This is a guest post by my friend and co-worker Dan Miller, who has a video blog at Video Verses. You can follow him on Facebook.
As a Christian, the best work you’ll ever do for God’s kingdom is believe in the work of Jesus.
Do you agree with that? Or do you work under the assumption that child-like faith in Jesus is a good thing…but it belongs on your résumé somewhere below the great number of people you’ve managed?
If that is what your résumé looks like, Jesus is not hiring.
That’s been His policy all along, and yet there’s hope. Just look at the Bible’s most capable manager.
Joseph. A man who, no matter what life threw at him, seemed unstoppable. Sold into slavery as a teenager in a foreign land, he rose to manage the estate of a powerful man. Then after being framed and losing everything, he rose from “neglected prisoner” to “essentially the most powerful man in Egypt.” His rise came during a devastating time: a famine that could have leveled the entire world.
Fortunately for the world, Joseph was the right man for the job.
Joseph led Egypt to store their abundance before the famine hit, so they could feed themselves, the nations, and the world. Including the brothers who were so unkind to him and the person who had framed him.
In a nutshell, Joseph rose from convict to savior of the world. How would you like that on your résumé?
Now, stop planning your financial future for a moment, and consider Hebrews 11, the “who’s who” of the Old Testament. To no one’s surprise, Joseph made it in there. What do you think was on his résumé?
By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. (Hebrews 11:22, ESV)
That’s it?
Yes. According to the writer of Hebrews, this is the most important thing to know about Joseph’s life’s work. Back in Genesis 12, God made a promise to Joseph’s great-grandpa Abraham. This promise continued through the line, but as awesome as Joseph’s life was, the promise didn’t come true during his lifetime. Rather than questioning God and dying a bitter old man, Joseph believed God. He believed so strongly, in fact, that he denied himself a prominent burial, instead saying, “Descendents, take my bones to the Promised Land yourself.” About 500 years later, they did.
God always keeps His promises.
But God had a bigger, better promise, and the name of that promise is Jesus. In John 3:16, Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me will not perish, but have eternal life.” The real goal for God’s people was not land acquisition, but restoration to the holy God who made us, whom we betrayed. This restoration came totally through Jesus, who is alive and well, interceding for us despite our best efforts to stop Him. He has given us new life and a glorious new mission – to proclaim HIS name. He’s also given us the strength for the mission.
That’s the point: your belief in Jesus’ work is the greatest work you will ever offer the world. In other words, it’s not just at the top of your résumé, it is your résumé.
