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.

—Colossians 3:23–24

Most of us have had more than one job in our lifetime, and many of us have had several. I daresay that most of us have had a job that we’d rather forget—maybe because the work was monotonous, we experienced conflict with a coworker or boss, or we weren’t fairly compensated for our time and effort.

Yet some of our jobs have been a joy, whether it was because we liked the work itself, had great relationships with coworkers, or had a boss who mentored us and helped us grow professionally and personally.

In the United States, our identities are often wrapped up in our job titles. This is especially evident at social gatherings. When you meet someone, often the first question asked is “So, what do you do for a living?” We feel that knowing what someone does for work can tell us something about them, such as their interests, skills, and personality.

Work Was Never Meant to Be a Burden

Though the idea might be inconceivable to us, work was never intended to be burdensome. When God created the world, He also instituted work as part of His perfect design. We’re told that “The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.… Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (Genesis 2:8, 15). Originally, work was meant to be a source of joy and fulfillment, a way for mankind to exercise stewardship over the Lord’s beautiful creation.

Sadly, this blessed perfection didn’t last. After Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God handed down punishments, telling Adam specifically, “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:17–19).

Because of sin, the ground itself was transformed from a place of abundant provision, where the Lord “made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food,” into a place of scarcity, where in spite of Adam’s labors it would yield “thorns and thistles” (Genesis 2:9, 3:18). Work remained essential for survival because it provided food, but it wouldn’t necessarily be enjoyable.

The Difficulty of Work Isn’t an Excuse for Idleness

Work can be mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting. However, idleness isn’t a suitable antidote to these difficulties. Proverbs 21:25–26 issues the following warning: “The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare.” God had commanded the Israelites to care for the widows, orphans, and other needy people in their midst; able-bodied men were expected to work.

Yet as we see in these verses from Proverbs, men could be more inclined to covet what others had instead of earning for themselves, explicitly breaking God’s commandments.

In the New Testament, Paul wrote a similar admonition to the church at Thessalonica: “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread” (2 Thessalonians 3:10–12). Paul chastises some of the saints for being idle and wasting time by gossiping and being more concerned with others’ affairs than with working.

Based on earlier verses, it also seems that they were eating bread that others had earned: “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us” (2 Thessalonians 3:7–9). Paul reminded his readers that he and his brothers had earned their keep while doing their mission work (his trade was tentmaking, as mentioned in Acts 18:3), to set an example for the other believers.

God Cares About Our Heart Toward Our Work

Scripture shows that work is integral to both a thriving society and a healthy church. As it says in Psalm 128:2, “When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.” Particularly in the body of Christ, work should be a priority. Refusing to do so demonstrates not only a disregard for the blessing of work itself but also for our God-given talents and the ability to support ourselves and our family.

Of course, some people are unable to work, perhaps due to physical impairment. And other people, such as mothers who stay home with their children, choose not to be in the labor force. But these aren’t the types of people being addressed in these verses from Proverbs and 2 Thessalonians.

The crux of the matter is our heart. Our work, no matter what we do for a living, is an opportunity to glorify God, as we serve and love our neighbors through the labor of our hands. In each responsibility and task before us on any given day—from household chores and caregiving to team projects and presentations—we serve as Christ’s ambassadors. Every duty, when undertaken with thanksgiving to the Lord, gains eternal significance.

Because we’re sinful, at times we’re ungrateful for our jobs. Other times, our jobs can become idols that steal us away from our God-given responsibilities and priorities. When we’re disgruntled with our jobs, we might complain, cut corners, or not complete tasks to the best of our abilities. We grow weary and resent having to work hard, or we wish we earned more money or had a more prestigious title. In those moments, we can repent and seek forgiveness. We also can remember these verses from Colossians, which remind us that every task, big or small, carries profound significance when we do it unto Him.

Our Joyful Labor Can Witness to Others

A nation full of hardworking people truly is a blessing, providing the backbone of a robust economy, which can be a rising tide that lifts all ships.

Though we Christians find our identity in Christ, the talents and skills He’s given us are part of how we’re “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). When we joyfully labor and appreciate the significance of our work, knowing that it’s not done in vain if done for the Lord, we can encourage and inspire everyone around us.

And who knows? Maybe one day, a coworker, customer, or client will ask you about your joyful approach to work, and you can share the “reason for the hope that is in you”—the salvation you have in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom you serve and from whom you’ll receive an eternal inheritance (1 Peter 3:15).

Prayer

Gracious Lord, You have blessed us with unique talents and skills that we can put to use in our labors, whatever they may be, to bring honor and glory to Your holy name. Forgive us for the times we haven’t appreciated this blessing or recognized that our labors give us opportunities to serve our Lord Jesus Christ, love our neighbor, and share the Gospel. Please help us to do our work with joy and with thanksgiving, in Jesus’s name. Amen.

For Further Reflection

• How often do you pray about your work? If you’re not in this habit, consider writing a prayer that you can read each day before you begin the work God has prepared in advance for you to do.
• Every day, we encounter people who are working hard—cashiers, mail carriers, servers, teachers, stay-at-home moms, nurses, and so forth. Consider how you could show your appreciation for these individuals, encouraging them in their labors and asking the Lord to bless the work of their hands.

Excerpt taken from One Nation Under God: 40 Devotions for Patriotic Women by Amanda C. Bauch.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version^®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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