Work Through the Bible, Part 9Prøve

During the exile, people began to re-learn how to work in faithful service to God. Even in the wretched circumstances of the exile, it was still possible to be faithful. But more is possible than simply staying at one’s post, valuable as that may be. We may also find a way to be righteous and humble: “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the Lord’s wrath” (Zephaniah 2:3). There are no ideal places of work. Some are deeply challenging to people of God, compromised in all sorts of ways, while others are flawed in more mundane ways. But even in difficult workplaces, we may still be faithful witnesses to God’s purposes, both in the quality of our presence and the quality of our work. Faithfulness is not only a matter of enduring hardship but of making even the worst situation better in whatever ways we can. Jesus, show me small actions I can take to make my workplace better and be a witness to you there. Amen.