The Other 90 Percent

There's an ancient legend about a Roman emperor who wanted to make sure his soldiers were Christians, so he marched them through the river to "baptize" them. But lest they lose their fighting edge, the commander instructed his men to hold their swords above the surface as they walked through the water. That's an interesting story, but historians say it's not true.

Here's what is true: Many Christians seem to think it's possible to separate parts of life from the Lord's authority. We try to hold our swords out of the water—especially when it comes to daily life in the workplace.

Faith in Christ isn't just a slice of life; it's the whole pie. The Lord asks for (and deserves) every part of us. Jesus said, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33). When we give ourselves to him in baptism, everything gets "wet"—including our wallets and car keys, our bank accounts and property deeds. We commit our past, present, and future to him. Our joys and sorrows, our relationships with family and friends, our workdays and our time off, all come under his oversight. Jesus is Lord of all.

So why do so many Christians experience a disconnection between what happens on Sunday and what we do the rest of the week? Tithing is good, but God cares about everything we spend, keep, and give. The other 90 percent of our income belongs to God as well. Likewise, it's good when we spend a few hours at church each week; but what about the other 90 percent of our waking hours?

The authority of Christ extends to the factories, farms, stores, classrooms, construction sites, homes, and office buildings where we earn our daily bread. Joseph Conrad wrote, "I don't like work—no man does—but I like what is in work—the chance to find yourself." But a Christian views work not only as a necessary evil or a chance to find ourselves, but as an opportunity to serve God—whether serving means a well-taught class, a well-managed business, a well-coached team, or a well-scrubbed floor.

Honest work honors God.

By consciously serving God in the workplace:

We honor the biblical command to choose labor over idleness (Exodus 20:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10).

We provide for our families and for others in need (Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:8).

We interact with others who don't believe in Christ. Diligence and trustworthiness on the job "make the teaching about God our Savior attractive" (Titus 2:9, 10).

We earn respect—even from those outside the faith—and we prevent ourselves from becoming unnecessarily dependent on others for support (1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12).

Honest work honors God. The marketplace is a mission field for spreading the gospel, a sanctuary for worshiping God, a proving ground for living what we believe, a place of ministry to others in need, and a real-life arena where battles of right and wrong are fought and won.

At church on Sunday and in the marketplace on Monday, the Lord deserves nothing less than 100 percent.