“A pastor’s work is a divine calling, but mine isn’t. My work is not as important as ministry work. Pastors and missionaries are worth more to God than I am. I wish I could serve God more than one day a week.” This is how David Murray describes many Christians’ view of work in chapter 9 of The Happy Christian. Not only is this kind of thinking unbiblical, it tends to lead to two very destructive ways of thinking and life.
Many people spend all their time watching the clock, living for the weekend or vacation or retirement. To them, work is a necessary evil which must be endured to get the opportunity to play. For others, work itself becomes life or the thing which makes life worthwhile. They become workaholics who neglect anything and everything for the sake of their job.
WORK > PLAY = POSITIVE+
The Bible’s pattern is different. Paul teaches in Romans 11:36 that “of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” What implications does this have for our work? Murray suggests that this verse teaches four key principles regarding work.
Your Work is of God
When God created Adam and Eve, he gave them work to do in the Garden of Eden, and he looked at the entire creation, including their work assignment, and declared that it was “very good.” This assessment is very important, because it means that work is part of what makes us human. As Pastor Tim Keller notes, “Work is as much a basic human need as food, beauty, rest, friendship, prayer, and sexuality; it is not simply medicine but food for our soul.”
Not only is work in general a good gift from God, but your work is from him. Of course, this assumes that your work is lawful, and that it is something which God has prepared you to do. Your daily work is a part of God’s holy purpose for your life. It is the means by which you serve and bless others, producing goods or services which meet some human need. Rather than see your work as merely a job or even a career, learn to see it as a calling from your Creator.
Your Work is through God
By what power are you able to do your work diligently when it is drudgery? To display a sweet disposition when your patience is severely tested by an unpleasant coworker or client? To maintain your integrity when tempted to cut corners? To face the ethical and moral dilemmas that abound in the 21st century work place? You need God’s help and blessing on your work. Murray reminds us that “If we don’t do our work through God, we are missing out on one of the major means of sanctification in our lives. Sanctification is…doing our work in dependence on God and to the glory of God.”
But we must also recognize that when we work, God is working through us. We become his hands and eyes and feet to others. This means that nothing we do is wasted in God’s sight. “God doesn’t just take pleasure in Sunday and in church services while barely tolerating the nine-to-five of Monday through Friday. He cares about and values the office, the factory, and the sink. More than than that, he takes pleasure in our work, probably more pleasure than we do!” Your daily work, and the benefit it provides to you and to others, is one way in which God loves the world.
Your Work is to God
How can our mundane, daily work be service to God? Well, the apostle Paul told bondservants in Colosse, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23-24). This means that cleaning and cooking and washing clothes and dishes can be service for the Lord Jesus Christ!
We must believe that even if our work is unnoticed and unrewarded here and now, it is seen and noticed by God and will be rewarded some day. This is the position of faith. As William Tyndale wrote, “If our desire is to please God, pouring water, washing dishes, cobbling shoes, and preaching the Word is all one.” An honest day’s work brings delight to the Lord, and, if done to please him, is in one sense an act of worship.
Your Work is for the Glory of God
There are a lot of scenes in nature which produce a sense of awe and wonder at the glory and grandeur of God. But if we’re honest, there are also many aspects of our work which ought to produce the same. For instance, when we use technology to perform a task, we ought to marvel at the wisdom of God which conceived of things like radio waves, light, electricity, magnetism, and so much more. We see his creativity reflected in the imagination of an inventor who creates what others believe to be impossible. We see his goodness in providing us with such technologies that make our lives so much easier than virtually anyone throughout human history. We see his power displayed in the energy that is produced and consumed daily throughout the world in ever more ingenious ways. And we see his patience as mankind takes those good gifts and twists them for sick and ungodly purposes. Wherever we turn in our work, we ought to see the glory of God revealed and worship him as a result.
Work and Worldview
Murray concludes this chapter by looking at how this view of work impacts our view of other things. For instance, if all work is from and through and to God, then we can’t say that gospel ministry is the highest calling. He states plainly: “The work that God has given you is the highest calling and is itself a God-given ministry.” Let us embrace the attitude exemplified by Martin Luther who said that the work of monks and priests “however holy and arduous they be, do not differ one whit in the sight of God from the works of the rustic laborer in the field or the woman going about her household tasks, but all works are measured before God by faith alone.”