Corporate Missionaries

There’s an idea, in some circles, that the holiest vocation is to be a pastor or missionary.

And these are good, no doubt.

But they’re not more important, or holy, than other work.

Like, being an accountant or school teacher or construction worker. These are not lesser jobs.

That’s because the label is not what’s important. It’s what you do with the label (or job) that matters.

Here’s what I mean. Everyone needs the gospel. Everyone needs to know someone who knows Jesus and is willing to talk about him.

But most people won’t go looking for it. And when they do come in contact with a pastor, most people aren’t ready to be transparent. Instead, they feel guilty. And they want to put on a good face.

But this doesn’t happen when those same people are talking to their peers, day in and day out. Over a lunch meeting to discuss a contract. Drinks after work. Or one covering a shift to help another. In these cases, the filter is gone. People are honest.

Paul understood this when he said, “I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life” (from 1 Corinthians 9:19-23).

The bottom line is Jesus came to us because we weren’t coming to him.

And then, he told us: go do the same.