PURPOSE GOD’S WAY-Being the Light in the Marketplace
Sep 28, 2023Episode 28
Have you considered that you can serve God within your secular job? That's exactly what we discuss in the second part of our conversation, challenging the prevalent African belief that spirituality and professional life should remain separate entities. Taking inspiration from the Biblical figure Daniel, we explore the possibility of integrating spiritual growth within our work life and how these roles can be a stepping stone towards fulfilling our purpose. We also touch upon the necessity to acknowledge unconventional careers, like photography or music, as legitimate paths to purpose.
Listen to Holy Spirit and be on God’s side as you are the light of the world.
Have you considered that you can serve God within your secular job? That's exactly what we discuss in the second part of our conversation, challenging the prevalent African belief that spirituality and professional life should remain separate entities. Taking inspiration from the Biblical figure Daniel, we explore the possibility of integrating spiritual growth within our work life and how these roles can be a stepping stone towards fulfilling our purpose. We also touch upon the necessity to acknowledge unconventional careers, like photography or music, as legitimate paths to purpose.
Listen to Holy Spirit and be on God’s side as you are the light of the world.
Welcome to part three of Papa's God's Way. It's just interesting to know, to understand what Papa sees and to just move from one level of Papa's to another in understanding and in revelation. Right, Margie? Yes, indeed, and I think today we're going to be talking about can Papa's change? You know what your Papa sees at this particular time and you're pursuing it. Can it change halfway? Can it change?
Speaker 2:
I have no idea, master. Can it change? I think it can, because different seasons call for different things, but I don't think change in terms of the Papa's itself, maybe more the intensity depending on seasons, whether that should be a very interesting one.
Speaker 1:
Can Papa's?
Speaker 2:
change. That's a good question.
Speaker 1:
But can it really change, I think, from one level of understanding to another? As you move and as you change as a person, you can be called to do a certain thing in a certain area, and when you excel in it, then God moves you to a different level.
Speaker 2:
So it could be of the same calling, of the same purpose.
Speaker 1:
Of the same purpose as in. Ultimately, you're supposed to be in pursuit of Papa's, the dynamics of it could change, that's the word. The field or the skills and everything that appartends. It could change, but ultimately, if you're spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Papa still remains the same. If you're enlightening people, the Papa still remains the same right? If you're teaching, or I think it's a methodology, I know it's time to be corrected. It's a really good question.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, actually I think I agree with you that the dynamics on how you fulfill that purpose could change, but the actual purpose maybe doesn't change. For example, if God uses your voice to speak, then the purpose may change. Maybe the dynamics might change. Maybe you're speaking in a church and then he switches you over to being a chaplain over school. Now you're here doing podcasts and reaching more people you know.
Speaker 1:
Now the other thing is must be saved to pursue Papa's.
Speaker 2:
I think absolutely not. Just like you gave us the analogy of the cup that is used to drink water, I think a cup will always be a cup that holds water or whatever it is the liquid. So I believe everybody was created with a reason and a purpose to be in, With the thought in mind that if Papa's is not known, abuse is inevitable then it means that anything that does not know its purpose if a fridge, if we get a fridge today and we don't know its purpose, we might put your shoes in there and we'll never know, and then we'll have spoiled food and we'll be throwing the food away, True? So I think it determines. It first determines your time, how you use your time, time management. Actually, it governs and stewards everything that is given to you.
Speaker 1:
And are there people who are saved, have accepted Jesus Christ, but they don't walk in Papa's? Oh, totally Totally, Because I think to know your purpose you actually have to pursue knowing it have the intention and the passion, and then backed by the Holy Spirit, to be able to do that Right.
Speaker 2:
Exactly so that you can still add it once you know.
Speaker 1:
I guess maybe we can just jump into some of the biblical stories that we've read about in the Bible about purpose, and maybe you can tell me what is your favorite story, which character, who is your favorite character, what's the story and what are some of the lessons, and how can that be applicable to you as a person, as an individual who is in pursuit of this thing called purpose?
Speaker 2:
I think the people that I use the most have to be Joseph and Daniel, especially when I'm talking to the kids, because their purposes, how God went about getting their training for their purpose, was very unusual. They were pulled out of their homes. They were taken to places that did not believe in what they believed, but they remained with the understanding of the faith they were raised in. We don't see them preaching.
