What is Your Purpose Statement?

What is your Purpose Statement? In a business context, one’s Purpose Statement succinctly defines a person’s life focus, typically addressing career, charity, and sphere of influence. I’ve heard dozens of keynote addresses that encourage us to define our life’s purpose in some fashion:

Develop your personal brand.

You are your CEO.

Write your purpose statement.

Set your goals.

These are all worthy and admirable. As a Christian in business, my Purpose Statement is simple. Its focus is not on me, my career, or my sphere of influence. No. My Purpose Statement comes straight from Scripture in the words of the Lord Jesus. And its focus is on Him.

Matthew 5:16

What does this look like at work? For starters, let’s consider the Scripture on my home page:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…

Colossians 3:23

I work with some very good and smart people. Their approach to running our business is truly impressive, and working alongside them naturally ups my game. But – when I consider my work as being God’s work, my purpose at work is repositioned. Yes, I serve my leaders. But nothing gives me greater satisfaction than leaving the office for the day feeling like God is pleased with my efforts.

God plants His children in places at which we can minister by our attitude, conduct and work ethic as we interact with coworkers and business leaders in the routine course of the work day. This is not about walking around the office, hands in the air, singing “Amazing Grace” for all to hear. This is about seeking a Godly focus in all that we do, even in completing the most ordinary or mundane tasks. It’s about seeking excellence in quality of work. It’s about being available to coworkers and helping solve problems or address challenges. It’s about honesty and integrity. It’s about seeking to honor Jesus’ command to let our lights shine – not to gain glory for ourselves, but to let others see Him through me. It’s about Him.

How do we position ourselves for His service? Here are a few things I do to help stay focused on Him:

• My Church – Regular participation in worship and engaging with my church family helps shore up my foundation. I miss church when I miss church. It is my weekly booster shot, if you will. At church, I worship, serve and learn alongside many others in the same position as me – a Christian earning his living in the secular world. If you haven’t been to church in a while, I encourage you to reengage. And, if you have no church home, ask God to help you seek one out. I believe this to be incredibly important.
• My Morning – I am an early riser. My favorite time of day is the predawn, when the house is quiet and I can focus. After that first cup of coffee helps me wake up, I go into God’s Word and ask Him for wisdom to take me through my day. This is an important time for me; I notice that my day is different when I miss this morning time with God.
• My Journal – There are many planners and journals on the market these days. I use a planner called “Faith & Focus” published by Christian Planner. In this book, I plan my day each morning and log notes and future follow-ups through the course of the day. This helps me keep my focus while also helping me stay organized.
• My Pause – I schedule a 15-minute pause each morning and afternoon. This is time set aside to clear my mind, offer prayer, and reenergize. Sometimes I take a walk. Sometimes I find an empty conference room. I sometimes give it up on particularly busy days. That’s fine. The purpose of the pause is to invite God into my day and remind myself Whom it is that I ultimately serve.

A few years ago, God planted the seed for me to start workisministry.com. My ministry is to encourage and inspire Christians working in the secular world to view and execute their work, first and foremost, to the glory of God. If we seek this objective as our primary purpose, we will very effectively serve our employers, coworkers, and shareholders. We will be a valued asset to the company. We will have personal satisfaction in our chosen vocation. And we will honor Jesus’ commandment to let our lights shine, that others would see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. That, my friend, is my Purpose Statement.

What is your Purpose Statement?

Soli DEO Gloria!

(c) workisministry 2021

I’m glad I’m not like him…

About a year ago, an executive retired from my company and I celebrated his retirement. I didn’t celebrate in a congratulatory way; I celebrated the fact that he was gone and I would no longer have to deal with his haughty tone, his harsh criticism, or his abrupt demeanor. Don’t get me wrong, he was talented in his area of expertise and I respected that. But he could be a total jerk at times. He and I often clashed and I have to confess that I was happy to see him ride off into the sunset. I’m so thankful that I’m not like him…

Luke tells us in verse 9 that Jesus told this parable to a group of people who trusted themselves and deemed themselves righteous. The Pharisee stood in the temple, looked over at a tax collector who stood with his head bowed, and swelled with pride as he prayed this prayer. The tax collector, on the other hand, says this:

“God, be merciful to me, the sinner!”

Luke 18:13

I think if each of us honestly looks inward, we can identify times in which our attitude towards another was like that of the Pharisee. Times when we look upon another person, another child of the Father, and feel thankful that we are not like him or her. This self-righteous attitude is borne of pride and it dishonors the One who created us all. When I think back on the evening I hoisted a glass of champagne and toasted Bjorn’s departure I feel ashamed. Indeed, I was the Pharisee. (Yes, I changed the executive’s name).

(Jesus said), “I tell you, this man (tax collector) went to his house justified rather than the other (Pharisee); for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.“

Luke 18:14

Each of us is human, and as such, imperfect. I am imperfect. I wonder sometimes if there are people who feel about me the way I felt about Bjorn. Who have I cut down, dishonored, or hurt? As I read my Bible each morning, I ask God to show me through His Word what a God-honoring life looks like. What attitude does the person who seeks to honor God with his or her life take towards those who can be difficult to deal with at times? How can I be dialed in to my own attitude so that, when the Pharisee in me wants to emerge, I discern it and squelch it?

Merriam-Webster defines “humble” as not proud or haughty; not arrogant or assertive. Jesus tells us here that the one who humbles himself will be “exalted”. The humble, according to Jesus, will be elevated in rank, power, or character as defined by Merriam-Webster. Many business owners and executives that I know and admire consistently approach their work with an attitude of humility. I look up to them and I respect them. Indeed, approaching life, even at work, with an attitude of humility pleases and honors God. Indeed, the one who humbles himself or herself is exalted in the eyes of God. That is huge.

