You might even say, “Given that the tree shall be judged by its fruit, what all goes into growing a healthy, fruit-bearing tree?” In other words, let’s begin with the practical fact, the lived reality before we start talking about the principles and concepts behind it. Any talking amongst ourselves should serve the purpose of helping us make a practical decision, our next lived choice.

Hence the value of practices that develop and hone our capacity to make good choices. It matters less to me that I be able to look back on my choices and judge them good ones. I want to become a certain sort of person. The sort of person who, no matter what life throws at him, makes choices, the outcome of which benefit others.

Our “lordship” comes in where we choose to bring practical consequences of faith to work. Heatley suggests that we exercise influence (lordship) to one degree or another, actively or passively. So why not deliberately choose to allow our spiritual life to inform our work life? Again, how practical! Insofar as we do not bring faith to work, we are making a determined decision. This point is one I’m grateful to Heatley for making: it’s all too easy to passively separate work and faith.

For the Christian, of course, Christ should be the center of every aspect of life. Although Heatley hasn’t used the word yet, it is true to say that for a Christian to leave his or her faith outside the realm of work is a kind of idolatry. But that conceptual framework — true as it may be — might remain entirely theoretical, if it were not for that recurring theme of discipline. The tree shall be judged by its fruit, after all!