Self-control, self-government, is foundational to every form of free government. We have been talking about its importance when it comes to temptations to vice, our emotions and passions, and so on. But there is another area where self-control often goes missing as well. That is in the area of work, vocational competence, and delivery of goods.
There is a distinction to be made between hard work and hustling, on the one hand, and honesty on the other. In the era of the Reformation, one common phrase in France was “honest as a Huguenot.” How long do you think it will before “honest as an evangelical” will catch on here in North America?
Hustling is essential in business, but it has to go together with absolute integrity. It is no substitute for integrity. A man who hustles without integrity is simply exhibiting lack of self-control at high rates of speed. But there are many Christians who flatter themselves about their own business acumen because they are so intense and read business guru books that tell them to believe in themselves. Yeah, well, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” (Prov. 28:26).
A clear-headed thief steals from people on purpose. He jimmies open the window, and runs off with the stereo. That doesn’t happen accidentally. But a muddle-headed entrepreneur or businessman steals from people in a cloud of confusion, and lack of self-control is what drives that confusion. “Things are busy, Murphy’s on vacation, nobody told me, where’d that invoice go?”
This applies to everything that might be on your desk or workbench, or in your shop. Writing deadlines, software programing, video projects, call backs, owed emails, delivery of the product, and so on. Everything.
In the world, the creditor has to chase the debtor. The one who is owed pursues the one who owes, and far too often Christians simply duplicate this worldly pattern. We don’t deliver what we promised, and we respond with a shrug and the business equivalent of “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” Perhaps you cannot deliver because someone let you down. It is a fallen world. But in the Christian world, the one who owes must pursue the one who is owed. You might not have what you need to deliver yet, but diligent communication is free. The only thing preventing that is lack of self-control, not lack of money.
Proverbs 22:29
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not standbefore mean men.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We live in depressed area, unemployment around 30%. Just the same, my husband has always managed to provide for us, which is really quite remarkable. He did it all with integrity, word of mouth, making sure people understood he was going to be there for them. It’s sad, but those things are somewhat rare these days, so if you embrace them, you will stand out.
i imagine that to be a good confessor, you need to be a good communicator and vice versa.