By Nancy

Image via Wikipedia

Today’s question.  What does Jesus have to say about work?

What’s your response?

Jesus talks about various kinds of work in his parables, but of course the parables aren’t really about work.

Jesus warns us about the dangers of loving wealth (Matt 6:24 among other places).

Jesus calls us to live a holistic life centered on loving God and loving neighbor.

What we’re not given are a lot of specific instructions about appropriate jobs for Christians or how to discern the correct job for us.

But I think the story of Zacchaeus offers us some clues. It is important to remember that taxes and tax collection were very different in first century Rome than they are in the United States in our time.

At the height of the Republic‘s era of provincial expansion (roughly the 1st and 2nd centuries BC until the end of the Republic) the Roman tax farming system was very profitable for the publicani. The right to collect taxes for a particular region would be auctioned every few years for a value that (in theory) approximated the tax available for collection in that region. The payment to Rome was treated as a loan and the publicani would receive interest on their payment at the end of the collection period. In addition, any excess (over their bid) tax collected would be pure profit for the publicani. The principal risk to the publicani was that the tax collected would be less than the sum bid.  from Wikipedia

Tax collection was a for profit enterprise in ancient Rome. Jews who were tax collectors were considered collaborators with the occupying Roman government by their fellow Jews. Tax collectors were well off, but not well loved.  Tax collecting was not considered a reputable job. It was not good work for a Jew.

Like other passages in the Bible there are many things to explore and think about in Zacchaeus’ story, but today we want to focus on work.

What happens when Jesus comes to Zacchaeus’ house?

What is Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus?

How will Zacchaeus’ way of doing his work be different now?

What does this story suggest about the way we do our work, even if society doesn’t approve of or respect our work?

Jesus doesn’t tell Zacchaeus to change jobs. Actually in the parable Jesus doesn’t tell Zacchaeus to do anything. Zacchaeus after encountering Jesus changes the way he does his job. He stops being a tax collector by society’s standards and becomes a tax collector by Jesus’ standards- fairly and honestly, making restitution where it is due.

While we don’t typically think of jobs as needing salvation, we might use the language of redemption.In this story, not only is Zacchaeus saved, but his job is redeemed. The job of tax collector isn’t abandoned to those without ethics. It is not dismissed as beneath or unworthy of a follower of Jesus. The job of tax collector becomes a vehicle for the glory of God. The kingdom of God enters into the kingdom of Rome and changes it. One tax collector at a time.

Can you think of jobs in our society that might particularly need redemption?  On one hand we can say all jobs need redemption, but some perhaps more so than others.

Are there aspects of you current job that need redemption?  How might redemption be accomplished? Is it the result of an individuals efforts? Or the company’s efforts? Or both? How might an individual’s efforts affect a companies ethics? And vise versa?

 

cross posted at Conversation in Faith

 

Image via Wikipedia

After the last installment you may be saying, that’s very interesting about Deuteronomy and Leviticus but what does the New Testament have to say about work? Well, that’s today’s topic. Once again, we won’t be able to look at everything that might be relevant, but let’s look at  some passages in Acts and 1 Corinthians.

One of the reasons people work, is to make money to support themselves. For the vast majority of us it takes money to have a place to live, get food to eat and so on. For generations people have worked to survive. Survival was the reason to work.  In modern times, many of us work to thrive. We work to find fulfillment. We work to impress others. We work to find our self-worth. We think differently about work and we need to continue to keep that in mind. The Biblical writers thought differently about work than we do. But interestingly enough, in spite of their different understanding of work, the Biblical writers still have useful and helpful things to tell us.

Read these passages in Acts,  2:44, 4:32 -5:11.

It may help to know that in the ancient world the phrase “all things in common” was a phrase from Greek philosophy used to describe a deep and serious friendship, and not as we might assume, a statement about an economic system. Having all things in common was a statement about the willingness to share, to be concerned for each others spiritual and physical state.