A mentor early in my career offered some good advice that I try to follow to this day. He said to take note of the traits that I admire in coworkers and executives and seek to emulate them in my dealings with others in my daily work. Humility is one of the traits I admire the most. I am convinced of these things: Servant leadership is borne of humility. Mentoring others is borne of humility. Offering praise for a job well done is borne of humility. Deferring to those in authority, even when they may be difficult to deal with, is borne of humility. Humble. This is the man – the husband, father, employee, coworker, and boss – that I aspire to be.

Soli DEO Gloria!

Photo Credit: YouVersion Bible App

(c) workisministry.com 2020

In the Quiet of the Morning

Those who know me well know that morning is my favorite time of day. I enjoy the quiet of the house when I rise before the sun. Even the dogs don’t stir as I make my way to the kitchen to pour that first cup of coffee that hits the spot oh, so well. Cup of joe in hand I head upstairs to our home office to start my day.

“In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”

Psalms 5:3 NASB

As that first cup of coffee helps bring my senses to life I peruse my favorite social media sites. I visit LinkedIn searching for interesting articles, work anniversaries and career moves. My goal is to read at least one good business-related article each morning and I often email the article to myself for sharing with coworkers later. Next I check Facebook and Twitter to see what my friends outside of work are up to, send birthday greetings and seek people and situations in need of prayer support. Social media can be a two-edged sword. For me it is more blessing than curse, as my social media feeds are heavily filtered to weed out political rants, false information, and potentially harmful content.

With first cup of coffee consumed and second in hand, it is time begin the most important work of my morning quiet time. This is my time to engage my Lord in relationship. I began using the YouVersion Bible App several years ago for guiding my morning Bible study. I also use the app to create the Scripture images I post to this site and share on social media. This year I am embarking on my third reading plan to cover the entire Bible through the course of the year. Having read through the Bible entirely I can state with no doubt or reservation that the Bible is the true Word of God. No question. Every book is about Jesus. All of them. All books of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, are intertwined. They work together to inform us of our situation in sin and God’s redemptive work in our behalf through His Son, Jesus Christ. I often refer to the Bible as “the Treasure of God’s Word”. As I read and study His Word, He speaks to me and our relationship is strengthened.

Following my reading, I record in my journal at least one verse that impacted me that morning. Often that verse will inspire a post here, as this Psalm did when I read it Saturday morning. This is my third year to journal in The Christian Planner. This veteran-owned business has produced the Planner for three or four years now and I find it to be an excellent tool to help me keep focused.

With journal in hand, I next go to God in prayer. I thank Him for His amazing grace and for my faith, family, and vocation. I lift up friends in need and ask God to guide my thoughts, words and actions throughout the day. Closing with the Lord’s prayer, I am ready to take on the day.

I with I could tell you that I follow this plan every morning without fail; of course, I don’t. When I miss my morning quiet time, I really miss it. Based on my experience, when I take time each morning to commune with God, I am dressed for success. Through my time with Him, I am equipped to be the best husband, father, coworker, employee and manager I can be. My morning quiet time with God truly is the foundation on which my day is built.

Do you seek God each day? I promise, it is the most worthwhile investment of time you can make. For me, rising early and beginning my day with Him works best. For others it may be during lunch or just before bedtime. God wants to be in relationship with you, and He doesn’t care about time of day. God never sleeps, and He is waiting.

Here’s to a happy Monday and a great work week.

Soli DEO Glora!

Image credit: YouVersion Bible App

(c) workisministry.com 2019

The Best Walk…

I like to walk. It is my favorite form of exercise and I find it offers a great opportunity to gather my thoughts, listen to podcasts or music, and commune with God. When I read about walking in the Bible, specifically people who the Bible says “walked with God” I become very intrigued. For example:

“…Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.”

Genesis 6:9b

So what does it mean to “walk with God”? I picture a quiet stroll, walking side by side, talking about things of importance with a general sense of peace permeating the moment. Think about it. When we walk alongside a person important to us, we commiserate on life – what’s up, what are we doing about it, what’s next, and so on. Or maybe we walk together quietly, simply enjoying the company of a person important to us. Either way, we treasure the moment.

Why would a walk with God look any different? When I walk with God, I have the ear of the One most important to me, and He offers insight and wisdom that I can apply each and every day. Through that walk, our interests align and I am better equipped to fulfill the mission and the ministry He has given me. I come away with a more fervent desire to serve Him in all that I do. When I’m walking with God, life’s challenges become easier to manage; in fact, God sees me through those challenging times in life and at work. Everything in life takes on a whole new perspective when I seek that relationship with my Lord. I believe this is the relationship Noah shared with God, and in turn, I believe that God wants that same relationship with me and with you.

Where do we walk with God? I walk with Him through reading His Word. What a gift His Word, the Holy Bible, is to each of us! When I read my Bible each morning, God speaks directly to me through the words He inspired so many years ago. I walk with him through quiet prayer in the privacy of my room. I walk with him throughout the day, seeking His blessing on the calls I take and the meetings I attend. Friends, this is where the rubber meets the road.

Life today moves fast. I’m busy. You’re busy. We’re all busy. We have demands placed upon us by our families, our bosses, our coworkers… It is vitally important that we take the time for a daily walk with our Lord. For me, it’s in the early morning. For you it could very likely be different. God doesn’t care about that. He wants that relationship, and He meets each of us where we are. Even at work.

Soli DEO Gloria!

Image credit: YouVersion Bible App

(c) workisministry.com 2019