THE SALE OF ROPE

© Morris Ruddick

Back in the early eighties, I served on the Political and Public Affairs Committee of one the most powerful trade associations in the energy business. In addressing one of our agendas, the Chairman of the committee and CEO of the Rowan Companies, shared a story. He related that had the Communist governments of the world at that time announced plans to begin hanging all the capitalists in the world; what we could expect --- probably the next day --- would be a Western rope salesman at their door.

There is nothing wrong with opportunity. Yet, we have entered a season in which those who are called by His Name, both in ministry and in business, need to reevaluate the assumptions. The issue first relates to the Issachar context --- of understanding the times and knowing what to do. Understanding the times presumes a perspective based on a realistic worldview. Otherwise, the presumption of knowing what to do will be flawed and fall short.

The issue also has a specific bearing on our priorities and what we consider as opportunity; as we seek to advance God’s Kingdom. Unfortunately, the priorities of believers in the West, typically, has little semblance to the priorities of the Body in the two-thirds of the world with little or no middle class. While the Western Body has never been short on charity and philanthropy in its response to the realities faced by those in the rest of the world; yet strategically, the model for transformation, by and large, has been a short-sighted, Western model, based on a subtle element of Western dependency. It has fallen short in establishing non-Western believers to be the head and not the tail in their own lands. So, the stark realities of oppression and persecution, that prevail across the majority of the world, remain.

Priority and Opportunity

The Apostle Paul wrote the Galatians about priority and opportunity:

“So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Gal 6:10

Paul made it very clear, that within the context of taking advantage of opportunity, our first priority is to build up the household of faith. That principle is modeled throughout both the Old and New Covenants.

In the mid-90s, I penned my first article about a calling of modern-day Josephs, who like Joseph the Patriarch would play a significant role in addressing a time of crisis coming upon the earth. However, the model being embraced by far too many for today’s Joseph calling, with its anticipated role in administrating resources and power in a time of crisis, is yielding to an outdated, Western-dependent, ministry wineskin. The fact is that in two-thirds of the world, the majority of the people are already in crisis and the realistic opportunities are being blinded by our outmoded mind-sets.

To start recognizing the opportunities in order to make a difference where there is crisis, the current move of God in the marketplace is going to have to begin challenging the precepts of both our worldview and the standards by which we are ascribing our priorities. Modern-day Josephs must be at the epicenter in recognizing these opportunities as the Body awakens to the plight of the brethren living in crisis, persecution and oppression.

In a post I wrote about five years ago, I shared that the wealth transfer is not about money. While it may involve money, the wealth transfer will be part of the prelude to the clash of all ages. The clash of all ages will pivot on Israel and extend worldwide — and be focused around the restoration of God's redemptive dominion and order.

It is this restoration of the operation of God’s authority that will unleash societal transformation. Central to the reorientation will be a shift from the Gospel of Salvation that has prevailed in the Western mind-set in recent generations, to the Gospel of the Kingdom.

The Gospel of the Kingdom

The Gospel of the Kingdom will by no means overlook the focus on salvation. In reality, it will enhance it. However, the issue relates to realigning our approach to what was described in Acts 17 as “turning the world upside down.” The issue relates to change. Central to the change needed for transformation that builds the Kingdom, will be the new-wine skin orientation of how we respond to prioritizing opportunity.

During the same time frame that my friend from the Rowan Companies was commenting on misguided opportunism, Apple Computer’s founder Steve Jobs challenged Pepsi’s vice-president John Skully (the man who orchestrated the Pepsi Challenge) with these words: “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want to change the world?” That question strips the superficialities from our notions of success and really hits the priority nail on the head. Every modern-day Joseph should be embracing opportunity within this context and operating as a change-artist, to actively change the world in the sphere of their calling.

Realities, Opportunity and Focus

Margaret Thatcher once commented that Ronald Reagan “ended the cold war and made the world safer for democracy and capitalism.” While I agree, my prayer is that the path he paved was for something more significant than opportunity for the capitalist rope peddlers. My prayer also, is that those emerging as today’s Josephs are genuinely facing the realities operating outside the sphere of the West; and that they have enough of a strategic outlook to see the priority of mobilizing and building up those who are of the household of faith in these lands.

“So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Gal 6:10

Unfortunately, many sincere Western Christians, in both ministry and business, in their old wineskin zeal, unwittingly prop up and perpetuate the very systems and organizations that persecute and oppress those of the household of faith in the lands in which they find opportunity. It may not be selling the rope to hang the capitalists, but if it doesn’t build up the believing community in lands of oppression and persecution, then it is flawed and falls short.

Jesus spent a lot of time with His disciples imparting the principles of faith. Faith is both a relational and an operational thing. Relationally with God, it first involves moving outside the boundaries of our sensory levels and into the spiritual realm, which is uniquely tied to our operating in oneness with the Lord and His priorities. That in turn is the gateway into the second relational dimension, as we employ our gifts and callings to serve as God’s ambassadors in making a difference for those around us. With that foundation, operationally, faith is tied to dominion; to redeeming and restoring God’s authority and purposes into the peoples and systems of the earth.

