Paul was a very interesting person. I’ve often said that if I had lived during the time of Paul, I probably would not have gotten along with him very well. He was definitely a Type A personality who did not mince words. He was an extreme character who never did things just part way, it was all or nothing. I also think he was a perfectionist and expected excellence out of everyone around him. But God chose this man to be the bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Although Paul was a scholar, he didn’t hang around the philosophers of the day. He had been a Pharisee, and a fanatical one at that, but the religious leaders were not his companions of choice. 

Paul used ordinary work to create extraordinary connections.  He understood that his ‘job’ was more than just a means of provision – it was a pathway to purpose.

Paul was a tentmaker by trade – most Biblical scholars actually believe Paul made prayer shawls for a living. Because of his profession, He met Priscilla and Aquila who were also tentmakers. In the cadence of daily living, conversations flowed, faith was shared and relationships were built. What started as a common ‘job’ became a divine appointment to help build the early Church.

Lydia was a seller of purple – an ingredient Paul needed for his tentmaking. They met outside of the city of Philippi by the riverside where the Jews customarily met to pray. Lydia’s heart was open to the things of the Lord, but her position made it possible for her to open her house to Paul. She had the means to provide a meeting place for believers. Her business brought her into contact with the message, but her obedience and hospitality turned her home into a hub for ministry.

Paul had Luke as a personal doctor. He had men who traveled with him. And then his profession turned from a tentmaker to a prisoner. He was now influencing soldiers, ship captains and kings. The change of profession also caused him to change from a public speaker to a writer. Now he not only influenced those in his immediate area, he now influenced generations of Believers around the world.

God doesn’t separate the sacred from the secular. To Him they are intertwined and inseparable. Your work is not separate from your calling – it is the very vehicle through which your calling is fulfilled. Your ‘job’ is not just to be a day-in-day-out occupation. It is to be full of divine intersections waiting to happen.

Never underestimate where God has placed you. God placed Paul in situations from palaces to prisons, from bustling cities to shipwrecked shores for eternal purposes. The daily conversations you have, the relationships you build, and the connections you make are all for a greater purpose.

Your work is more than just work – it is a divine bridge to God’s perfect plan.