Help Wanted

He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

– Luke 10:2

Although millions of Americans lost their jobs following the COVID-19 business shutdowns, there’s lots of good news on the employment front. Companies like FedEx, Amazon and UPS are hiring thousands of new workers in preparation for the busy holiday season. There’s a nationwide shortage of truck drivers. And Help Wanted signs are commonplace in storefronts, with some businesses struggling to fill their open positions.

But if you’re in the job market, be aware that employers still prefer experienced, can-do candidates who meet their exacting criteria. Those who fail to impress and excel in some categories face the reality of not making it to that critical second interview.

Your first hurdle is to prove to the interviewer that you can do the job. What’s more, employers have to decide if they like you. Even if you’re well-qualified, you probably won’t get the job if they think you lack the right chemistry. They also want to know if you’re a risk. In other words, do you have a reputation for being difficult to manage? And finally, you must be affordable. Employers will eliminate you from the running if they think your salary demands are unreasonable.

Fortune 500 companies aren’t the only ones with high standards for their team members. For example, Christ-followers are tasked with preparing God’s Kingdom and being a bright light in a dark, troubled world. And since it’s such an important job that can yield eternal, life-changing rewards, only certain candidates are considered. First, they must be available on an as-needed basis. (Expect to work  weekends and holidays!) They also need to be obedient and follow the Boss’s (Jesus) directions — even if they don’t make much sense at the time. Effective Christ-followers must also be humble in their work and share the credit whenever it’s due. Overtime and sacrifice are a given. And to top it off, they must display initiative and be on the lookout for opportunities to help their customers (neighbors), both local and foreign.

Is it any wonder that most people won’t respond to Christ’s Help Wanted sign? To quote the Navy’s old recruiting slogan, “It’s not just a job, it’s an adventure.” Here’s how Luke’s gospel records Jesus’ words to his would-be candidates:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

Landing a job can be hard — even in a vibrant economy. But here’s some good news: Jesus is hiring right now for his organization’s growing team. And many of his highest-producers have had no experience in the field. Yes, the working conditions aren’t always ideal. But there are plenty of rewards along the way. And the retirement plan is out of this world.

Fighting Words

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

– Matthew 5:22 

The saying goes that you don’t let your mouth write a check that you can’t cash. In other words, don’t threaten to do something unless you’re willing to back it up with action. The message is that our tongues can get us into lots of hot water. And when we’re too quick to speak and even quicker to anger, catastrophe and regret can follow.

The sentiment of this sage advice is hardly new. About 2,000 years ago, James — the half-brother of Jesus — wrote the following New Testament passage:

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”

Do these words hit close to home? Anger is one of mankind's earliest and strongest emotions, and it even played itself out early in the Bible through the world's first murder, when Cain killed his brother Abel.  

We couldn't control our anger back then in that quiet, agrarian setting, and we still can't today — sometimes in the form of petty arguments or even road rage on traffic-snarled highways. But Christ-followers are to live to a much higher standard and strive for gentleness as evidence that God lives through us. But keep in mind that gentleness isn't another word for wimpiness. Instead, biblical gentleness is the transformation of our innate anger into the power to do God's will in the world. A good definition is power focused on the positive.   

If you're a Christ-follower who's finding it hard to tame your tongue, take heart. The transformation from our old self into a new creation is a work in progress that's on God's timetable. It's a change that takes place bit by bit and day after day along each step of our faith-journey. But the problem is that the journey's pathway is narrow, twisting and full of unexpected hairpin curves. And when we don't keep our eyes on the destination, we tend to end up in the ditch.

Jesus also told his disciples to expect bumps and potholes in this road. "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come," he explained. "But woe to that person through whom they come."

It’s with the same mouth that we can both bless and curse others. And if we use our tongue the wrong way, we must accept the consequences. But the good news is that when we fail and sin, we can freely ask for help from our Savior, who lived the perfect, sin-free life to wash them all away: past, present and future. That's because Jesus paid in full when our mouth wrote that check.

Words to the Wise

When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

– 1 Kings 3:28

We read in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings that God gave Solomon — the son of Israel’s famous King David — wisdom and very great insight, as well as a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. In fact, Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom found in all of Egypt, and kings from all nations sent their people to listen to him.

One of Solomon’s wisest acts was to ask God for wisdom — rather than riches or fame — after he assumed the throne following his father's death. God honored Solomon's astute request with wisdom beyond human understanding. And great riches and fame soon followed it.
 
Solomon was an effective ruler when he lived by God's standards, and he used his wisdom to administer justice throughout Israel. But despite this, Solomon tended to falter in his personal life and make poor decisions when he took his eyes off God. It's through his years of learning-it-the-hard-way that Solomon penned Ecclesiastes, the book of the Bible that summarizes many of the wise king's observations about life.
 
His first observation was that this is our one and only life. And it's only through God that we can find true happiness in it. Likewise, our lives are short. Therefore, we need to make the most of the opportunities God gives us each day.
 
