Jesus said to the Pharisees, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men" (Mark 7:8). This very effectively summarizes the problems now almost all religions are facing. The teachings of God are simple and straight. However, we complicate and make them confusing, since the simple commands affect us, and will cost us. Once we complicate the matters, we can live life the way we want and exploit and confuse the simpleminded.
We all desire to live according to God's will. However God's will has been clearly written in many places in the Bible. For instance, in Micah 6:8 it is written, "He has shown thee O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of thee, but to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with Thy God?". It's simple. Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly. This does not need any major interpretation. If we touch every action of ours with these commands, we are living according to God's will. It's simple. Yet so tough to live out. Hence we complicate.
Or, we always want to know whether our job is according to God's will, or whether it is only the job of a priest which is "full-time" for God. What is job? Job is something we do to earn a living. For our needs. What does the Bible say? "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you". What is kingdom of God? Isaiah 65:17-25 describes beautifully God's kingdom. 1. "The voice of weeping shall be no more heard, nor the voice of crying". No more tears. For any reason. No hungry child. No crying orphan. No crying because of injustice. 2. "There won't be an infant who lives but a few days" - no more infant deaths. No under-nourished children, "or an old man who does not live out his years" - death will be only due to old age. Not because of sickness. Not because due to non availability of insurance someone is not able to afford a treatment! 3. "They will build houses and dwell in them, they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat". People working and they enjoying the fruit of their labour. Not for their hardwork to result in mis-proportionate wealth for individuals or corporates. They themselves will enjoy the work of their hands. 4. "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox". The age of peace and harmony. No wars under the pretext of anything. No greed for another person's wealth. No avarice for another country's resources.
Now let's look at the question. Is my job "seeking God's kingdom" as described above? Let's analyse. First, list down the direct result/fruit of your job. Is this helping accumulate wealth in the wrong hands? Is it helping a cause that is enabling justice, or satisfying the basic needs of the world, for wiping tears? Second, list down the secondary impact of your job. Is it indirectly funding good activities, which otherwise could not have been done? Is the tax benefit going to a government who is in turn using it for the good of the world? Or are they using it for suppression, looting and conquering the world for greedy gains? Now, after listing down the primary and secondary impact of the job, classify these into two categories. A) Are these impacts helping establishment of God's kingdom? or B) Are these working against God's kingdom?
It's simple. Let's not complicate it.
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