People Stories - H

The other night we ate dinner with a friend of friends. This young man once professed faith in Christ but now says he is not a Christian. When Mark asked him about his relationship with the Lord, this young man answered honestly that he no longer believed in the saving work of Christ. We encouraged him to explain. He originally attended a solid biblical church then changed to a church where he heard that if he were a Christian, he would have to give up his job and would lose his family. His culture places an extremely high value on a good paying job and family loyalty and he was not willing to give up those things. 

Also, he works with an organization that stipulates no beliefs. Mark and I both picked up these themes and tried to explain the biblical concept of work and the fact that every one of us has beliefs. We all believe in something, whether that is our work, God, or ourselves. We were made to worship, to believe in something. The question is "what or who do we worship?" Ourselves? Our work? Our family? Or our Maker?

On the subject of work, Mark explained at length that when we have faith in Christ, he changes our outlook on work. We can work faithfully, intelligently, and profitably. When we work for the Lord, we have the potential to earn money to live and to share with others. Mark then recounted his years with Hatfield Builders and the blessings the Lord provided along the way. God made us to work and to work well.

In the end, this young man said he would go back and read the Bible again, especially looking for those verses. We tried to explain that Jesus used those verses as figures of speech. Yet in his culture, he really could lose his job and his family disown him. True believers in Christ often experience rejection from family, employers, and society.

Pray for this young man. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give him understanding of the true gospel of Christ as he reads God's Word.