Working "Remotely" For the Kingdom
The balance of “marketplace” work and “kingdom” work has been a struggle for me to grasp. I guess you could say I have been wrestling with it since Vince did a sermon series on the topic. Naturally, it’s easier for me to connect my church work to the Kingdom of God. Kind of hard not to when I’m singing songs to Jesus… But running a website, social media and other marketing stuff for my daily job - that is hard for me to connect.
I finally came to the realization last fall, that I must grow where the Lord has planted me. Believing that He knew what He was doing, I started investing more in prayer and relationships at work. I have connected deeper with a few of the Christians in my office, all from different backgrounds and different expressions of the faith. There is something beautiful about growing in love for the people you see Monday-Friday. I find it an honor to work with such beautiful people and the Lord has shown up again and again in my workplace. He is moving, and I am so excited to see what He has planned in the future.
Even with this realization and new found sense of purpose, I have still battled the back and forth toggle of being focused on Christ and the Kingdom and “just working.” A heart-to-heart conversation with a coworker, oh that’s kingdom work, entering data into an excel spreadsheet... Well, that’s just work.
And now we’ve all been thrown into a new season of working remotely. My daily interaction with coworkers has morphed into texts, video calls and emails. No more face to face quick chats “by the water cooler” or in my office. It’s now been two weeks, and because of the distance I haven’t talked to a few of my co-workers.
And so once again, I find myself asking, “Lord, how do I work for you here?” I got to a place where I felt like I was growing in understanding of how my “work work” is tied with “kingdom work” and now another shift. And a smiley face and a ”stay healthy” in an email just doesn’t feel like enough…
This all feels so much bigger than a virus, does it not? While we work and worship separated and distanced from others, I sense the Lord wanting to take us deeper, both individually and collectively as the body of Christ. The last few weeks I have been asking questions such as:
How do I function in a season of stress, fear and social distancing?
Am I just trying to go back to “business as usual”?
Where do I seek my security, my safety, my provision?
And so everyday I sign on for work, hopeful that I will get to spread joy and comfort to those I interact. Reminding myself “I am the light of the world. I carry the presence of Christ inside me.” These reminders sometimes get lost, but they are coming to the forefront of my mind again. I have not by any means “arrived” at this working remotely thing. I am still seeking the lesson in it all, but this I know… my daily interactions with others is working for the Kingdom of God. Even if it’s through a video chat or phone call, my interactions share the light, love and peace of Christ.
When we are a follower of Christ, we can work wherever the Lord takes us - whether it be in an office, working at a hospital or at home. It does not change who we are - the hands and feet of Christ.
What a gift we have been given, church - a time to remember that we are not the building, but rather we are a moving, growing, group of people all together learning what it means to follow Christ. Let us together learn what it means to work for the Kingdom of God “remotely” and bring to earth what is in heaven. Just maybe we will learn something we couldn’t together.
-Jen Kirlin, RCC Worship Leader
I finally came to the realization last fall, that I must grow where the Lord has planted me. Believing that He knew what He was doing, I started investing more in prayer and relationships at work. I have connected deeper with a few of the Christians in my office, all from different backgrounds and different expressions of the faith. There is something beautiful about growing in love for the people you see Monday-Friday. I find it an honor to work with such beautiful people and the Lord has shown up again and again in my workplace. He is moving, and I am so excited to see what He has planned in the future.
Even with this realization and new found sense of purpose, I have still battled the back and forth toggle of being focused on Christ and the Kingdom and “just working.” A heart-to-heart conversation with a coworker, oh that’s kingdom work, entering data into an excel spreadsheet... Well, that’s just work.
And now we’ve all been thrown into a new season of working remotely. My daily interaction with coworkers has morphed into texts, video calls and emails. No more face to face quick chats “by the water cooler” or in my office. It’s now been two weeks, and because of the distance I haven’t talked to a few of my co-workers.
And so once again, I find myself asking, “Lord, how do I work for you here?” I got to a place where I felt like I was growing in understanding of how my “work work” is tied with “kingdom work” and now another shift. And a smiley face and a ”stay healthy” in an email just doesn’t feel like enough…
This all feels so much bigger than a virus, does it not? While we work and worship separated and distanced from others, I sense the Lord wanting to take us deeper, both individually and collectively as the body of Christ. The last few weeks I have been asking questions such as:
How do I function in a season of stress, fear and social distancing?
Am I just trying to go back to “business as usual”?
Where do I seek my security, my safety, my provision?
And so everyday I sign on for work, hopeful that I will get to spread joy and comfort to those I interact. Reminding myself “I am the light of the world. I carry the presence of Christ inside me.” These reminders sometimes get lost, but they are coming to the forefront of my mind again. I have not by any means “arrived” at this working remotely thing. I am still seeking the lesson in it all, but this I know… my daily interactions with others is working for the Kingdom of God. Even if it’s through a video chat or phone call, my interactions share the light, love and peace of Christ.
When we are a follower of Christ, we can work wherever the Lord takes us - whether it be in an office, working at a hospital or at home. It does not change who we are - the hands and feet of Christ.
What a gift we have been given, church - a time to remember that we are not the building, but rather we are a moving, growing, group of people all together learning what it means to follow Christ. Let us together learn what it means to work for the Kingdom of God “remotely” and bring to earth what is in heaven. Just maybe we will learn something we couldn’t together.
-Jen Kirlin, RCC Worship Leader
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Becoming a Financial Steward 4: The Game-ChangerSpiritual Practices Video, Part 2Working "Remotely" For the KingdomBecoming a Financial Steward 5: Breaking Up With Sallie MaeSpiritual Practices, Part 3Sharing Jesus During COVID-1920 Ways to Apply God’s Truth to Your Financial CrisisBecoming a Financial Steward 6: The Big DiscoverySpiritual Practices, Part 4Becoming a Financial Steward 7: Setting the TableSpiritual Practices, Part 5
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