MY CAREER â GODâS CALLING
JESUS CALLED US to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt 5:13-14). How do I, as a disciple of Jesus, follow this command?
Live a life without shouting that I trust in a sovereign God who will provide all my needs
In the aftermath of the Internet bubble burst in 2001, I was faced with a potential retrenchment. I was then working for a foreign bank. While there was nervousness around my colleagues and me, I managed to have quiet confidence in the Lord who gave me the verse in Isaiah 58:11: âThe Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.â
Indeed the economic landscape then was like a sun-scorched land but I placed my hope in God. During this period some of my well-meaning colleagues advised me against taking leave.
I continued with my usual practice and took leave during the school holidays to spend time with the family as I did in the past.
Several months later, when the HR director gave me the retrenchment letter, she made a remark that took me by surprise. She said: âDavid, you have a powerful God!â, referring to the termination benefits. I was also humbled to be able to land another job almost immediately. All glory to God.
Share with fellow Christians the reality of God
One day over lunch I shared with a business associate, whom I do not know very well, how God had provided for me. I was dumbfounded and amazed when she let me into something I had not known earlier. She said that she had heard about my retrenchment from the market and had told herself that she would extend help if I were ever to call her even though she did not know if I was a fellow believer. When I did call her she opened the doors for me to get some banking transactions done with her organisation. Her sharing was an encouragement to me. Often we keep spiritual matters outside of business, but such sharing can be a great encouragement to fellow Christians.
Be an agent of change based on Godâs principle
I managed a group of relationship managers and I wanted to encourage teamwork in the group. At a team meeting, I quoted the Golden Rule in the Bible (Matt 7:12): âDo to others what you want others to do to you.âThe conventional thinking is that you will be nice to those who are nice to you. I suggested to my team members that we must initiate to help others first without expecting to get anything in return. In practice, most people will respond positively to acts of help and kindness and will reciprocate when we need help in return. The application of this rule will foster teamwork in the group.
Show that Jesus is the Lord of our lives
There are many ways we can show the ways of God through our lives. One obvious (though not always an easy way) is to keep our tongues clean and undefiled. I make a conscious eïŹort not to use profanities in conversations no matter what the circumstances may be in the work place. And so we press on âŠ
David Tang is the PPRSC Chairman of Fairfield Methodist Church
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Bible restoration at a special fee
THE SOCIETY FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLEDâS ABILITY ENTERPRISE (AE) is providing a bookbinding and Bible restoration service.
Started in 1964, e Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) is a voluntary welfare organisation that promotes the interest, welfare and advancement of people with disabilities, in particular, working in partnership with them to develop their potential to the fullest.
Through programmes and services that encompass rehabilitation, vocational skills and IT training, educational support, employment, assistive technology, day care and social support, the SPD helps to enable people with disabilities to be self-reliant and independent.
According to Ms Irene Wong, SPDâs Marketing Executive, the societyâs disabled craftsmen possess fine skills honed over 20 years in the trade of Bible restoration and bookbinding as well as fabrication of quality leather/fabric-bound photo albums, journals and notebooks. e craftsmen also produce lifestyle and corporate gifts.
The fee for Bibe restoration is $25, depending on the condition of the Bible or the specific requirements of special covering material, with hotstamp title on the cover or spine.
Those interested may contact the SPD at 6579-0738 or email irene_wong@spd.org.sg