What do these  passages from Acts assume about work? Perhaps better said, what do they assume about the results (money,property, etc.) of work?

What do they say about possessions? Do they extol possessions?  Are they critical of possessions? Or do they offer a third way of thinking about possessions?

Now read 1 Cor 12:4-7 and Romans 12:4.  It is always good, when someone asks you to read a single verse or two, to read several verses before and after the single verse or even the entire chapter where the single verse is found. Context matters. So read more than I asked but  pay particular attention to 1Cor 12:4-7 and Romans 12:4.

What do these discussions of spiritual gifts have to do with work?

Are spiritual gifts distinct from or separate from the “regular” world of work?

Are the spiritual gifts Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 only to be used in the church?

How might these spiritual gifts be used in one’s work?

What might Paul mean when he writes about the common good?

People in ancient times and today work to survive. We also work to survive. But we also work to make a statement about who we are. We work to feel good about who we are. For many of us, when we think about work, we think about it in terms of what work can “do” for us.  The Scripture passages we looked at today suggest that work has to do more with others and their wellbeing. Would this perspective on work change the way you do your job? In what ways?

I’d like to know, what do you think?

Cross posted at Conversation in Faith

Image via Wikipedia

So far we have looked at what we can discover about God’s original intention for work and also at what work might be like in the kingdom of God. Now we will begin thinking about what the Bible has to say about work in our present times.

Oddly enough, we’ll begin thinking about our times by looking at the Old Testament, specifically Exodus,and Leviticus.

Christians often have a difficult time with Leviticus and Exodus, we don’t exactly know what to “do” with significant parts of these books. While Christians are not bound to follow the Torah commands, we can find some helpful guidance. God’s intention is for all aspects of our lives to reflect God’s holiness, God’s love, and God’s values. Leviticus and Exodus (along with the rest of Torah) were given to ancient Israel to help them reflect God’s holiness, love and values as a particular people in a particular time and place.

As modern people we are not called to return to ancient times or follow ancient rules. But we are still called to be God’s holy people. Our challenge today is to think about how these ancient rules might help us discern how to live today; not as legalistic rule followers but as people trying to live and participate in society as faithful people.

Much of what we find in Leviticus are instructions for priests. But we want to look at part of what is sometimes called the “Holiness Code” (Chapter 17-26) . Israel, as God’s people, are to be holy because God is holy. Leviticus contains instructions that help Israel do this.

We will focus our attention on Leviticus 19:1-18,33-37.

Does this chapter help you understand holiness? You might find it helpful to consult a Bible dictionary. What does it mean to be holy?

What does our work have to do with being a holy people?

What instructions in chapter 19 have to do with work?

Did you know that Jesus’ statement, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” comes from Leviticus?

How do the instructions in this chapter “fit” with the message and life of Jesus?

Exodus 20:22-23:19 is called the “Covenant Code” or the “Book of the Covenant” . Scholars think this may be the oldest legal material in the Old Testament. Just before this section, Israel has arrived at Mt Sinai and Moses has received the Ten Commandments. The Covenant Code is where Israel discovers what it means to be in covenant with God, how should God’s people act, toward God and toward each other in light of their covenant relationship? Israel believed that every part of life belonged to God. As you read these passages, look for the ideas and values that give rise to these particular instructions.

Exodus 21:28-22:6

Exodus 22:21-27

Exodus 23:1-12

We may not have to worry about our neighbor’s ox or donkey, but what possessions of our “neighbor” (or business associate, or competitor, or another student) do we need to be mindful of? Remember this was written for an agricultural society where oxen and donkeys were valuable ”equipment” for one’s work and survival.

Do these passages have anything to do with workplace responsibility and ethics?

What are the underlying principles and values of these passages? How would you restate them in modern terms?

Thinking about all the passages we have looked at today, what are some words or phrases that encapsulate the ideas and values you discovered today?

Thinking about where you work or go to school, what are some specific ways you might live these ideas and values?