Although our lives are brief, they are more like cross-country marathons than straight-away sprints. Jesus centuries later reinforced Solomon's observation: "For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction," Christ warned his followers, "and many enter through it."  The takeaway is that we must enter the Kingdom of God via life's winding roads and narrow gate. The hard way is the only way.
 
Finally, Solomon wrote that everyone's hour will come when they leave this brief lifetime and pass into the next chapter of existence. And since none of us knows exactly when that will be, we all must be ready — both for when we'll die and for where we'll spend eternity. 
 
Those are indeed words to the wise. 

Saved to Serve

In the same way, faith by itself — that does nothing — is dead.

– James 2:26

Rejecting half-heartedness and non-committal, Jesus calls for total devotion from his disciples and would-be followers. That’s why as believers, our lives must show tangible actions that reflect our faith in him. 

That doesn’t mean we must work to earn our way into God’s favor by living a so-called “good life,” doing good deeds, going to church … and then contributing a few dollars each Sunday. That wouldn’t be nearly enough. After all, God demands perfection. And not one of us comes even close to meeting that high standard. That’s why Jesus — who did indeed live a perfect life — was the only acceptable sacrifice to pay the penalty we all deserve for our sinfulness.

The price to redeem us was exorbitant, but he willingly saved his followers so they could serve. To illustrate this expectation, Jesus told a story about a rich man who gave each of his three servants a considerable amount of money to invest while he was away on an extended trip. After a while, he returned to claim what was his. The man was very pleased with the first two servants, who had invested what he had given them and doubled his money. But it wasn’t so with the third, who was afraid of his master’s stern reputation and feared risking a loss. He instead played it safe by burying the money in a hole in the ground. Rather than commending the servant’s regard for safeguarding his funds, the rich man was furious because of the wasted opportunity to invest and multiply the treasure. 

We read this account in Matthew’s gospel:

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.”

For Christ-followers, the lesson is that faith is a rule of life rather than an intellectual pursuit. So if we’re to translate our faith into action, let’s ask ourselves if we’re really directing our time, talents and resources toward the benefit of others … or if we’re simply playing it safe. Unlike the stock market or the commodities exchange, this is one investment that’s guaranteed to pay big dividends in the long run.

Semper Fi

I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.

– 1 Chronicles 29:17

Founded a year before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the US Marine Corps is famous for its involvement in some of the greatest battles in history. And more than two centuries later, the Marines continue to serve our nation with uncommon distinction, valor and integrity. But as courageous as they are, the Leathernecks would be ineffective without the high caliber of its officers. So vital are these leaders that the Marines continually recruit individuals who demonstrate the following key attributes:

• BEARING – Personal conduct reflecting alertness, competence, confidence and control.
• COURAGE – Remaining calm while recognizing fear.
• DECISIVENESS – Making good decisions without delay.
• DEPENDABILITY – The ability to be relied upon to perform duties properly. 
• ENDURANCE – The mental and physical stamina measured by your ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress and hardship.
• ENTHUSIASM – Sincere interest and exuberance in the performance of your duties. 
• INITIATIVE – Taking action without direction when necessary. 
• INTEGRITY – Honesty and truthfulness in what you say and do.
• JUDGMENT – The ability to think about things clearly and calmly to enable good decision-making.
• JUSTICE – The practice of being fair and consistent.
• KNOWLEDGE – Acquiring information and understanding people.
• LOYALTY – Devoted to your country, the Corps, and to your seniors, peers and subordinates. 
• TACT – Dealing with others in a manner that maintains good relations and avoids problems. 
• UNSELFISHNESS – Avoiding making yourself comfortable at the expense of others. 

That’s an admirable list that’s summed up in the Corps’ famous motto, Semper Fi (“Always Faithful”).

Jesus’ army of followers — collectively known as The Church — also needs outstanding leaders to help maximize their effectiveness as the citizen-soldiers of God’s Kingdom. We read in the New Testament’s Acts of the Apostles that Paul and Barnabas “… appointed elders for each church. With prayer and fasting, they committed these elders to the Lord, in whom they had placed their trust.”

Likewise, Paul wrote that “(t)he elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” And what are the key attributes of effective church elders? 

He puts it this way:

“Elders should be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, and have faithful children who can’t be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness. This is because overseers should be without fault as God’s managers: they shouldn’t be stubborn, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy. Instead, they should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled. They must pay attention to the reliable message as it has been taught to them so that they can encourage people with healthy instruction and refute those who speak against it.”

Like the Marines, Christ-followers are also fighting across the globe. But our battles are against the spiritual evils (“powers and principalities”) that dominate society. Faced with such powerful enemies, it’s no wonder that every local church — and The Church as a whole — needs wise leaders who demonstrate unwavering levels of integrity, character and faith in Jesus: leaders who are Semper Fi.