The character James Bond is good at what he does because of his ability to assume secret identities and disguise himself in ways to deceive his enemies.  His tricks, deceptions, and hidden life are a key to success.  As with Jason Bourne from the Bourne Identity series and Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible series, living a secret double agent life appears exciting, adventurous, and fun.   However, as a secret agent, danger is always around the corner.  

Of the hundreds of people I have counseled over the years, I have seen a great deal of people live a double life.   They are one person at home and church and another in the work place.  Often, they purposely live a double life to fit in, get ahead, achieve success, avoid conflict, or to avoid isolation.   We are called to be salt and light to the world…not blend in!

I will be the first to admit I was as guilty as the next guy until I found my true calling. I used to look at work as a means to an end.  I used to look at work merely as a way to pay the bills.  I always knew I wanted to be a part of the financial world, but never looked at how to incorporate my faith into what I do.  For years, I gave worldly advice rather than spiritual guidance.  Though I helped hundreds of people over the years, my biggest mistake was not using my abilities to have a greater eternal impact.  

After several years of providing worldly financial advice and studying finance with some of the best Wall St. firms, I felt empty inside.  There was something missing.  It was like finishing a 1,000 piece puzzle and only having 999 pieces.  That one last piece is the most important.  Not having God in my business, in my job, was the greatest mistake I could have ever made.  Though he continued to bless me, there was a huge opportunity that I was missing and the void in my heart confirmed His longing for me to do something “much bigger” than I was doing.

I have found a way to bring true glory to God by taking my financial expertise and training and combining God’s wisdom contained in the scriptures.  Here I can advance His kingdom through my counsel.  Not everyone is called to do faith-based work, but we are all called to glorify God in everything that we do – our careers included.

Do you live a secret life?  Do you allow God to be a part of your work?  Many forget that even small tasks or unpleasant work can be holy work with the correct heart and proper intentions.   Think of the worst job in the world.   There are TV shows that highlight some of worst jobs in the world.  Picture:  shoveling manure, swimming in radioactive materials, or changing adult diapers.  This work still can be pure and holy if the work is done with a pure heart and the intent is to bring glory to God.  If we took the attitude that God was in the room with us each moment we worked and He was watching over our shoulders, we could really begin to see that there are ways to please God no matter how dire the circumstances.  Ordinary people can become extraordinary when they let God get involved.  It is when we allow God to be a big part of our everyday lives, we truly achieve significance.