One of the greatest blessings that humans can enjoy in this world is to be able to do work that blesses oneself and others and glorifies God. When God made Adam, He did not want him to sit passively in front of a beautiful creation. God wanted him to discover its latent possibilities and do work to bring out those possibilities to show forth the beauty and usefulness of creation.
The Bible’s view of work is positive. The author of Ecclesiastes says that in spite of the effects of the fall on work, “[t]hat each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God” (Eccl. 3:12). In the Proverbs, Solomon commends hard work: “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense” (Proverbs 12:11). Work is such a blessing that even slaves can see themselves as doing something unto God when they are working: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters . . .” (Col. 3:23). Even if you don’t get paid what you deserve, the Lord will ensure that you get a reward for your labor.
On the other side, the Bible condemns those who won’t work. Paul warned the Thessalonians against idleness: “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thess. 4:11–12). He also said, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat'” (2 Thess. 3:10).
So, work is a blessing, and it is a necessity. Every human being is called to work, and there is great delight in work. To be able to raise and prepare food for people is aiding people with their most basic needs. The labor it takes to raise a child is crucial to human flourishing. Discovering ways to do things more efficiently empowers more productivity and frees people for greater labor. Cleaning an office makes it usable and a blessing to those who are a part of it. So, it is with all honest labor. It is a blessing and God-approved.
The Right Way to Work
However, we must labor in the right way. In terms of God, we must all learn to work for Him and not human masters. We should work “as unto the Lord.” We work unto the Lord.
Often Christians pray before they eat. It is a good practice to acknowledge the Lord as the source of all things. We should do the same with work. We should begin and end with acknowledgement of the Lord. We should work throughout the day as serving the Lord. This keeps God first.
Second, even our ability to work is a gift from God. It is especially important that when we end our work, we acknowledge God as the source of our ability to work and the architect of the outcomes of work. When David gathered all the wealth he had gained, he praised God, “Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name” (1 Chron. 29:12–13). This is the attitude of using work to increase our love for God.
Third, we work in the right way when we consider the means as well as the ends. We cannot work without thinking about other issues such as the needs of our workers, the priority of family, and our duties to the community and the environment.
Finally, we have to see that work has its limits. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God” (Ex. 20:8–10). Just as God worked six days and then delighted in what He had done. So humans are called to work and then focus on God Himsel and all that God has done and has done through them. To work endlessly is dehumanizing. Humans are made to rest, see, reflect, and praise.
The Wrong Way to Work
The Bible is also full of warnings against working the wrong way. Because work is so good, it can become an idol that becomes the center of our lives. It can also take us from everything else important in our lives. So, we must not make work a god.
Recently, I asked a friend what he would have done differently if he could go back 20 years. He said, “I let my kids just grow on their own. I should have made them a priority.” That’s what work can do. It becomes the priority of everything else, at the expense even of our relationship with our family and God.
How do we know we are making work an idol? We make work an idol when we can’t stop working. We make work an idol when we treat people unjustly. We make work an idol when we forget our other duties, especially those to God. We make work an idol when we can’t rest.
The above are the symptoms, but where is the heart? Why would people put work at the center of their lives? There are different reasons. One is that people seek to establish their identity through it. They base who they are on what they can do. This is what the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, did. He was walking around Babylon and based his identity on it at the expense of God, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). We may not be this brzen, but we can do the same thing. We rely on work to give us ultimate meaning and significance.
When we focus on our work, we easily forget God. God warned the Israelites about this when they came into the land of Canaan. He said, watch out that you do not forget the Lord your God and say, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” (Deut. 8:17). Instead, “remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today” (v. 18). Our work quickly becomes the basis of our identity instead of seeing ourselves as workmen under God, owing all to Him.
We also can make work an idol when we see it as the source of our security. This may seem reasonable. If we do not work, then we may not able to eat. However, Jesus taught us that our heavenly Father is the one who takes care of us. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Mt. 6:26). In fact, Jesus says that we can have such confidence in our heavenly Father that we should “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt. 6:33). When we don’t make the kingdom of God (His relationship with us and all people) the priority, then we have work in the wrong place.
Do We Love Work too Much?
In light of this general tendency to make work the center of our lives, there is probably no better practice for us than to cease from our labors and just enjoy the results. When we can set our work aside, we will see things about our hearts that we have not seen before.
This is also one of the greatest tests of our love for the Lord. Can we stop from what we are doing and just focus on the Lord? Can we rest in Him? Even our walk with the Lord can hide us from the Lord. Do we have to be doing some religious activity, or can we just be with the Lord?
This is reflected in the work of salvation. God is ultimately the one who saves us, so we need to learn to rest in what He has done and is doing. Isaiah says, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength . . .” (30:15). This is loving the Lord, when we see Him and delight in Him as the source of all our blessings in creation and salvation. This is love for the Lord, when we work heartily us unto Him without letting our work be put in His place.
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Photo by Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash