A Partnership
October 3, 2024
Why do business owners give their employees a chance to have a stake in the business? Because they want them to take ownership, to think energetically and proactively, and to work for what is best for the business. In contrast, what is an hourly worker thinking about when they clock out at 5:00 pm and head home? Certainly not the betterment of the business.
But someone who has ownership, who thinks of themselves as a partner in the business, will often be thinking about ways to improve and enhance and to grow the business. They will tend to be more proactive. Jesus wants us to think the same way. As a matter of fact, he made sure his disciples knew this was to be the arrangement going forward:
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit … in partnership with the Holy Spirit … —fruit that will last … .” (John 15:15-16 Italics added)
Why do business owners take in a partner? Perhaps to add skills and talents they do not have, in order to improve and grow the business. The partners, working together, will accomplish much more than the one owner working by himself. Paul applies this to us:
For we are God’s fine craftsmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works – in partnership with him - which God prepared in advance for us to do. …
16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work … in partnership with him. (Ephesians 2:10 and 4:16 bold and italics added)
Now, of course, God Almighty does not need us, but he has given each of us talents, and he wants – because he is such a neat Heavenly Father – to work with us and through us to expand his kingdom … “as each part does its work … in partnership with him.”
How do we do this? I have often thought our primary role in spreading the good news of the Kingdom is helping to penetrate the barriers people have developed towards Christianity. There are many but most fall under the category of emotional barriers.
People develop emotional barriers because they have had a bad experience with church, or with Christians, or with people who call themselves Christians. Therefore, as partners with Jesus, we seek to replace bad experiences with good experiences. We find common ground. We sympathize and even empathize with them.
I was once asked, “How can you stand there and defend Christianity, with all the hypocrites and the evil done in the name of Christianity?”
My reply: “I have no desire to defend Christianity. But I will very enthusiastically defend Christ, my best friend Jesus.’’
Two passages come to mind:
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Col. 4:5-6)
I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it! (1 Corin. 9:22-23, The Message)
Be wise, be full of grace, seasoning truth in the conversation when you have developed common ground by becoming a servant of Jesus to anyone you meet.
May you learn to see yourself as playing a vital role in God’s Kingdom business, and may this motivate you to be more proactive in the advancement of his Kingdom.
