As a hiring criterion, few would include the quality of being filled with the Spirit of God. Such an attribute almost seems out of place because we don't connect God and the workplace. For most people, God's purview is the church or other “nonprofit” organizations that exist for a supposed higher calling. But in the “for profit” world, the game is money and God doesn't really have a place—right?
This all too common thinking is contrary to the truth expressed in the above text from Exodus in which God directed Moses to conduct a construction project and God prepared a man named Bezalel to lead the project. Moses explained to the Israelites that God chose Bezalel and gave him the requisite skill and ability, plus Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God, which suggests that he had impeccable character and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In the New Testament, being filled with the Holy Spirit is supposed to be a continuous experience for Christians (Ephesians 5:17–21). The state of being filled with the Spirit is intended to transform how Christians live and how they relate to each other. Being filled with the Spirit is the will of the Lord for Christians and is a state of submission to God. It is the opposite of drunkenness, which is a metaphor for being controlled by anything other than Christ. A person who is filled with the Spirit lives in a humble state of thankfulness and communicates with other Christians in an edifying manner.
If God is unchangeable (see Hebrews 13:8), I think it is fair to assume that the New Testament description of being filled with the Spirit applied to Bezalel, as well. Perhaps Bezalel is a prototype for how workers should be—humble, submitted, thankful, and edifying in their communication; plus guided by the Holy Spirit in their work. Furthermore, it is said of Bezalel that he was “called” by God to perform this construction project, which suggests that Bezalel performed his work out of passion and obedience to God.
There are three levels of workers in the workplace.
Level 1: Provision
A Level 1 worker works for provision (Proverbs 16:26). This worker is only interested in his or her own agenda and money. The work product of a Level 1 worker is fair, at best. A Level 1 worker will never go the extra mile to produce excellence. There is little concern about customers, vendors, and/or others in their organization. Principle is compromised if necessary to insure that the worker's agenda comes first.
Level 2: Principle
A Level 2 worker is concerned about principle (Luke 7:1–9). This worker will sacrifice his or her agenda and money for the sake of principle. This person will go the extra mile to produce a level of excellence. A Level 2 worker expresses care and concern for others. As good as it is to be principled, it isn’t enough to produce consistently excellent results.
Level 3: Power
A Level 3 worker works in the power of the Holy Spirit. This worker finds and fulfills the call of God in his or her life. This worker goes the extra mile, sacrifices, and serves to be sure that he or she produces excellent results. Impeccable character, guidance by the Holy Spirit, and outstanding work are the marks of this worker. Bezalel is an example of a Level 3 worker.
Here is your business tip: Build organizations using Level 3 workers. Level 1 workers are unreliable and require extensive management to produce only a mediocre work product. Level 2 workers can be somewhat effective, but many times they are not in their calling and/or are not being led by the Holy Spirit. To build truly excellent organizations requires Level 3 workers, that is, those who are fulfilling the call of God in their lives and, in the process, are being led by the Holy Spirit. Level 3 workers are empowered people who require little supervision and deliver an awesome work product under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Imagine an organization full of Level 3 workers—people doing the will of God according to the ways of God. This would be a sight to behold! The excellence, quality, reputation, and financial success would be world-class.
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