As I have read the Bible over the years to find examples to follow and lessons to apply to our business, one particular character stands out. You are probably familiar with the story of the rich young ruler, but have you ever taken the time to apply that story to your life and business? Are you willing to let go of your possessions so that you can follow Jesus more fully?
I have recently been reading in Philippians and came across a couple of verses that caught my attention. Paul, the author of Philippians, is writing to the members of the church at Philippi. He is writing to encourage them in their commitment to Christ and in doing so, he sets a high standard for us.
See Paul was most likely in prison (Phil. 1:14) as he wrote this letter. His future is not clear to him at this point, but he knows he is likely to suffer more for Christ before it is over. He has every reason, based on his circumstances, to throw his own pity party.
Based on his treatment to this point by those opposing his preaching, as well as the likely suffering he will face ahead, Paul should be depressed. He should be writing to complain about his unjust incarceration. He should be begging others to come to his aid, right?
Instead, what do we find him doing in this letter? In general, he is encouraging those in the church at Philippi for their commitment to Christ. He is praising them for their generosity and their bold commitment to share the gospel.
Not only that, but the verses that caught my attention show another perspective of Paul’s commitment to Christ. Take a look at these verses:
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advance of the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is in the cause of Christ.
Philippians 1:12-13
Did you catch the point here?
Paul is not wailing away in the prison cell about how he is unjustly imprisoned. He is not laying around crying about what he could or should be doing. No!
Apparently, Paul is showing the depth of his commitment to Christ by continuing to tell everyone about the gospel! Paul tells the Philippians that his imprisonment has actually served to advance the gospel.
He goes on to tell how everyone, including the Imperial Guard (elite guards of the Roman Emperor), knows that he is in chains because of his commitment to the cause of Christ. Paul has obviously been sharing the gospel with anyone that would listen!
So the questions for you and me:
Do others know of OUR commitment to Christ?
Is it clear to all around us that we do not fear our circumstances or worry about the future because we know that God is in control?
Do we maintain our commitment to Christ even when our circumstances are depressing?
I think we all need to take inventory of our situations. We need to assess how well we are handling them in light of our commitment to Christ.
Maybe we need to rethink where we are placing our confidence (in God or in the world?). Maybe we need to then turn and follow Paul’s example. If we did this, what might it look like?
We are Christian business owners and leaders in a culture that is increasingly intolerant of our Christian faith. Rather than cowering in fear of offending someone, we should continue to speak out about the truth of the gospel. If Paul could do it in chains, surely we can do it now.
We are also part of an economy that is fragile. Rather than focusing our attention solely on increasing our performance and protecting against potential financial pitfalls, we should consider the advance of the gospel. Fast forward one hundred years – on which of these will we wish we had spent more time?
I think the answer to that question is clear. We don’t think about it that way very often, but I believe that is EXACTLY how we are instructed to think about it. And when we do, people will notice.
Sure, there are costs to this eternal perspective. Fortunately, the rewards outweigh the costs in ways we cannot even imagine! For those with a full commitment to the cause of Christ, God will make Himself known. He will strengthen them in ways that they cannot understand.
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
2 Chronicles 16:9
Have you been too focused on your circumstances?
Where could you be more focused on the advance of the gospel?
What needs to change for you?
You know how you can learn big ideas in the most mundane situations? If you pay close attention to life around you, you can usually pick up on truths that God is dying to share with you. It happened to me once when I was playing golf with a business associate, John, several years ago. It had to do with expectations.
John was telling me of another time he was playing golf with a friend of his. John had not been playing as well as he would have liked and his behavior was showing it! After several bad shots, John slung himself back into the cart with clear frustration. Bill finally spoke up.
“John,” Bill said with a pause, “You’re just not that good!”
John was stunned, he tells me later. But then it hit him what Bill was saying. See, Bill was trying to help John recognize that going to the golf course once a week did not give him the right to get upset over not-so-great shots. Bill knew it would take much more work and dedication than John had given so far before he could rightfully get upset at his less-than-stellar results.
John wanted to see exceptional results from less-than-exceptional commitment. Like many of us, his expectations were unreasonable when he considered what he had put into the game.
Now, how do we apply this at work and with our faith?
Simply put, we need to match our expectations with our commitments.
You could start with your expectations and let them lead you to the commitments you need to make. Or you could begin with your commitment levels and then determine reasonable expectations from them. You could even use one method for certain areas of your life and then switch to the other method for the rest.
It really is not important which one you use first. The key is to make sure they match. High commitment levels and low expectations will likely cause you to fall short of your potential. High expectations and low commitment levels will probably create frustration as it did with John.
Soon, I will be sharing with you the methods I use to determine my expectations and commitments during my own personal LIFE planning each year. My intent is not to show you the only way to do so, but simply the way I choose to do it.
If you already have your own plan, I hope you can find something worth adding to your own method. If you have never done this before, I want to give you some ideas that can get you started. Either way, I strongly encourage you to take time to plan your year.
If you do not fill your schedule with your own priorities, other people will fill it in with their own!
Are your expectations reasonable in light of your commitment levels?
Where do you need to change your commitment or expectations?
What can be your next action step toward making this happen?