The simple duty list is as follows-
1) get to church 10 minutes earlier to show one’s enthusiasm and sincerity in worshipping in “the house of the Lord”
2) sing as heartily as Pavarotti because, again it shows one’s enthusiasm and sincerity in worshipping in “the house of the Lord”
3) try, at all times and in all ways, not to fall asleep when the pastor is preaching
4) teach someone’s kids in Sunday School, and one will be a Christian that is not likely to disappoint God.
But come Monday, Reality slams the Christian right on his face. The word “Financial Turmoil” terrifies him as much as the word “Judgment Day”. He downs a cup of caffeine, makes a couple of calls to his boss, only to be shouted at, with these words- “Fix the problem , my boy, or don’t bother coming in the office tomorrow!”
The Christian then nervously puts down the phone and prays ,”Oh, why God, does my Monday morning has to be hell?”
He then scurried off to meet all sorts of fund managers and financial advisors to talk about the ‘insignificant multi-million dollar deals to salvage” and for the next four to six hours, muttering under his breath- “Sunday school is more important than this.”
10pm. The Christian finally managed to convince his fund managers not to walk out of the deal. Looks like the job is still his for another day, he thought. The Christian got home, to crying babies and agitated wife. He had forgotten to tell her that he won’t be coming home for dinner.
After a hot shower, he jumped onto bed- drained by the toil and thought that he had not contributed even the slightest cement to building the Kingdom of God. His wife finally spoke, and asked him: “How’s work?”
He said: “Meaningless. I think I want to be a full-time worker.” Wife said: “Good. I rather lose a husband to church work than secular work.”
The Christian nodded. It all makes sense. Christians, he though, have no place in the corporate sector. Too hard. Too evil. Too wasteful for a Christian’s time.
“I can’t wait til Sunday, when I can worship the Lord,” he said to his wife.
His wife said:” The Lord knows your pain…” They muttered a prayer to God to deliver them from the evils of the world.
Then they drifted off to sleep, dreaming about the Great Kingdom of God and how the Church is going to build all of that with Jesus, without having to have anything to do with the world they are living in.
Such is the Great Divide in the Christian’s life.
2 Comments
December 3, 2008 at 11:12 pm
I’m surprised that is post has been left without any discussion or comment. But i would guess that sometimes, either it is hard to admit the feeling above. Or even know what to say for it…. it’s a thought..
December 18, 2008 at 12:44 am
haha I dunno why but I find this amusing ;p
And nop, working in an all Christian environment doesn’t make it easier or more meaningful.
It’s when you are at where you know you are meant to be and having the opportunity to live your passion, it doesn’t matter whether secular or christian world, you know what you are doing is what you are called to do…nothing beats that kind of feelings.