What does a little boy bringing food to Jesus and a European comedy show have to do with tentmaking?
The boy who came with bread and fish to Jesus was too small to be a professional himself. Probably he had not even prepared the food he is bringing in front of Jesus. Still a drawing of this little, faithful young man has become an illustration for the GO Equipped TENTmaking courses that are run several places in the world. The main reason for this is that the boy is making what he has available for Jesus in order for the Lord to use it. And because he has this attitude, he and the others present become witnesses of one of the greatest miracles the world has ever seen.
God’s calling to all of us is to bring what we have in front of him so that it can be of use to him. That also includes our professions.
God and desires
It is probably not by chance that you chose the profession you did. God has designed us in different ways. His design also defines what we are interested in. And our interests will again direct us when it comes to choice of profession.
Many people are concerned about what God’s will for their life is. A good way of finding the answer is to ask what interests the Lord has given to you and what you would like to work with. God is not a father that gives us desires and interests in order to test if we are willing to sacrifice everything to follow him. He usually wants us to use his gifts to glorify him.
A Bible school teacher working for a conservative, Lutheran school in Europe once said that his standard reply to young students seeking the Lord’s will for their lives was as follows: “Until God shows you something else, you should think that he wants you to do and work with whatever you like the most.”
This may of course sound like self-fulfillment, but it isn’t. As believers we have a calling to develop our God given gifts in order to glorify him. If our aim becomes to glorify ourselves, we have missed the point.
Move your skills
When it comes to tentmaking and Business as Mission, you are not asked to leave your profession to serve God. The question is whether you are willing to bring your skills and God given gifts with you to another culture in order to be God’s’ambassador’there?’If’your’answer’is’yes’or’maybe,’you’should’consider’attending’one’of’the’upcoming’GO’Equipped’TENTmaking’courses.
Let’us’go’back’to’the’little’boy’bringing’food’to’Jesus.’A’few’years’ago’some’European’comedians’made’a’TV – show’where’they’pretended’that’they’were’teaching’people’to’prepare’food.’They’had’bought’five’loaves’of’bread’and’two’fishes.’Then’they’held’a’Bible’in’front’of’the’camera’saying:’”According’to’this’book’this’will’be’enough’food’for’5000’people.”‘Everyone’laughed,’but’of’course’the’recipe’was’not’right.’They’had’forgotten’the’most’important’ingredient:’God’s’blessing.
When’we’bring’our’professions’and’what’else’we’have’in’front’of’God,’he’can’use’it’for’his’purpose,’and’he’can’make’us’a’blessing’to’many’nations.’(Gen’12)