Last night we went out to get some chores done, and I almost had a life-changing event. Something almost happened, and if it had, I probably would not be writing this; I would be in some state of anguish.

I was driving home in the dark, on a freeway. Here is some advice from me; limit conversations while you drive and watch the road ahead. That’s what saved me. I also give God credit for watching over me.

In the darkness, on the freeway, I thought I saw something dark in front of me. All conversation stopped, and I saw a man walking in a traffic lane, with his back to the traffic. I guess he was trying to commit suicide, and probably under the influence of something. Somehow, I was able to slow and swerve, and I missed him. We called the police as soon as we could, but I haven’t heard if they found anyone.

Imagine your vehicle badly damaged, and a dead body lying on a freeway at night. That did not happen, and God was good to me last night. Also imagine the condition of someone’s life, where it makes sense to walk on a freeway at night, in dark clothing.

Human beings can become so lost.

I am a person who likes to work. Money is nice, but I feel lost when I don’t have work to keep me busy. Years ago, I lost my job, and I felt lost. I did find another job, before long, but in the dip between jobs, I went to a book store, and searched for a book that might give me some direction. One title caught my attention, “The 4-Hour Work Week” by Timothy Ferriss. I bought the book because it had advice about work. I was not looking for only four hours of work.

READ: The four-hour workweek

Timothy Ferris had his own way of being lost. He wasn’t unemployed, and was not walking on a freeway. He had too much work. He started a business and turned into a workaholic with no free time, as he worked to get rich. He took a vacation and learned how to run his business while he was travelling. He did less work and he made more money, and that was a revelation to him. He wrote a book about this, and it became a huge best seller, for more than four years.

I think his real success was the book.

If you are wondering, I did not find my four-hour work week. In my ‘lost’ state, I wanted more work, not less. I am a Christian, and Jesus, who started it all, worked “My Father is always working, and so am I.” (John 5: 17). He also called his followers to work “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19). Commercial fishing is hard work.

Timothy Ferris has been criticized by many experts, but I think he knows something that we all should know. Also, if I could talk to the man who was walking in the freeway, he probably learned the same lesson, for his life. He is probably homeless and struggling. And I have my own variation of the same truth.

The career god of this world is a harsh master and it can easily ruin our lives.

When I read “The 4-Hour Work Week” I began to see how I was blinded by my image of success. I don’t need a career that satisfies my ego. I have decided to follow someone who promised to keep me busy and productive. In the Bible, slaves, who made no money, were told “Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Ephesians 6:7).

Honest and hard-working people will always find something to do. My father told me, when I started working, that I should always do my best work. He told me that good workers would never be unemployed for long; they would always find more work.

Did you know that Jesus promised each of us a career, and we can be busy and productive, without employment and career stress? Employment is just a common and normal thing for an honest Christian. Most of our industry and employment came from people who were free, and who worked because that’s what God wanted them to do.

Have you found your four-hour work week?