Speaker 2:
We don't see them holding crusades but, they in that, calling whether it's Joseph who was caused to steward in prison and caused to steward in Potiphar's house, in Pharaoh's house. And then we see him eventually becoming second in command in the entire nation and saying for Daniel, you know, they're excelling in academics, everything he studies, he stands out and he is clearly seen at the top and then again takes, you know, a very high position and God uses him to rule over the people and to cause his purpose to be known. Both of them were in lands that were secular.
Speaker 1:
Yes, they were.
Speaker 2:
Yeah. So even going into that, let me even divert to Kidogo, because many of us Christians especially, we find it difficult to work in the secular field. So once people give their lives to Christ and maybe you worked for a company that makes cigarettes, makes alcohol the first thing people tell you is you're working in the devil's kingdom, get out. And now my question to you is how then does the light, the light come?
Speaker 1:
How do you?
Speaker 2:
you is the carrier of light. You are going to be the light in lights, yeah so you got a wonder are we really taught that we shall become the light in darkness?
Speaker 1:
It's very interesting Matthew, chapter 5, and verse 14 to 16,. It says you are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a ball. Instead, they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Speaker 2:
Then here you are.
Speaker 1:
You've got to save midstream your life, or you've been saved and you've got in this job in what we deem not a godly organization quote unquote. But I think ultimately, being the light of the world is your ability to influence. The light of the world is that, as you put on that hill of your marketplace, of your office, of your family, it's that you're able to light up people and that is done through character.
Speaker 1:
So the biggest issue is that most of us have not allowed the Holy Spirit to transform our character. Ouch, and ultimately, galatians, chapter 5, and I think this is something that we all know by heart, but we never quite live it out. Verse 22 says but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as a saved person. In the marketplace or in your office or in your family, can people say that you're self-controls? Can people say you're gentle?
Speaker 1:
Can people say you're good and you're kind and I think that that is where the drawing of the line is. As you've said, in the book of Daniel we see that Daniel is made in charge of the astrologers, in charge of the, the soothsayer.
Speaker 2:
And even as you say that, it's interesting that Daniel had to study even the astrology, which was what they believe, and he excelled in it. You really see him in all the subjects that he declared that he studied. He, in essence, is one of the wise men he's parmigian and the witch doctors and the witch doctors.
Speaker 1:
So Daniel, chapter 2 and verse 48,. Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. And who are the people? Who are the wise men of those days? It was the witch doctors. Yes, it was. It was the astrologers the seers, the seers, yeah, and, and that's how it is in the marketplace, I mean it's a jungle.
Speaker 1:
Yes, it is you meet all forms of people who believe in anything and everything and everyone and worship whatever they desire. But so now the question is back to what you asked how can you be a light?
Speaker 2:
Should you quit? Should you quit because now.
Speaker 1:
Good question. The thing else is has God told you to quit? That's true?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, because I think so too. So people are like, oh my god, I just discovered my boss worships whatever it is, yeah, and so I can't be under him because it'll affect me. Is that how it works, massey?
Speaker 1:
To quit or not to quit, I think, should be driven Primarily. As a believer, you ought to hear the voice of God. You have to hear the voice of God telling you, yes, you could live and go to whatever he sends you, but he hasn't spoken and it's society that is speaking. It's good to listen to counsel wise counsel, despise wise counsel. It is good to know the environment in which you're working, in and out, but ultimately it is for you to use the word of God at the workplace to influence, yeah, and to also pray for yourself to have the gifts of the spirit that, even in your being there, that these people will be influenced by the light, because when light comes, darkness does not comprehend it. And it is by your deeds, it is by your actions.
Speaker 1:
Salvation is the first step, but there are so many other things you need to do. Just because you say it doesn't mean that you have scorned duty, doesn't mean that you don't give excellent work, doesn't mean that there's so many other parameters that you have to look at as a person at the workplace. It is that you have to have the same drive and ambition as most people offer excellence in what you do. Be diligent at the place of work. Then, as you pray, god will bless, you, will expand you and many other things that you have to do.
Speaker 1:
You see, the biggest thing is that you think that, oh, now that you're saved, you're professing Jesus, that you spend the whole day at your desk reading the Bible. You can look for your own personal time at lunch hour or in the evening, or in the morning or whatever time, but that is not the reason why you employ a higher duty he hired you for a skill and he needs you to deploy your skill in exchange for the income.
