Where are the successful Christian business people of our time?

Who are the famous Christians of our generation? How do successful Christian businessmen and women live to serve God and bring glory to him through their lives? My guess is that we won’t hear much about them because many things that they do are quiet and seen only by God. 

Who are they? What do they do for a living? How do they juggle both career and service? I think that many people serve God at the sacrifice of work. That’s probably a better option than working and sacrificing God. Can both co-exist? Man cannot serve 2 masters. For he either loves the one and hates the other or hates the one and loves the other. If that is the case, then there won’t be successful Christian businesspeople in this world. 

All I’ve found so far are examples of dead businessmen Christians at the Australian Christian Lobby website. Nice examples… but they belong to a different generation.  

Fuzzy Drinks!

MY: Hey, what are you drinking?

SM: Fuzzy drink… wanna try?

MY: Fuzzy drink? You mean fizzy drinks? *Laugh*

SM: Ya… I mean fizzy drink… *Blush*

MY: So does your throat feel ticklish? Ah-hahahahaha

3 days on…

Along the corridor…. MY: Hi fuzzy drink!

In front of her table, through some files…. MY: Fuzzy! (expressed in a “BOO!” way)

Randomly as part of some conversation….MY: Does your throat tickle?

I’m annoying. Bless her big heart… SM just laughs every time…. I know the joke is stale already….

Faith and Work

I’m going through a very weird phase. Struggling with how to integrate work and God… currently, I think that both are mutually exclusive. I know that this thought is false and there are Christians who are strong in their faith and are able to find success at work. 

At work, I am rational, decisive, more head than heart, workaholic, have a drive to succeed, intense, task-oriented, sometimes snappy, network, I give 150%… basically and crudely, it’s like OCD-work. Meditating on the Bible seems to destabilize my routine. I become more conscious of the meditations I take from my QT, it distracts me 15% as I start out my day… but once the momentum starts, I totally put aside the thoughts that I am dwelling on… and because of this, I feel guilty… because I have shoved God out of my life. It’s like I’m de-OCD-ing… if that even makes sense. And it doesn’t feel good.

I’m not sure if I’m doing this the right way. Are my meditations on the Bible meant to be forefront in my thoughts the whole day? Which can’t be the case since I am 100% engaged in brand plans, strategies etc. I struggle with the place that faith should have in the workplace. I’m sure that the fruits of faith should be evident in both work and home life… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control & faithfulness.  OK. Maybe this is what I’m struggling with – I feel as though I have to quench these fruits in order to succeed at work. 100% wrong. I’ll work on it. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works”

Work 101: Learning to let go

There is a calm in the storm. I know that I have tried my best. My absolute best. The kind of “best” where I have put aside any hint of embarrassment and fought for my brand, where I’ve asked many times and not given up, where at the last minute things changed for the better and where, I can’t think of a better plan.
Passion. Determination. Creativity. Hope.
And sometimes, these qualities are not enough. And if my best isn’t enough, then it’s not meant to be. I accept it.

A thousand dollars

Interesting conversation at lunch today about why I don’t purchase expensive items. What’s the most expensive item I own? My car. Other than my car – not handbag (gift from mum or never more than $200), not handphone (free), not watch (gift from parents), not shoes (not more than $150), not laptop (gift from Adrian). Apparently, I’m the exception and not a norm. 

I couldn’t explain why I don’t have expensive items. An expensive item like a S$15K watch, or a S$5K handbag from one of the high end shops (apparently you can only get cloth products with 1 grand. I’ll need more money for a pvc/leather item). Yikes! My bag is “disintegrating” – the strap is fraying and the leather is starting to crumble. I am thinking of getting a new bag from one of the high end shops. I am prepared to part with S$1K… but I’m keeping my expectations low since I can only get cloth bags.

Reading the scriptures tonight reminded me how there is a strong pull towards following the course of the world. I think that my faith has influenced my perspective on branded goods. Tonight, searching the scriptures reminded me of the following:

1) Do not place too much emphasis on the outward appearance. Do not let your adornment merely be outward. Let it be the incorruptible beauty of the gentle and quiet spirit that is precious to God.

2) Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing. The woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

3) There are many poor people who will benefit more from the money that I earn. She extends her hands to the poor and reaches out to the needy.

4) It is better to be a wise steward of the money that I have been blessed with, than to spend it foolishly. She considers a field and buys it, from her profit she plants a vineyard.

As a related thought to my previous entry, perhaps this power that God gives enables us to rise above the deadness of sin and the control that the ways of the world has in our lives. Perhaps this power is experienced in us breaking free from the bondage of sin. I’ll reconsider spending S$1K on a bag. That needs some serious thought.

What is the exceeding greatness of His power?

I’m amazed at God’s gift to each child of His. He gives us power. The same power which He used to raise Christ from the dead is available to me. This thought is too lofty for me. I cannot begin to fathom what this power is, what it feels like, how it manifests in my life. 

According to the various translations of the Bible, this power is described as “endless strength”, “mighty”, “incredible greatness”. The power that raised Christ from the dead is definitely not ordinary… in a way I feel that it’s reasonable for me not to understand that power. It’s extent is too great to be felt in the ordinary situations of life.

Yet, Paul writes that God’s power is available for all who believe. The same capacity of strength that resurrected Christ is given to each child of God. I wonder if the strength of my own spirit has hindered me from experiencing this power. The stubborn will, the ‘workaholism’, the ‘never-say-die’ attitude… could this strength be blocking God out of my life. Perhaps my life hasn’t been tough enough for me to plead for this strength. Perhaps this strength is already mine but I have not recognised that it is from God.

I don’t think we were meant to be weak. We definitely weren’t meant to live a pathetic life. I pray the same prayer in Ephesians – that God will give me the Spirit of understanding, to know the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe.