The Bible is very clear that the purpose for our work life is to reflect Christ in and through our lives. It is an attitude that says our work is to have an overriding "ministry" objective to it. Our work is our worship to God. Even these two words originate from the same Hebrew word, Avodah.
Robert Laidlaw was born in Scotland in 1885 but grew up in New Zealand. Born to Christian parents, he committed his life fully to the Lord when he was seventeen. Laidlaw began working in a hardware merchant company as a traveling sales rep when he was nineteen. Later he had the idea for a mail order catalogue business that sold everything imaginable including underwear, groceries, cosmetics to farm equipment, all at bargain-basement prices. His concept proved successful and later merged with the Farmer’s Union Trading Company. He became general manager and held that position for fifty years.
But this is not the most significant thing that can be said about Robert Laidlaw. He understood his work life was only a tool to affect others for Jesus Christ. He began giving 10% of his income early in his business life. Later, however, he entered this into his journal: "September 1919, age twenty-five. I have decided to change my earlier graduated scale, and start now giving half (fifty percent) of all my earnings." This he continued for the next sixty years.
The result of that commitment saw countless numbers affected for Jesus Christ through the resources he gave to mission groups and other worthy Christian causes. He was personally involved in ministry. He wrote a small book that gave a thoughtful answer to basic questions about life and faith. It was entitled The Reason. Many hundreds of thousands came to faith in Christ because of this forty-six-page booklet. He publicly spoke to many of his faith in Christ and became very involved in the Soldier’s and Airmen’s Association when World War II broke out. Robert Laidlaw understood what it meant to view business with an overriding ministry objective.
Does the Lord have complete control of your life? If so, you will be able to see your business life as an extension of His life in you. Let the Lord live in and through your business life today.