****** cross posted at Conversation in Faith

You can “like” True North on Facebook to keep up with our events and activities!

Image via Wikipedia

Our last session focused on considering what God’s intentions for human work were and how that has changed as a result of human sin. We were thinking about what might have been. This week we are going to consider what might be. Instead of thinking about the ancient past we will be thinking about God’s intended future.

Kingdom life: relaxing after the harvest or continuing to work?

Sometimes when people think about life in the kingdom of God, they envision a life of leisure in the presence of God. Some think life in the kingdom will be eternal attendance in the best worship service ever. For some these conceptions of heaven are anxiety provoking. They can’t imagine life, particularly eternal life, without something to “do”. When you think about life in the kingdom of God, what images and ideas come to mind? The prophets of ancient Israel spoke about what life would be like when God’s kingdom was realized. John of Patmos writes about it also.

Read the following passages and see what they suggest about life and work in the world to come. Please note these passages don’t explicitly tell us details about work and life in the Kingdom of God but they offer some clues and hints in their descriptions. (There is a lot to think and talk about in these passages, but try to keep your focus on our focus – work.)

Isaiah 60

Isaiah 65: 17-25

Micah 4:1-4

Revelation 21:1-22:5

What types of work or commerce are mentioned?

In what ways do people spend their time?

What is not present in the Kingdom?

What are people not doing with their time?

Can this vision of life in the Kingdom of God shape the way we live and work in the world today?

If so, in what ways? If not, why not?

What are the implications of this view of the Kingdom of God for your work?

******* *

Isaiah and Micah were speaking to people in Israel about life after the Exile, but Biblical texts can have more than one meaning and so Christians have often interpreted this passages to be speaking about the coming reign of God.

Cross posted at Conversation in Faith.

You can “like” True North Campus Ministry on Facebook!

Now we are ready to look at some scripture passages. We’ll begin at the beginning: Genesis.

It can be easy, when talking about the early chapters in Genesis, to get sidetracked with questions. Were Adam and Eve were real people ? Did Eden really exist and if so where was it? Is this sacred mythic story or historically accurate? Those sorts of discussions are worthwhile discussion to have, but that’s not our task here. In this study, set aside the “did it happen” questions and focus on the “what does it mean” questions.

Tilling and Toiling

Read Genesis 2:4- 3:24.

These two chapters are full of important and interesting things to think about. We are going to focus on what they have to say about work.

In chapter 2, how do people survive?

What is the man’s role in the garden?

What is the man’s relationship with the animals and birds?  (It may help to know that in the ancient near east, to name something or someone meant you had particular insight in the true nature of the person you named and you had some degree of power or authority with respect to them.)

What does Genesis 2 suggest that God’s intentions for human life in the world were? (You can read Genesis 1:26-2:3 also to supplement your discussion.)

Next read Genesis 3:14-24.  What does this text tell us about work? How has humankind’s relationship changed with animals and with the earth?

Is “tilling” different from “toil”? Did the actions, the physical tasks that humans performed change or did our relationship with, our way of understanding the tasks change?

When we consider both these texts, what do they have to say about how we ought to approach work? Do Genesis 2 and 3 have anything to tell us about our expectations about work and our feelings and attitudes toward work?

Some Bible scholars note that these Genesis passages tell us that God is a God who works. Have you thought about God in that way before? Does the idea that God works, change our understanding of work? Does it change the value of work?

How is the work of humans the same or different from the work of God?

**********

Here are some “big picture” items that emerge from considering these texts.

The first concept is that “work” was part of the original plan for humans. Work isn’t punishment. Humans were created to do things on earth. We were placed in the garden to care for it. Eden didn’t simple exist for us,  we also existed for Eden. Work is then outwardly directed, toward the world and not primarily  about us feeling good or happy about what we’re doing.

The second concept is that the relationship between humans and work changed after the fall. In a world that is still waiting for redemption, even the best job has times when it stops being a joy and is toil. Perhaps our search for our “dream job” is unrealistic or needs some redefinition.

