Issue 107
When you see someone who has based their sense of wellbeing on the size of their bank balance, the net worth of their assets or their talent and popularity, it is sometimes appropriate to argue that such a person has a false sense of security. This would be true of the character in Jesus’ story of the rich man who decided to expand his business with no thought of his long term future.
Christians, on the other hand, may realise that this behaviour is in fact short-sighted, but at the same time find themselves carrying anxieties and concerns as they work.
Maybe you look at the job market and think about how precarious your position really is. Perhaps as you age you wonder how easy it would be to get another job. Again you may look at your pension scheme and shudder at the thought of the problems with your chosen provider. If you have children, the prospect of funding them through higher education is a challenge you could do without.
So the pressure builds up and because you are a realist, you know you are not exaggerating. The job market and the financialmarkets are unreliable and volatile and you can see that.
I suggest to you that is almost the exact opposite of the syndrome described earlier in the case of the self-reliant, delusional individual.
Consider your faith for a minute: when you became a Christian you placed your fate in the hands of God. You trusted him with your life, your death and your resourcing. It was a conscious decision based on biblical promises. The hands of God are the safest place to be, and the promises of God are completely reliable. If you and I persist in panicking in the face of our challenges, I suggest we are suffering from a false sense of insecurity.
Luke 14:31-33
31″Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
John 17:1-5
1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: 2″Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began
Luke 11: 1-4
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2He said to them, “When you pray, say:
” ‘Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3Give us each day our daily bread.
4Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation
In preparation for the next GEOFFSHATTOCKweekly, do feel free to email us your thoughts to wtw@worktalk.gs or leave a comment on our Facebook or Twitter profile. You can also visit our YouTube channel - get inspired and share Worktalk's vision with others.
Work well
Geoff Shattock
© Copyright 2024 Geoff Shattock
All GEOFFSHATTOCKweekly archives are for personal use only. For permission to use for any other purposes please email using the address below thank you.
WORKTALK LEARNING
1 Washington Villas, Hythe Road, Marchwood, Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 4WT United Kingdom
T:+44 (0)23 8086 8543
http://www.geoffshattock.com
comms@worktalk.gs
