JDL - Direction Forty-seven - Living to Work or Working to Live?

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31 (ESV))

Although we have touched on this topic earlier, now we want to revisit this topic and in a little more depth.

“I can’t wait for the weekend, I have so many things planned.” “Why do Mondays have to come on Monday?” “Today (speaking about Wednesday) is ‘hump day.’” “Last week I must have worked 80 hours.” “I want to get in as much overtime as possible; that is where the big money is.” Fridays have become “casual dress day.” Is your life lived from weekend to weekend? Is your life lived for your job or your work? Is your work a job? In the next few minutes I want to incite you to do some thinking about your work, your job and your attitude toward life and your reason for living.

We live in a great country, a free country, a country founded on the principle of capitalism and being able to raise yourself up and make something of yourself. Granted, I could not think of any place I would rather live than in the United States of America, but how do our “principles for living” affect our thinking and our living? Is the only value of life living for the weekend? Is our only value in life the position we obtain at work? Is our only value of life the amount of money we bring home? Or is there more to life than these things?

Too often when work becomes a job we get to the point where we do “look forward to the weekend.” And when the weekend comes we over do it so that Monday is a tough day and really is a day of recovery from over doing it on the weekend. Unfortunately in this scenario we waste five of seven days which are days that we could use for better living. When our job brings our self worth, either because of our position or because of our salary or because of the prestige, then our whole being revolves around something of which we have only some “control.” What happens if we lose our job, if our company folds, if we get demoted, etc.? Do we then lose our identity? And what happens when we just get into a rut and are tired of working for the boss and making money for the business?

Maybe it is time for a change of view and a change of attitude? Have you ever thought about the fact that whatever your work, job, career, that you are not just working for someone else, your supervisor, your employer, your boss? As a Christian you are working for the Lord! Are you doing the best you can do in your work for yourself, for your boss, for the company, or for the Lord? God has called each one of us to faith. He does this by the power of the Holy Spirit working through the means of grace, the Word (the Bible) and Holy Baptism. God also gives to each one of us gifts, talents and abilities. He gives to us all that we need, and He also provides for us a way (a job, a vocation) to make a living in order to feed, cloth and shelter our families. He calls us to faith, and He calls us to vocation. What we tend to forget is that, as He has called us to vocation, He desires us to work in our vocation in such a way that we show the faith that is in our hearts. In other words, that we work as if we are working for Him. What a difference we could make if everyone in the world worked as if they were working for the Lord. What a difference of attitude we might have if we all worked as if we were working for the Lord.

I was raised to take pride in my work, not that I am boastful or vain in my work, but to do my work in such a way that I would be willing to sign my work. My first “real” job, working part time at a small, home-owned department store, was a job of mixed jobs, sweeping, moping the floors, putting merchandise together (bikes, trikes, etc.), selling merchandise, waiting on customers, etc. I was taught, “when someone walks through the front door, stop what you are doing, go to them and ask, “How may I help you?” I was also taught that even when I was not in the store working, when other people saw me on the street, whatever I was doing, however I was acting, reflected on the place of business where I worked.

Let me translate that into what I am trying to say. First and foremost God has created us to love us. God has called us to faith. He has called us to respond by working for Him. He has saved us to do the good works which He has prepared for us to do (Eph. 2:10). As a Christian, wearing the name of Christ, wherever we are, whatever we do, our whole life, all reflects on our relationship with Jesus; thus, it is imperative that we remember that whether we are at work or at play, whatever we do, we are to do all things, living our lives as Jesus directs us.

Think About
What do your actions say about your relationship with Jesus? How does your life witness your faith in Jesus?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gifts of life, faith, forgiveness, and vocation. Forgive us when we fail to reflect our faith through our work. Help us to live and work in such a way to give glory to Your holy name, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.