Mere Christians of the BibleNäide

After choosing to follow Jesus, modern readers half expect Jesus to call Zacchaeus to abandon his “secular” work. But Luke mentions no such calling.

Most scholars I’ve read believe that just as John the Baptist urged the tax collectors he baptized to return to their posts, Jesus likely encouraged Zacchaeus to do the same (see Luke 3:12-14). Because as pastor John Piper says, “You don’t waste your life by where you work, but how and why.”

Believer, trust that “where you work” is exactly where God wants you today. But, like Zacchaeus, ask yourself if God is calling you to re-examine how and why you work.

I used to think Zacchaeus was uniquely corrupt. However, according to the Theology of Work Commentary, his actions were likely just “industry standard practice.” Until Jesus opened his eyes, Zacchaeus was blind or indifferent to how his work harmed others. He was “just doing his job.”

The lesson for us is clear: Following Jesus as mere Christians requires that we question the conventional wisdom of our workplaces and industries to uncover opportunities for redemption and renewal. Here’s a 5-step process to help:

1. Pray for God to reveal how your work might harm others.
2. Identify a common practice in your field worth questioning.
3. Ask why this practice is done this way and what fundamental principles drive it.
4. Evaluate those principles against God’s Word.
5. Reimagine the practice with a commitment to God’s glory and others’ good.

Zacchaeus may have done this work alone, but you’re more likely to succeed with other believers. Seek out fellow mere Christians inside and outside your field to tackle this together today!