Third big idea is that God works. We often think of God as one who creates and who acts, but it is not common for us to think of God as working. As creatures created in God’s image, we work with and for God.

*******

I’d like to know, what do you think?

Cross posted at Conversation in Faith

Continuing to clear the ground: What did people in the ancient world think about work?

In Part One, I asked you to think about your beliefs and ideas about work. In part two, we’re thinking about what is called the historical context of the Bible. We want to think about the life situation of the first recipients of the text. Historical context covers a lot of ground. We are asking questions about where and how did the first audience live? What was their society like?- What was the form of government, what were their social customs and beliefs? What was going on in the larger world? Were there wars, or famines? What were the first hearers religious practices? What were the religious practices of others in their area? Those are the sorts of question we want to ask.

Typically historical context is done for a particular book of the Bible or a particular part of the Bible. For example if you are studying First Corinthians, you would want to know some things about Corinth. Where it is located, who lived there, how people worshiped, how their society was structured. Knowing the answer to those sorts of question will help you understand the text better.

In this study we’re going to be looking at Scripture passages from several books of the Bible, so our work on historical context will be quite general in nature. Now this might sound daunting, but you probably know more than you think you do.  Some things you will recall from history classes in school or from learning you did in other Bible studies. If not, or you want more information, a good study Bible or commentary will help you out. ( you can read my earlier post on Biblical Interpretation for some help on this topic.) What we want to do is to remind ourselves about life in the ancient world before we start working with particular texts.

How do you think most people made their living in “bible times”?

How did people choose a job or profession?

What was the distribution of wealth like?

Was there a “middle class”, could someone be upwardly mobile?

Does the way people in ancient times thought about work and careers differ from how we think about work and careers?

How do these differences affect the way we approach a Bible study on word and careers?

**********

Here are brief answers to those questions.

How did people make their living? For much of history, most people lived in rural areas or small villages. Most people were farmers raising crops and/or livestock. So most folks lived at or very near a substance level. Land in the middle east is not particularly fertile, compared to other areas, and it’s dry. It is a difficult place to make a living.

Some people, of course lived in cities. Some people were encouraged to move to a place by their rulers, some people were moved by their rulers (remember the Babylonian exile?). Some ended up in cities because they had lost their land. Others were trades people. Some scholars estimate that 1/3 to 40% of the population in the Roman Empire were slaves.

You might recall some of the jobs mentioned in the Bible, tentmaking, dyers of cloth, shepherds, herders, fishermen, carpenters. Other jobs in ancient cities were sailors, longshoremen, shipwrights, joiners, cabinet makers, sawyers, mill hands, coopers, mosaicists, floor-layers, plasterers, weavers, cleaners, rag-pickers, cobblers, farriers, and food vendors.* This isn’t an exhaustive list but it gives you an idea of the sorts of work people did.

How did people choose their jobs? Mostly, and this was true until the past several hundred years, sons did what their fathers did.  If there were several sons, the family trade might not support them all and younger sons would have to find other work. Women, worked very hard but not typically in the marketplace. There wasn’t, for most people, a lot of choice in jobs.  Education was limited to a select few, and that was true until fairly recently.

What was the distribution of wealth like?  Could someone be upwardly mobile? A quite small percentage (5-10%) of people were extremely rich.* Most were poor and there was a small “middle class”.It wasn’t impossible to be upwardly mobile, but opportunities were limited. Until the last several hundred years, most people believed that God, or the gods, placed people in their particular station in life. Kings were divinely placed and so was everyone else. If you were a shoemaker, that’s what God wanted you to do. Slaves were meant to be slaves, and so on. The world of the ancient near east and of the Roman empire was very hierarchical. People had their places, their location in society and they believed  they were there for a reason and they expected to stay there. One could though, be downwardly mobile. Farmers could lose their land and be reduced to tenets or day laborers.