Speaker 1:
As you said, in excellence, I think there is a lot of the place of influence, the place of understanding what can you offer and how can you influence people? I think in the previous episode I talked about being able to be the carrier of light by if you work in a place where the guys don't go to church, you're able to bring the someone to them, you're able to share with them what the Word of God said, materials that you've read, be it the Bible, be it online, you can give it to them, that it can open them up and then, ultimately, you can tell them about Jesus. I thought, for me, the biggest and the best story ultimately is the story of Jesus as one who lived in Papas and influenced the whole world, and he died on the cross for us, and we know that Jesus came to save the world. He is God and his coming was so that we can become the righteousness of God, we can live a life of fullness, of redemption, of salvation and all the things that the Word of God says. Those are some of the things that we need to be very wary of, even as we read the Bible and we apply these things at the marketplace, as we pick them out and we ask ourselves am I truly a number, said, of Jesus? Do I embody the fruit of the Spirit and am I a carrier of that which the Spirit of God has to say? And when people look at me and say they are drawn to salvation, they are drawn to the Lord. They want to know what this is. What is this light that Masi carries us, that Magi carries, that they can be partakers of it, that they can be influenced of it. And I guess that is how you ought to influence your marketplace, your area of calling, where you've been called, how you've been called.
Speaker 1:
So there's a lot of information out here and when you walk in the marketplace you have to be upskilled and there are different skills that you have to get along your career journey. And I guess for me, just like Daniel, he read and he was diligent. So Daniel, chapter one and verse from verse 17 and it says for these four children, for these four young men, or for these four children, god gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. So number one. It comes from God. So God gives the knowledge, the increase, the skills, the learning and the wisdom, but you have to partner with him in desire. You have to partner with him to be able to be better, become better or much better than your peers and everyone and Ultimately, as you've heard in Daniel 1.17, that Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams, then you were sought after.
Speaker 1:
So, yes, there is the place of learning, but there is also the place of diligence as you learn. So what is diligence as you learn? Diligence as you learn is the ability to subject yourself to these institutions of learning to be able to say that I will spare my time, I will spare my quote-unquote, the time, my free time, to be able to learn, to be equipped. I will sit under each bit. Is it a church thing? You'll sit under a pastor. Is it at the marketplace? At the university, you'll take time and sit under the learning institution, even for yourself as you learn, you'll be able to ask, to commit yourself to sit, because it takes time. It takes time to do the homework, to do the assignments, to do the exams.
Speaker 1:
It actually does take time. So there's that diligence that we ought to have. And then the second thing is desire. So do you desire to be better?
Speaker 2:
Do you?
Speaker 1:
desire to upgrade yourself, for you just want to be the same You're in, you're out, you're in, you're out and then using that desire then to propel you to upskill yourself, to upskill yourself, be it at work and in all other areas that you're called to.
Speaker 2:
I think there's an expectation that also sometimes, when we are saved, that we will receive favor beyond what is required to be known, because we are children of God.
Speaker 1:
And we are. And yes there is, but there's also the place of partnering with the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 2:
Which is your own diligence in studying and increasing knowledge.
Speaker 1:
And increasing knowledge. I believe so, yeah, and ultimately it's. You see, god created us in his own likeness and image, and his likeness is what we imitate. His image is how he created us. It's who we are as people. But that desire comes from God himself, so he puts it inside of you. It is ultimately that you pursue it to better you, to make you a better person and to also allow him to use you.
Speaker 1:
But I think for me, the biggest thing is that you're light. How can you be light consistently? And that is just by praying for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are in Galatians, chapter 5, verse 22 to 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such, there is no law that people eat the fruit. People look at you and desire to be like you. That's why we used to say I want to be like so and so, because there's something that you like about them. So that thing is the fruit of the Spirit, and I think, even as we come to the end of this, it's for us to pray for the fruit of the Spirit to be imparted in each one of us that, as God calls us into the marketplace to be the light of the world that we embody, and we have the fruit of the Spirit.
Speaker 1:
So let us pray, our dear heavenly Father, we just want to continue in the place of prayer today, praying that, as you have placed us and put us as light in the world, that, as we serve in every area of our lives, at the marketplace and church, and every place that you have told us and called us to go to, in whichever field of work, skill, that we shall have the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1:
And, father, we pray that indeed, today you will increase us in love, you will increase us in joy, you will increase us in peace, infobearance, in kindness, in goodness, in faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, father God, that indeed, at the end of the day, when people look at us, they will desire that which we carry, because we carry the light and we display the fruit of the Spirit and Father above, or else people will be drawn to you because of these fruits that we embody. So, as you're there, continue to pray for yourself that the Lord, god Almighty, will give you and increasing you, and display through you the fruit of the Spirit. For we pray all this, believing and trusting In Jesus' name. Amen.