achieve it's purpose depended on the foundation. Without that addition, the foundation was just a bunch of bricks and mortar. It may be spectacular, but of no use without something added. 

In the tenth verse of chapter three of 1Corinthians, Paul states, " By the grace God has given me, I have laid the foundation as an expert builder and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds." We have learned that God has given each one of us certain gifts and desires. From the previous verses we also discovered that we are to be diligent and that we will be rewarded according to our labor. 

Every business endeavor must start out with the proper foundation. Everything we do from here will rest on this foundation. Remember, we are God's fellow workers. Sure, we are business people, but we are called to be business people who are working in partnership with God. Jesus is the foundation upon which we build our business. If this is true, then he who builds needs to "be careful how he builds." That means we should build our business on the principles of God and not those of the world. It is God's wisdom not the world's, it is God's council not the world's, it is God's ways not the world's, and it is for God's purpose and not the world's. It is the presentation that we build on this foundation that will bring beauty and usefulness to our business.      

So why do we do what we do? Our product quality should be done as to the Lord. Our customer service should be in thinking of others, the way in which we conduct our business should be pleasing to the Lord. In other words, as Paul has stated, everything we do should be done worthy of our calling.

Verse thirteen states that our work one day will be shown for what it is. We will be tested with fire as to the quality of our work. God is watching and searching for those who can be found faithful. Our gifts were given to us to perform a job in the marketplace that is honorable to Him. We are His partner in His work and He is our partner in our work.

Verses fifteen through seventeen describes the rewards we receive as a result of our work. If we venture out on our own not using the foundation of the calling God has given us, then we will suffer loss. We may be wasting our gifts on a job never intended for us, therefore, living a life of discontentment and futility. We can end up missing out on the blessings and opportunities God had in store for us. We ourselves will be saved, but our work will burn with no lasting benefit. But, if our work survives, we will be rewarded here and in Heaven for a job well done

In the building of a house, it is the house which sits on top of the foundation that brings beauty to the on lookers. The foundation goes largely unnoticed, although, it is the strength that holds the house up. It is the architect and builder, each contributing their individual gifts and desires, that make up the beauty of the house. So it is with our calling in the marketplace. Jesus is our foundation and it is the presentation we place on this foundation that brings beauty and significance to our world. We know the foundation is there, but the world can only see Jesus through the presentation we make. But how do we know when God is calling us to a specific job? How do we know when our desires are His desires or our desires?