In a letter to me, “Mike” revealed that he had been disabled from a drug overdose, had served a 2-year sentence for cocaine possession, and had been in institutions for 13 years. He also wrote of being wonderfully delivered by the Lord.

What especially intrigued me, however, were the six yellow pages from a phone book Mike sent with his letter. Four included notices for free drug and alcohol counseling, and two advertised his commercial cleaning service. Over one he had penned, “This is the way we will be self-supporting.” Mike saw his cleaning job as simply a means of paying his bills so he could do his number one job—helping others in Christ’s name.

Whether we are self-employed or work for another, our primary job description is to live as a child of God in the marketplace—seeking first His kingdom. The income from what we do is merely God’s way of providing the money for “all these things” that we need (Matt. 6:33). Paul often engaged in tentmaking (Acts 18:3). That occupation, along with gifts, provided money for his personal needs (20:34; Phil. 4:15-18). But his number one job was serving Christ.

Whatever we do for a living, let’s remember our primary job description.

  — Dennis J. De Haan