A Different Kind of Full-Time Job

Last night I was thinking about my days as an executive assistant and office manager just a few short months ago. I worked at a financial management company by day, and was a housewife by night. Well although my role as full-time career woman came to end when Hudson was born into the world, there are many interesting parallels between my job as an office manager and my new job as a stay-at-home mom.

When I worked at the financial management company, my day began promptly at 8:00 am, while here in the home I might be beckoned out of my slumber by a crying baby anywhere from 6:30 to 8:00 in the morning (not to mention in the middle of the night!). My attire at the office was very professional: button downs, pencil skirts, and kitten heels. Nowadays, my outfit of choice is a pair of Nike running shorts, a tech shirt, and flip-flops (you can pretty much forget about the make-up). At the office, I had the same routine every morning: log onto my computer, turn on all the lights, fill the Keurig, and check my e-mail. At home, my routine begins by "silencing my alarm" (a.k.a getting a sweet, crying Hudson up out of his crib) and then spending the next hour in my pajamas on the floor, while Hudson plays to his heart's content. Some mornings at the office consisted of answering a slew of phone calls and e-mails, while at home most of the conversation that I am engaged in is responding to the giggles of a five month old. 

I was always on "lunch duty" at my office, taking orders from my boss and co-worker and running out to pick up their requests. At home, I am on breakfast, lunch, and dinner duty (as well as morning and afternoon 'snack' duty!) -- that's just the nature of nursing! My compensation as an office manager was an annual salary that Chance and I could easily live off of; whereas now my compensation is in the form on priceless smiles and unforgettable milestones like rolling over. I can't say that the latter actually pays the bills, but in the long run I am sure that going out to eat a little less will be well worth it. 

As Jesus taught his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount, he exhorted them not to be like the Pharisees who practiced their righteousness "before other people in order to be seen by them" (Matt. 6:1). He reminded the disciples that the Father who sees them in secret (or saw their deeds done in secret) will reward them. Paul, in Colossians 3:22-24, told the believers in the church at Colossae who were working as slaves, that they must not make it their goal to be people-pleasers, but to instead work as unto the Lord "knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward". I have often thought of these passages in reference to my role as a homemaker, wife, and mother. This job requires a lot of behind the scenes activity, which rarely gets acknowledged by the outside world. Most of day is spent in the home, caring for our son, and managing the affairs of daily life--all behind closed doors (literally). I have been discouraged when I think that as a homemaker my gifts of teaching and speaking are going to waste and I am not able to bless those around me. However, when I read these verses, the Lord reminds me that in whatever I am doing that I can do it heartily and for Him, knowing that it is from him that I will receive my reward. Jesus said that the Father sees both the motives of my heart and the things that I do on a daily basis that no one else sees--and He is pleased when I do them with the aim to glorify Him. Although, I should seek to bless others with the gifts that God has given me, my main objective should be to serve my family and in turn honor the Lord in that endeavor.

 Today, as I contemplate both my former job as an office manager and my current one as stay-at-home mom, I can be confident that the Lord will bless me in any job I am doing. So whether you are a career woman, a single lady, a housewife, or a stay-at-home mom, whatever you do in the private sphere "as unto the Lord" should be done not for the praise of people but for the glory of our great God. He has prepared for you good works from before time began, so that you would walk in them (Eph. 2:10) and in doing so, please Him and bring glory to His name.

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." -Romans 11:33

A Dose of Encouragement

Although I consider myself an "encourager" I often fall into the trap of emphasizing law over grace. Today, I want to offer up a healthy serving of hope as it pertains to our victory in Christ.

"So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." -Romans 6:11-14

When people talk about their 'struggles' in life, they often refer to a moment in time when they had 'victory' over their struggle. I have used this language too, only to find out later that I really didn't have complete victory over whatever struggle it was. For example, I've said before that I've had "victory" over my struggle with overexercising... which is true, but at the same time not. As I grow in sanctification and my relationship with the Lord, I find that I am more sensitive to certain areas of life - perhaps ones that I haven't completely surrendered to the Lord and need to. And as I continue to 'struggle' on in this life, with what issues still hold me captive, I realize that I will not [in this life] have complete and total victory. I think that this is a hard pill to swallow. Yes, I recognize that there are those stories of people who have all their life battled addictions and have come to know the Lord, and no longer battle them - they are just gone; they are free from the addiction. But for the majority of us, we will continue as long as we are in flesh to wage war against our flesh.. feeling oftentimes like we aren't getting anywhere.

Here is the hope though. If you are in Christ, a born-again Christian, and you have new life in the Spirit, then you indeed do have complete victory in Jesus Christ. Though you still fail to 'conquer' areas in your life, your status is completely changed: forever. You are no longer considered a slave to sin, but you are "alive to God in Christ Jesus". On the cross, Jesus Christ, bore own sin and shame, and won the victory for us over death. "Oh death where is your victory? Oh death where is your sting?... But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. " (1 Cor. 15:55, 57) I find great encouragement in that. I am one who tends to condemn myself for not conquering the areas in my life that need conquering. When I fail, I hang my head and sulk in my own inability. Instead, let us take a cue from the apostle Paul who says with excitement, "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" !!! [exclamation points added for emphasis]

If that is not encouraging, motivating, exhilarating, and monumental - then I don't know what is! Today, if you are 'tempted' to think the thought: "I can never do this.. I will never have victory over _____" , please remember that our ultimate victory is won in Christ. In Him we are conquerors--not only in this life, but also in the life to come!

May the Lord bless you as your contemplate these great truths.