Are you full of good intentions but never make headway? Henry Ford said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”

Our careers are highly dependent on the reputations we build…and our reputations are established by our priorities. For a Christian, those priorities must be established outside of what the world calls success. Christ warned that a man could gain the entire world but forfeit his soul in the pursuit thereof.

A Christian in the workplace must live by what the Westminster Shorter Catechism teaches: “chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Choosing to live with that goal and purpose, a man’s reputation will be established on Truth.

Making money and acquiring success are by-products of serving God first. Christian employees and employers have the privilege of building their careers on God’s Word and being lights to their unsaved counterparts.

Is there a cost to living for Christ? Absolutely. In fact, some employees may lose their jobs if bribes and other forms of deceit are required. But, not your reputation.

Your position may prevent you from sharing Christ openly on the job. But if Christ reigns on the throne of your heart, the Holy Spirit will provide opportunities to share. Dinners and meetings outside of business hours can provide open doors to share the gospel.

Whether you are an employee or employer, an appointed or elected official, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

If you’re working to get out of credit card debt and live as an example of biblical stewardship, get in touch with our partners at Christian Credit Counselors. They can help you put together a plan to pay off all your credit cards and live debt-free.

Chuck Bentley is the CEO of Crown, the largest Christian financial ministry in the world, founded by the late Larry Burkett. He is an author, host of My MoneyLife – a daily radio feature, and a frequent speaker on the topic of Biblical financial principles. Follow him on Twitter and visit Crown.org for more help.