Character Matters


"Make it your ambition to a lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."    I Thessalonians 4:11-12
 
In visiting with a friend recently, he found himself in the all too familiar story of a company making cutbacks.  Rumors.  Phone calls.  Anxiety.  Painful waiting.  All these experiences and emotions swirled around his life and heart as his livelihood was on the line.  As the cutbacks rolled out, people began to call and ask if he was let go as well.  After an agonizing weekend of waiting, he finally called his boss and asked if he still had a job.  The answer was "yes".  After additional conversations, he found out why.  As it turns out, those in charge had been taking careful notice of the performance and attitude of their employees.  He had distinguished himself as the one who made the fewest mistakes and the one who was most eager to rectify any mistakes that he did make.  Character matters. 
 
I am inspired by those kinds of stories, because they bear witness to the truthfulness of God's word.  Respect is earned by those who do things God's way.  Those claiming to be Christians should be the best employees and employers around.  They are to be living a quiet life, minding their own business.  A quiet life is not small or dull.  It's a life that is extraordinary to the degree that people take notice, for all the right reasons.
 
My friend still has to wait to see if his job will be made permanent after the new year.  In the meantime, he will pray without ceasing.  He will continue to lead a quiet life, mind his own business, and work.  In doing so, the respect he has already earned will continue to grow.  The job may not end up being permanent, but his commitment to honor and glorify God in his work, whatever it may be, is.  What about us?

Grace and Peace,

Tom

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