Dear Friends,
As I started looking for examples of ‘Workers’ in the Bible, and from the Old Testament, I recognised that the first few examples appear to be Farmers (livestock and plant) and Hunters. Notable examples were Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and of course Noah.
However, I was surprised when an internet search engine result for the ‘oldest professions’ in the world came up with an interesting hierarchy of Toolmaking, Musician, and even Prostitution before Farming was listed. An example of such articles can be found here 8 Oldest Professions in the World | Oldest.org
Anyway, and not surprisingly the next biblical examples I have decided to focus on today are Farmers; Abraham, and Lot his nephew.
A lot is written in the Bible about Abraham as the first Patriarch of Judaism and ultimately of the Christian faith. However, I will only be taking a snapshot of his relationship with his nephew concerning their profession as Farmers.
The bigger context is that Abraham was called by God to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household to the land that God will show him. Abraham was following God’s direction but he took along Lot his Nephew whose father had died. In that culture and period, Abraham became ‘father’ to Lot.
Conflict happens
The specific part of the story for our example can be found in Genesis Chapter 13 and I encourage you to read it to get the full context. Below are few short excerpts:
- Abraham was described as already wealthy in livestock, in silver and gold
- Lot, who was moving about with Abraham, also had flocks and herds and tents
- Both their possession were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between their workers
- Abraham proposes they separate and offered Lot to chose first which way he will go. He said to his nephew ‘if you go to the left, I will go to the right, if you go to the right, I will go to the left’
- Lot chose where he observed to be the best land, ‘well-watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt
In the above scenario, Abraham provides a good example of the worker and Lot the bad. The relevant work context for application is in conflict resolution with colleagues and partners. The aim is that we will be able to emulate the good examples of Abraham when we are faced with similar scenarios in our work and business relationships and avoid the mistakes of Lot.
Always seek agreement
Abraham as a good worker
The impression Abraham gave in this scenario is that he was observant, caring, selfless, and brave. Further understanding of who Abraham was and his calling from God gives us insight into why he was so different from Lot. I believe that what made the difference was that Abraham trusted God to fulfil the promise made to him earlier in Genesis 12: 1-3; to make him into a great nation.
I must point out that Abraham, although described as the father of faith and a friend of God, he was in no way perfect. For example, he lied about his relationship with his wife out of fear (Genesis 12: 11-13) and again in Genesis 20.
The fact that Abraham is not perfect is an important point to note even as we look into other biblical examples of ‘good workers’. If the father of faith is not perfect, then there will be no perfect example of any man in the Bible, of course apart from the Man Jesus Christ.
God was aware that Abraham’s faith needs to be strengthened and so He immediately reassured him of His promise after the separation from Lot. God restated His promise that ‘all the land you see I will give to you and your offspring forever’ (Genesis 13:15).
The Bible showed us that Abraham did not harbour any grudge against his nephew. We saw this in the very next chapter when Abraham went into battle to rescue Lot from a raiding army that took him captive.
Now let us consider Lot
Lot was calculated, ‘smart in a worldly sense’, selfish, un-appreciative, and carnal-minded. That is why he did not show respect for his uncle or care about the possible impact of his choice on his benefactor.
Unfortunately, Lot’s attitude is the way of the world, where ruthlessness, self-centered ambition, and ego-centric pursuit appears to be what gets one hired or promoted.
Pursue peace
Dear friends, it is very easy to follow the worldly trend of aggressively seeking to move ahead of colleagues and eliminate competitors in our way. But our calling as followers of Jesus Christ in the workplace is to do the exact opposite, just as Abraham did with his nephew.
To do this, we need to refuse to conform to the pattern of the world but instead chose to be transformed by renewing our minds so that we will know God’s will each time we have to make such decisions (Romans 12:2).
Jesus’s famous Sermon on the Mount made it clear that His followers must be meek, merciful, peacemakers and givers, even to those who do not deserve it.
Specifically, using Abraham’s example in the cited scenario, we must:
- Seek God and know our calling for each season
- Trust God to fulfil His promise to us
- Be observant of relationships to recognise when there are issues to be resolved
- Be humble and seek peace with others as long as it is up to us
- Freely give to others, knowing that God will bless us as promised
- Not harbour bitterness and continue to do good even to people that we think are not deserving.
I hope you found the example of Abraham and Lot helpful and that you will now have a different consideration when resolving conflicts with colleagues and partners.
I will like to finish this blog with an important and relevant Bible quote:
Galatians 5: 19-23
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentlenesses, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law’.
There is a stark warning in the above that if we live and work in the way of the world, we will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
I pray that we will all take heed and continue to grow in the image of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ
Please continue to send your feedback and comments to hello@fmministry.co.uk or use the comment box below.
God bless
Adesina