Every Christian's Job Description

Go to any bookstore at the mall and you can find lots of books on business management. But one of the most interesting job descriptions you'll ever read is tucked away in the Old Testament.

King David was a master at organizational leadership. He put people in charge of all kinds of tasks, from military commanders to musicians who led orchestras and choirs. First Chronicles chapter 27 mentions some of the king's lesser-known officials and their designated areas of responsibility. One fellow was in charge of the royal storehouses. Another served as foreman over the field workers who farmed the land. A man named Jehiel took care of the king's sons. Other overseers were responsible for the vineyards, the olive trees and olive oil, the camels and donkeys and sheep. Another served as the king's counselor.

Then comes this fascinating statement: "Hushai the Arkite was the king's friend" (v. 33).

That was his job description? Evidently Hushai didn't have to count money, sharpen swords, organize laborers, cook food, or monitor the olive oil. He just had to be the king's friend. Did he carry a business card that read, "Hushai the Arkite—Friend of the King"?

Truth is, Hushai may have been one of the king's most important employees. Everyone needs a friend—even a strong leader like David. All of us need trustworthy counselors in whom we can confide. All of us need companions who share our burdens and blessings, our jokes and joys. And no matter what kind of work we do, one of the greatest contributions we can make in the workplace is to offer genuine friendship to others.

In my garage at home, I keep a little collection of license plates from cars I've owned through the years. One of my New York license plates sports a picture of the Statue of Liberty, and an old one from my current state says "Ohio, the Heart of It All."

I never bought any of those vanity plates that spell out a name or slogan, but some of my license plates were interesting anyway. "1960-ANY"—it was easy to remember that one—and "268-IOB," which my wife said meant "I owe the bank."

My favorite, though, is a rusty 1925 license plate I found in the farmhouse where I grew up. Someone had used it to patch a hole in the wall of an old closet.

All of my license plates have lasted a long time, but none of those outdated pieces of metal give me the right to drive my car today. Can you imagine what would happen if I fastened one of those rusty old license plates onto my car and a police officer saw it passing by?

The Bible says, "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). Faith, hope, and love aren't some rusty, outdated remnants of the past. They are more than noble-sounding words we hear in church. Faith, hope, and love must be the values we demonstrate in the nitty-gritty of daily life. They are essential parts of every Christian's job description in a dark, drab world where Jesus calls us to be salt and light.

Because no matter how well you perform the rest of your duties this week, you'll encounter someone who needs you to fulfill another important role: "friend."