When God calls us into a business "ministry" as Kingdom business professionals, the call comes with some very specific requirements for success. If we are truly working for God, and not just for ourselves, then He expects us to carry out our daily affairs in a certain way, setting an example and being "light and salt" to those around us.

A true and godly call to the marketplace ministry is indeed a high call, and one that implies the very highest levels of integrity and excellence. We become "a new threshing board with many sharp teeth" so we can "walk on mountains and crush them" (Is. 41:15).

We have spent a lot of time in recent weeks on ethics and integrity. Now, we turn to excellence—something we all like to talk about, but in reality, achieve all too rarely. And one of the most important parts of excellence is also very simple—plain old hard work, or diligence.

It sounds so self-evident, that a good Christian business person should be a diligent worker. But in my experience, I have known a surprisingly large number of talented people who would rather sit around and wait for God to somehow dump wealth into their laps, than to roll up their sleeves and work hard to earn it.

The Apostle Paul talks much about earning our own living and working hard, as do the writers of the "wisdom" books Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. We are told we should work enthusiastically, and even enjoy our work, without complaining and whining. Our work is a gift from God, and a one we should cherish.

Living Productively

In "The Christian World View of Business and Occupations," the Coalition on Revival, Inc. says that a "productive lifestyle" is a true and high calling for all Christians. It goes on to say, "God, in His sovereignty, calls men into various duties and stewardship within His Kingdom, giving them differing talents and abilities. It is the full use of those talents that determines success in the eyes of God."

American inventor Thomas Edison once said: "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

Charles Kingsley made a similar point: "Thank God every morning when you get up, that you have something to do that day which must be done whether you like it or not. Being forced to work and forced to do your best will breed in you a hundred virtues which the idle will never know."

Whether we are at the top or the bottom of the business ladder, we are expected by God to work hard and do our very best. If you are at the top, He says: "Anyone who has the gift of being a leader should try hard when he leads" (Rom. 12:8), and if you are at the bottom He says: "Slaves ... Do your work with enthusiasm" (Eph. 6:5 and 7).

So it doesn't matter whether you are an owner or an employee, a senior manager or a junior assistant, the admonition to us as Kingdom business professionals is the same: "In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, and not for people. Remember ... you are serving the Lord Christ" (Col. 3:23-24).

Paul in Philippians tells us that whatever sort of work we do, we should do it "without complaining or arguing" (Phil. 2:14), while in Ephesians 6, verses 6 and 7, he writes: "With all your heart, you must do what God wants as people who are obeying Christ. Do your work with enthusiasm. Work as if your were serving the Lord, not as if you were serving only men and women."

We should not only work hard and with enthusiasm, but the Bible says we should also enjoy our work (Eccl. 2:24; 3:13; 9:9). We should not just endure our work, plodding through the day and watching the clock, but we should see it is a gift, and actually find joy in it—have fun!

By working hard, the Bible tells us we will:

However, as always, it is important that we see the balance. God tells us there is a time to work hard, but also a time to rest. His concept of the Sabbath makes clear that we are expected to do our work, but also to take time off for rest and recreation. Even God rested on the seventh day of creation—a clear example to His people.

Our motivation must be to please God—to bring Him glory in all we do—so our motive is crucial. In Genesis 12:2, God says to Abraham: "... I will bless you ... and you will be a blessing to others." We are to work and earn money, but not to spend it on our own pleasures.

"Whoever loves money will never have enough money, and whoever loves wealth will not be satisfied with it" (Eccl. 5:10). Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:9 and 10: "Those who want to become rich bring temptation to themselves and are caught in a trap. They want many foolish and harmful things that ruin and destroy people. The love of money causes all kinds of evil."

God teaches us how to profit (Is. 48:17), and gives us the power to get wealth (Deut. 8:18), but He also had many warnings in His Word about keeping wealth in the proper balance with integrity.

We should work hard, but also know when to rest ... we should own money, but not let money own us. As always, there is a godly balance in the successful Christian walk.


(Scripture references from the New Century Version)