Most of us view our life as a group of semi-connected parts
rather than an integrated whole. We have our work component, our
family component, our spiritual component, and so forth.
Most of us view our life as a group of semi-connected parts rather than an integrated whole. We have our work component, our family component, our spiritual component, and so forth. Because we think of life this way, we have a hard time integrating our Christianity into the rest of our life.
For the next two weeks I’d like to focus on an area that really suffers from our tendency to compartmentalize life: our jobs.
Most of us see little connection between Sunday and Monday-Friday, but since the most basic definition of the word “worship” is “proclaiming God’s value (worth),” it’s obvious that worship is something we should do all during the week.
A Christian’s relationship to Christ is to be like a marriage: full-time. How many marriages would succeed if the couple only acted married on Sundays? True Christianity must permeate our entire life, and since we spend so many of our waking hours at work, it is critical that we worship God there.
There are several things that transform work into worship. One is choosing the right career. How do we do that? Some of us choose our jobs based solely on the amount of money we will make; others choose the path of least resistance, taking whatever job is offered. But God wants you to choose your profession on the basis of the abilities He has given you (Romans 12:6).
One of the most misunderstood words in the Bible is the word “perfect,” which we usually define as “being without fault.” But in the Bible the word is translated from the Greek word “telios,” which literally means “to accomplish what it was created for.” When a bird sings and does the bird stuff God created it for, it’s perfect; when an acorn grows into giant oak, it’s perfect; when a flower blooms, when a worm does wormy things, when babies do baby stuff… well, you get the idea. When we use the gifts and abilities God gave us, we are accomplishing what God created us for.
Many Christians think God only smiles when we are doing “spiritual” things… no! He smiles at the bus driver getting people to their destination safely, the carpenter building a house, the mother building a home, the school teacher encouraging and equipping a child… you can please God in any job that reflects His plan for your life.
Do you remember the movie “Chariots of Fire”? When one of the men was asked why he devoted so much time to running, he answered, “God made me to run. When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.”
Why is it that most people don’t feel God’s pleasure in their work? Surveys tell us that up to 80 percent of people in America are in the wrong job; they are working in jobs that do not reflect their strengths. In other words, they are not doing what God made them to do. Why? Because they let our culture’s values and standards (what pays the most and has the quickest promotions) determine where they are going to work.
The Bible, on the other hand, says, “Don’t conform outwardly to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you’ll be able to know the will of God” (Romans 12:2).
There are, however, two important considerations that must be mentioned. First, in almost every job there are things we won’t enjoy doing. Nevertheless, they must be done, so we just do them. Second, some jobs are what we might call “transition jobs” – jobs we take while waiting or preparing for our permanent career. Anyone who has worked while in school knows about transition jobs.
How can we worship God through our work when we are in a transition job? By doing two things. First, by working as though we are working for God. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ.”
Then second, we worship God through our work by having love as our No. 1 motive for working. 1 Corinthians 16:14 tells us to “Do all your work in love.” Any job can be turned into worship when you model Christ’s love in it to your coworkers, clients and boss. As John Ruskin once observed, “When love and skill come together, expect a masterpiece.”
