Work to Give.

"He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need." — Ephesians 4:28This verse posits three different ways of life:
1. Those who steal to have — they lie, cheat, and abuse systems.
2. Those who work to have — they amass possessions, money, power, and status.
3. Those who work to give — they help others with their time, money, resources, and connections.The first two ways of life describe how you can be driven by greed to steal and you can be driven by greed to work.One is illegal; the other is legal.But both are sinful.Greed can come masquerading as comfort, security, ambition, and "Keeping Up with the Joneses."Working in order to have is perhaps an American ideal — if you earned it, you should have it.But don't confuse American ideals with Christian ideals.You can work to have, either legally or illegally, or you can work to give, which takes the whole of your life, including your secular job, and turns it into a work of grace.Instead of working in service of legal greed, this verse challenges us to work in service of giving — of grace, of generosity, of abundance.Do you tithe? Do you give above your tithe? Do you view your income as a ministry? Do you treat your work, your skills, and your connections as an act of worship?This is not meant to shame or guilt. Rather, it's a call to arms.What would happen if Christians around the world adopted an attitude of working to give instead of working to have?How might the Kingdom of God expand if we viewed our work — what we did, who we worked with, and the paycheck that comes along with it — as a ministry?If you're interested in finding out, and possibly being a part of it, enter your email to stay in the loop. ↓