Catalysts for Change

What Jesus prepared His disciples with, were the principles to bring change; the type of change that would restore God’s order and dominion. It all begins with faith and extends into those wonderful principles of His Kingdom that so often contradict what we view as the “natural” order of things. The fact is that spirit controls matter and is the foundation for the authority to restore God’s Kingdom rule. The words of Jesus, as well as those of Paul call for a breaking of the mold, both from the worldly standard, as well as from the religious standard. We need to recapture the wineskin-for-change that got diverted from the momentum established by the first century Church.

The early Church was referred to as those who were turning the world upside down. Turning the world upside down today is not going to happen by blindly importing and leveraging Western expertise and funds into lands of oppression and persecution; or by schmoozing the local Herod’s and Pharisees. It’s going to happen strategically, from within; by mobilizing and equipping local believers as agents of change who will take dominion in their own lands.

“So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Gal 6:10

Joseph the Patriarch was totally integrated into Egyptian society, to the degree that his brothers didn’t recognize him until he chose to reveal himself to them. He was faithful in administrating the authority entrusted to him, at each operational level, during his tenure in Egypt. God is not looking for rope peddlers to serve as benevolent, modern-day Josephs. Like Joseph the Patriarch, the calling today is completely outside the box of what may have been previously acceptable operating parameters. This will bear significantly on how we approach opportunity for change, based on our priorities.

The Seduction of Power

Today’s apostles of change are at the helm in a huge power-shift. It is a power shift that challenges the combined status quo of the spiritual, community and economic dimensions that govern entire societies. Unfortunately, power seduces, blinds and corrupts. If it is not the seduction of responding to opportunity to selling rope to those who intend to hang the capitalists; it is the outmoded wine-skin adages that limit the outlook and keep the Josephs operating passively in setting the agendas. In reality we are entering a time in which modern-day Josephs, as catalysts for change, are being called to the forefront of releasing spiritual, community and economic initiatives in arenas of crisis.

This is why the Joseph calling will not operate outside the cloak of humility. It is a calling that excludes the ministry-circle social climbers and those who encourage it. It excludes those who actively or passively abuse their authority; or give place to condescension and the subtleties of spiritual snobbery. Humility was foundational for everything that Joseph was called to do. Humility, among those with this high calling, cannot be achieved outside of recognizing our complete inability to accomplish God’s purposes, aside from Him. The difference between operating in a mode of “what we can do for God,” and what He is allowed to do through us, is not just subtle, but of such significance that it will impact the results for eternity.

The Gateway to Opportunity: Redirecting Priorities

Joseph stood alone in his calling. His promotion did not come as a result of his efforts or ethical standards. It was certainly not the result of Potiphar’s support. Nor was it the result of the cupbearer remembering to intervene. Joseph yielded to God’s calling at every step. His promotion came directly from the Lord at a critical juncture in time when there would be no question of the priorities penetrating the opportunity with pinpoint precision. God was the One who put things in order and established the timing with the dreams He gave Pharaoh.

Joseph’s agendas, when sitting along side of Pharaoh, became the gateway through which God re-navigated and set the stage for his purposes for His people Israel for all eternity, while blessing the peoples around them in the process.

The reality is that both the crisis and the foundation for the long-awaited wealth transfer are upon us. The issue is one of dispersing and dispensing. There is a need to disperse the smokescreens that enshroud the priorities tied to entering the gateway to mobilize national believers to become the head and not the tail in lands of affliction and oppression. With that alignment will come the opportunities to begin dispensing the wealth.

“So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Gal 6:10

My question to those in ministry is this: When the fire passes from the burning of the chaff (Matt 3:12), what is it that will remain for your efforts? Will you be known as using your gifts and resources to build up the Body to tangibly impact those parts of the world where corruption, distress and affliction prevail?

Then to the modern-day Josephs, the question is: What will your legacy be? When the Lord separates the sheep and the goats, will eternity see you as one who provided the rope for those undermining the causes of God’s Kingdom; or will you use your resources to mobilize and equip the brethren in lands of oppression and persecution.

And for each of us, the question is what have we done about the apple of His eye, the Jewish people? May the Lord individually give us the revelation and grace: to ensure our focus and priorities are on the opportunities and goals that serve the purposes of the One who sees in secret; rather than on the recognition and praise that come from the short-sighted worldviews and perspectives that gain the approval of men.

“And He will answer them and say, inasmuch as you did it to the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:50

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Morris Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman for the call of God in the marketplace. He is author of "The Joseph-Daniel Calling" and "Gods Economy, Israel and the Nations," which address the mobilization of business and governmental leaders called to impact their communities with God's blessings. They are available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and other popular outlets.

With over 30 years of experience as a management planning consultant and coach for multi-nationals around the globe, Mr. Ruddick is also the founder of the Global Equippers Entrepreneurial Program, which imparts hope and equips economic community builders where God's light is dim in both the Western and non-Western world. To schedule a speaking engagement, sponsor a workshop, make a donation or to get more information on how you can help, contact Global Initiatives at www.strategic-initiatives.org

2009 Copyright Morris Ruddick — This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Since 1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized prophetic intercessors committed to targeting strategic-level issues impacting the marketplace, Israel and the Body globally. For more information on SIGN, check: www.strategicintercession.org

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