How do these differences affect the way we approach a Bible study on word and careers? Why is this important to think about before we begin our study?  It is important to realize that many of the values and assumptions about the world in ancient times were quite different from our values and assumptions. Daily life in the ancient world was quite different from modern daily life. It’s obvious once we say it, but it is also easy to forget if we don’t remind ourselves.

Modern people ask the question, what sort of career should I have?  We wonder what sort of work God wants us to do. And because Christians value what the Bible teaches, we look to scripture to guide us as we ask questions about work and career choices.

But when we think about life in the ancient world, we realize the questions we have about work aren’t likely to be the same questions that ancient people had. So we need to be careful as we study what the Bible has to say about work. People in Biblical times thought differently about this subject than we do. This doesn’t mean our questions are wrong, or that we shouldn’t ask these questions. But we need to read and think carefully, aware of our beliefs and aware of the beliefs of the first hearers of the Biblical texts. The Bible, for all its enduring value as an inspired text, is nevertheless located in history. It reflects the society and values of its time. We simply need to be aware of this so that we be thoughtful and wise in our study.

*from Matthew and the Margins, Warren Carter, 2001: Orbis Books, p19-20

Want to learn more about the ancient world? Here are some online places to begin.

PBS has some good resources, The Roman Empire, The Greeks, Egypt, and early Christianity as well as the BBC ancient empires site.

This Central Michigan University site will link you to other sites.

Cross posted at www.conversationinfaith.wordpress.com

Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

Regular readers might recall a  five-part series on Vocation and Work that began in January 2011. Today I am revisiting the topic in a new series in a different format. This is a series about Work and Vocation that can be used by small groups. I would appreciate your feedback and constructive comments. I am expecting groups to have 40-50 minutes to use this material. I want each session to convey information but also to be interactive, conversational, and to encourage thoughtful reflection and discussion. I want this series to be user-friendly, no advanced degrees or extensive teaching experience needed. 

This won’t be the only blog postings I do this summer. I have something in progress for Pentecost and there are a couple of book reviews/responses to come as well as, well, whatever else I end up writing about.  Perhaps the Vocation and Work series won’t always take the regular Friday post spot- we’ll just see what happens. 

But I am serious about requesting your comments. Please, I’d like to know what you think. And I really need help with a better title…

The Bible and Work

1. Clearing the ground: What do we already believe?

When Christians think about work we rightly ask, “what does the Bible say?”. But this seemingly simple question needs some thought, a little “unpacking” as theologians like to say. The question, “What does the Bible say” means more than finding a concordance and looking up verses about “work”. We need to be careful we don’t misuse the Bible when we are searching for what the Bible “says”.

What do I mean by misuse the Bible? I mean that we might go to scripture looking for and then finding what we “know” the Bible says. We ought not do Bible study seeking to have our own ideas validated. We ought to do Bible study looking for what God’s Word might have to say to us.

There are, I think, two big ways we risk misusing the Bible when we go to it for answers. First we don’t make an effort to recognize the beliefs, ideas, and concepts we already have. What do we bring to the text for both better and worse?

Second, we need to be intentional and thoughtful about how we approach studying the Bible. Sometimes a plain reading of the Bible is appropriate. But often, actually more often than not, we need to do a little homework. How do the passages we are studying “fit” with the rest of the Bible? What were the cultural, social and historical circumstances of the first audience? How have other Christians interpreted these texts?

So we begin with a little ground clearing in our first two sessions: what do we bring to the text and what do we need to know read it faithfully on the topic of work.

Today, we’ll spend a bit of time reflecting on what we already think about work. We need to recognize what ideas of our own we bring to the text. It is alright to bring our own ideas about work to the Bible. In fact we can’t help it. But we can get ourselves in trouble if we don’t have at least some idea about our concept of work. I invite you to reflect on these questions. You may wish to write your answers. If you are doing this study in a group, share what you think with each other.

Why is work important?

What does society tell us about work?

What have our families taught us about work?

