19 years ago today, thousands of people went to work in NYC and never returned home. Thousands of people were working in The Twin Towers when they were attacked by 2 terrorist planes. Thousands of first responders, including Firefighters and Police Officers were doing their jobs, too. No matter what kind of work was being done that day, their work mattered to God.

This weekend is the only weekend of the year where for 3 days we celebrate labor. We call it Labor Day weekend. Wait, is that what we are celebrating? I thought we were celebrating the end of the summer and it was a weekend to not think about work.

Labor – do we celebrate it? Do you celebrate it? No, not the giving birth kind of labor but the everyday work kind of labor. Do you celebrate the labor of your hands and mind? Do you recognize God’s hand in giving you labor as a gift? When you head off to work each day…or down the hall to your virtual office, are you celebrating or complaining?

It is not insignificant that Jesus was born to a family who had a small business. Carpentry. God could have put Jesus in any number of families but He chose one where the primary source of income to support the family was the small family business. You might find yourself asking why?

Hold on tight because I’m going to share some staggering statistics with you in this post. My friend, Chad Connelly with www.FaithWins.us , informed me that the ‘church going vote’ in America is the most powerful voting bloc that exists in our country. Let me say that again, the most powerful voting bloc in the United States, if it was fully engaged, is church goers. The bad news is – the church isn’t showing up and it doesn’t know how to vote with a biblical world view.

Are you stressed? Are financial pressures causing you to eat too much? After watching the evening news do you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders? When you look at your calendar of video meetings, are you burdened by the unending tasks? Maybe it’s the uncertainty of the future that keeps you up at night.

Last night I woke up just after midnight with the word “Nineveh” impressed on my mind. God reminded me of the story of Jonah found in the Old Testament of the Bible. The night before Jonah arrived at Nineveh, it was a place much like America today, with wickedness running rampant. In Jonah Chapter 3, Jonah is called once again to the great city of Nineveh to let them know that if they didn’t repent, in 40 days they would be destroyed.

God used one obedient human, Jonah, to save a city of 120,000 people.

Who is our Jonah of today? Who is going to preach to our country that we need to repent?

Is Holiness even possible today in the workplace? I read a book this weekend by Matthew Kelly, titled “The Biggest Lie in the history of Christianity”. In this book Mr. Kelly asserts that Christians don’t believe holiness is even possible today and that belief causes us to shrink back from trying to even make a difference. I agree with Mr. Kelly.

Mr. Kelly asserts that Holy Moments are possible every day as we encounter people, let’s apply that thought to our workplaces. I don’t think Mr. Kelly would mind.

Are you living out your faith in your work today. Do people know that your life has been radically transformed by the power of Jesus and His death on the cross?

Do people know that Jesus is the only hope for the problems of this world?

We are the messengers of hope, sent by Jesus. We have been silent about the transformation in our lives. Our country has suffered by our silence. It’s time to speak and share the good news of Jesus and how He is radically transforming our lives.

Ask yourself this question: Do I need a fish symbol for people to know I am a Christian at work?

This cartoon really symbolizes some of the reasons for decline in the United States of America. Way too many Christians, including me early on in my marketplace career, have used a fish symbol to indicate their “conversion” instead of using a transformed heart that “Loves the Lord your God with all your heart, Mind and Soul and loves your neighbor as yourself”. Too much religion is about arrogance and rules and power. Jesus was all about bringing inner healing , “LIVING WATER” he said. He wasn’t about pomp and circumstance.