Make Sacrifices

A couple of months ago, I met Parker—a tall, lanky man with stylish glasses and laid-back hipster apparel. We had only talked once before in passing. My friend and I had encouraged him to come to church. Now, he sat in the pew behind us a month later, sharing a bit of his story.

He told us that as he drew closer to God over the course of the past month, the Lord had convicted him of a major source of pride and idolatry: his job.

Parker was a “coffee consultant” (remember his laid-back hipster attire?), and his job consumed too much of his life. So, he quit so he could focus on spiritual growth. He wanted to return to his roots as a plain-old barista for a while, a humbler, lower-positioned job.

Similarly, you may need to downgrade for a season of soul-searching.

John Newton was pressed into service in the British Navy in 1743. Later, he became a slave in Africa, was rescued, then became a first mate on a slave ship, witnessing the slave trade’s evil firsthand from both sides.

Eventually, he devoted his life to Jesus and studied to become a preacher at thirty years old. He tried to become an Anglican priest but had to wait for seven years before he was ordained. As a preacher, he flourished, writing hymns and shepherding a large church. Much later, he became an avid abolitionist and wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace.”

It’s never too late to find your calling.

Saul was a tentmaker and trained as a religious leader, a Pharisee. With zeal, he began persecuting what he perceived as a cult of Jewish blasphemers (Christians). He fought for their imprisonment and oversaw Stephen’s execution. Then, Jesus struck him with a divine vision. He became Paul the Apostle, devoted to Jesus, a powerful evangelist, a widespread church planter, and the most prolific writer of the New Testament.

God works in mysterious, shocking ways.

My barber worked in a well-known coffee shop chain for over a decade. While a believer at that time, he eventually had to repent from personal sins and dealt with a painful divorce. Through this time of renewal, he found a more fulfilling work through the barber’s craft.

Career shifts can be a part of Christ-centered life changes.

Remember the wisdom from Proverbs: “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” (Proverbs 16:3).

And above all, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

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This study is an adapted version of a chapter in Denison Forum’s upcoming Biblical Insight into Tough Questions, Vol. 11.

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