What has your own experience taught you about work?

Do we think of work as if we were in a country music song- something to endure until the weekend comes?

Is work the way we pay for or earn our fun?

Should work contribute to society? If so, how?

Are some jobs more valuable than others? ( and I mean that question in its several senses, monetary and otherwise.)

Is our work an important part of our self-worth? Should it be?

If you could quit your job, would you? What would you do if you didn’t work?

What do you think the Bible teaches about work?

What do you think Jesus says about work?

Can you write a short paragraph that summarizes your ideas and beliefs about work?

Cross posted at www.conversationinfaith.wordpress.com

You might be getting the idea about now, that there is nothing certain or predictable about this process. For us linear thinkers, this is  frustrating  information. Where’s the road map? How can we be certain?

For most of us, God’s call is more subtle than a vision or a burning bush. For many of us it is a process of discernment. That process involves, among other things, seriously considering our abilities. What are our interests, our passions? What things give us joy and satisfaction? It is often wise to ask friends and family what their opinion is. Colleges and universities have career counseling centers to help us.

All this is helpful, but still the question remains, how do I know? How do I know what God has called me to do?

I think we’re asking the wrong question.

More and more I am convinced that for most of us, God doesn’t have one and only one thing in mind. All of us have a variety of abilities and interests. We all have particular situations and opportunities. The world has many needs. God trusts us to make a good choice. Not a perfect choice. Not even the best choice. But a good choice, one that suits us and our interests and abilities.

The world is rapidly changing and what is a smart and good career choice today may not be so in 20 years. Your circumstances may change and what is a suitable career today, may not be as suitable in several years. We can’t know the future with any certainty. All we can do is try to make a good choice today.

God is quite flexible. If we  make a good choice, God can work with that. Actually, even if we make a poor job choice, God can work with that.

One of the best stories about calling is Barbara Brown Taylor’s.  In An Altar in the World, she writes about her struggle to find her calling.

Earlier in my life, I thought there was one particular thing I was supposed to do with my life. I thought that God had a purpose for me and my main job was to discover what it was. This thought heated up while I was in seminary, where I attended classes and drank beer with other students who knew exactly what they would do when they graduated. Upon request most of them could deliver articulate accounts of their calls to ministry…

I did not have a single clue what I would do when I graduated. I did not even belong to a church. So I began asking God to tell me what I was supposed to do. What was my designated purpose on this earth? How could I discover the vocation that had my name on it? Since this was an important prayer, I searched for the right place to pray it. After a few lackluster attempts by the side of my bed and a few more in various cubbyholes around campus, I found a fire escape that hung precariously from the side of a deserted Victorian mansion next door to the Divinity School. That same night I crept over there after dark. …

The fire escape turned out to be an excellent place to pray. .. I went up there so many times in the weeks that followed that I no longer remember which night it was that God finally answered my prayer. I do not think it was right at the beginning,when I was still saying my prayers in words. I think it came later, when I had graduated to inchoate sounds. Up on that fire escape, I learned to pray the way a wolf howls. I learned to pray the way that Ella Fitzgerald sang scat.

Then one night when my whole heart was open to hearing from God what I was supposed to do with my life, God said, “Anything that pleases you.”

“What?” I said, resorting to words again. “What kind of an answer is that?”

“Do anything that pleases you,” the voice in my head said again, “and belong to me.”

At one level, that answer was no help at all. The ball was back in my court again, where God had left me all kinds of room to lob it wherever I wanted. I could be a priest or a circus worker. God really did not care. At another level, I was so relieved that I sledded down the stairs that night. Whatever I decided to do for a living, it was not what I did but how I did it that mattered. God had suggested an overall purpose, but was not going to supply the particulars for me. If I wanted a life of meaning, then I was going to have to apply the purpose for myself.

from An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor, (HarperOne:2009) pages 108-110

“Do anything that pleases you, and belong to me”

I’d like to know, what do you think?

cross posted at Conversation in Faith