For the child of God, all things are to be done
“Christianly.” The dichotomy between
secular and sacred is an unbiblical notion.
We do not hang up our faith in the closet with our Sunday clothes after
church, and don a secular suit for the remainder of the week. While out apparel may change, our attitude
toward life is to be constant—that we are ambassadors for Christ at all
times—in the church, in the home, at our play, and even in our work.
There is a DUTY in our work.
“Then
the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep
it.” (Gen.2:15 ) Work is
not a punishment associated with the curse.
The difficulty associated with work is a consequence of sin. But, from the outset, humanity had this
assignment from God—to care for His creation.
I show my humble devotion to God when I go off to work. Unless I am asked to do that which is
contrary to the will of God, then I am to fulfill my duty to God as I work.
There is a DIGNITY in our
work. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our
likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of
the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing
that creeps on the earth.’” (Gen.1:28 ) We are, as it were, God’s agents to govern
His creation. We have a sacred
stewardship to care for God’s world, and when I do my job well I am joining in
partnership with His purposes—carving out a little bit of paradise again,
reclaiming it from the curse of sin which lies like a somber cloud over
creation.
There is a DELIGHT in our
work. God looked with pleasure on all
that He had made and declared our creation and our assignment as, “very good” (Gen.1:31 ). What He finds pleasure in should bring joy to
us! Paul would put it this way, “Slaves, obey your human masters
in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but
work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically,
as something done for the Lord and not for men…” (Co.3:22-23 HCSB). If the Apostle expected a slave to so respond
to his master, then surely the Spirit of God intends for us to find delight in
working for our employer!
There is a DECLARATION in our work. If we are slothful, or somber, we silence our
opportunity to declare the hope we have in Christ. People ought to see something different about
us on Monday—a spirit, a joy, a hope—that they don’t have and that they need
and crave. This will lead them to
inquire as to this amazing spirit and we can respond with a declaration of the
difference Jesus makes, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be
ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is
in you, with meekness and fear…” (1 Pet.3:15 ) To claim to follow Christ and to be a slacker
on the job—or grouse about it—undermines the credibility of our testimony.
There is a DEADLINE for our
work. Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is
coming when no one can work.” We all
have a limited number of days on this planet. One day we will punch the clock
for the final time. As long as God gives
us strength to rise out of bed, we should be grateful and industrious. A glad and thankful attitude ought to mark
the realization that God provides us the opportunity to serve Him and supply
our needs by having the health to be on the job for another day. We then are, “redeeming the time,” by exchanging the coin of this realm for the
currency of eternity.
That leads me then to say, there
is a DESTINY in our work. Heaven will be
an extension and elevation of the good of this life. We will be rewarded for our labor if done in
the right way and for the right motive,
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is
laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone
builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will
be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it
is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will
receive a reward. If anyone’s work is
burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through
fire. (1 Cor.3:11-15 )
We are wrong to consign this
judgment to only those “spiritual” works we do in connection with the
church. None should neglect what happens
within the four walls of the church building, but God is watching what happens
inside the walls of the factory too! God
bless the missionary who travels overseas to share the Gospel, but God rewards
the missionary who journeys to the office and lives the Gospel, also! You may not get the paycheck you merit in
this lifetime. But, what can compare to
the payday in that Day?
Let me challenge you with a
DEMONSTRATION of our work. Two men have
been instrumental in teaching me the virtue and value of industry—my father,
Homer Thurman, and my father-in-law, Bob Crayton. My Dad exhibited a work ethic that was
superlative in going to the grocery store as a produce manager, going to the
church as a choir director, and laboring at home mowing grass, planting
gardens, washing cars, building and repairing houses. Perpetual motion was his lifestyle. His health has now declined but his example
remains in my memory and challenges me.
Though I did not know him as well or as long, my wife’s father struck me
as the same kind of man. During the time
I knew him, he was the foreman of a large cemetery—not exactly the most
glamorous of jobs (though I did remark, “He’s over a lot of people”). Yet his attitude was great and his effort was
excellent. Those who worked for him had
a model supervisor. His last years were
spent caring for an invalid wife—which he did with the same devotion and more.
So, which will it be, “I’ve got to
go to work,” or, “I get to go to work!”?
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