Christians face real-world dilemmas daily when their work lives and their spiritual lives are found in conflict. What if the work your company is asking you to do is in direct violation to Scripture? What if you're asked to work on Sundays at the risk of losing your job? Is there really ever any excuse to put something before duty as a Christ-follower?
What I thought was the easy answer ["no"] is more of a grey area to many, and I can see why. It's completely counter-cultural, going against everything society pounds into our heads. We need to fight back with an equal amount of pounding by speaking Truth to ourselves.
God's will for our lives is to obey and trust Him with the results. Period. Matthew 8 tells us the story of a man who desires to follow Jesus, but first asks Him if he may bury his father. Jesus' reply is initially pretty shocking and callous. "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." This is the cost. This is the gravity of identifying yourself with Christ in bondage to Him.
...but what if?...but what about?...
"Follow Me"
Paul says in Philippians that he considers everything loss compared to knowing the surpassing worth of Christ Jesus. This life is fading fast. Our job, even if its a good one, will last only a few years. How is it really gain if we compromise our obedience for temporary gain? There is a false divide between the sacred and the secular that people use to justify their disobedience. Whether you skipped church to watch a baseball game or skipped church because you had to work, the same choice is being made.
This isn't naive, its trust. One reason we can be comforted that we are doing the right thing to obey Christ is how stupid it seems to our reason. It would be absolutely unthinkable to confront your boss at the risk of losing your job in an economy where jobs are scarce, and yet this is what we are called to. Objections may rise: "God gave me common sense too and I think it'd be stupid to risk losing the job He provided me with." Yes, He did provide you with that job, but don't you think that if He provided you with this one, how much more so will he supply your needs after you obey Him?
Jesus addresses this issue in Matthew 6. It is a human tendency to worry. What shall we eat? What shall we wear? The answer is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Treasuring Christ is supreme. He is a loving master, and blesses those who keep His commands with everything they need.
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