What looks like bad work to you? It can be a very personal thing – I was surprised when I told people about leading Redeem the Commute, and they said, “I’m glad someone is doing it, but especially glad it’s not me.”

I watched a TV show lately about a tow truck driver – it showed him going about his work in the middle of the night, doing a job many wouldn’t want. But he said he’d tried multiple jobs, hated them all – and then found the towing business and it just fit. He’d found his passion for work, even though other people would hate it working those late nights, alone, at risk and dealing with mechanical work.

There are definitely bad jobs out there – some are really awful, which became apparent with media coverage, for example, of the textile industry in Bangladesh.

Some jobs aren’t terrible themselves, they are just a bad fit.

And there are some good jobs that we see in the wrong light – something about us means they are less than they should be. We might think they’ll be much more than they are, or we might think too highly of ourselves to do certain kinds of work, even though they are good.

Question: What’s the worst job you ever had? What made it so bad? Was it bad for everyone, or just you?

Acknowledgements: Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavour and Work & Rest

Ryan Sim - December 5, 2013

Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed The Religious

We’ve mostly looked at one prophecy or prediction about Jesus this week, about his virgin birth and being God in the flesh (incarnate). But Jesus fit many other predictions as well, some of them relating to his birth. He was born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Micah 5:2 ESV) He was a refugee in Egypt. Hosea 11:1 11 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Together, they all form one picture. The rightful king of Israel is God himself, he’s come to earth to fulfill the promise that Abraham’s descendents would bless the entire world. Jesus is a descendent of Abraham and King David. Jesus did this in dying for the entire world’s sins, and reigns now over his kingdom, which is coming in its fullness. God has come to us, when we couldn’t get to him. God has given us the gift of grace, when we have nothing to offer but thanks. This is most challenging to religious people, because we can become accustomed to knowing about God at a distance, and the systems and codes we put in place for this all get thrown out when God shows up in person, and Knowing About God shifts to simply Knowing God. Challenge: How can you and/or family focus on this central meaning of Christmas? Advent is the traditional time for the time before Christmas when Christians prepare themselves to truly enter into the story. We’ll provide some Advent resources here you might use for you or your family: Suitable for adults and teens - http://issuu.com/cboq/docs/advent_reader_2013_issuu Suitable for young kids - http://www.vergenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/AdventBook2013.pdf We will have free resources at The Original Christmas Party. Hope you're coming! Reminder: We have a great Christmas event coming December 14th, 2013: The Original Christmas Party. Hope you're coming!

Related Topics: Christmas, Emmanuel, Incarnation, Prophecy, Virgin Birth | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

From Series: "The Night that Changed Everything"

In preparation for Christmas, our Daily Challenges are going to explore the lifechanging significance of Jesus' birth so long ago. It's more than a sentimental story, or a time for generosity, Christmas celebrates The Night that Changed Everything. We'll explore the original Christmas story from the Bible, and its impact on five kinds of people.

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