Often work is seen as a necessary drudgery, something to endure until the weekend. However, God created work and calls it good. In Genesis 1:28 God told Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Genesis 1:31 says that God saw all that he made and it was good.
God has meaningful work for us too. We often fail to realize the remarkable privilege of working hand-in-hand with the Creator of the Universe. Paul tells the Corinthians to "always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Cor 15:58b) Paul also tells them in 1 Corinthians 3:9 that they are God's fellow workers.
Many people in America live for weekends, vacations, and free time. Compounding this is the emphasis on self in our country: self-esteem, self-fulfillment, and self-image. This leads to self-absorption which is a miserable way to live.
The fulfillment, esteem, and feeling good about yourself is found not in weekends or vacations, but in work, the very thing God commanded us to do from the beginning. Our attitude determines whether our work fulfills us. Ephesians 6:7 says to serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men. When we view work as service to the Lord, we elevate even menial tasks to important work.
We have a neighbor named Fred, a spry 94 year old wonder. He's in charge of an exercise classes three days a week where he sets up chairs and starts the DVD. He also works at his church by picking up trash on the grounds. Fred always has a smile on his face and a kind word for everyone. He looks and acts like 74 instead of 94. His servant spirit encourages everyone around him, including me.
Our pastor is preaching through Matthew. The last couple of Sundays he talked about being a servant as the way to greatness. Jesus, of course, is the ultimate servant and our example to follow. Jesus knows the joy of serving, and He wants that same joy for us.
What keeps coming up in conjunction with the word "work" is the word "serve." Could it be this is the key to enjoying our work, no matter what it is? Being a servant also takes care of the self-absorption that consumes so many people in our society.
What keeps us from living in a constant state of servanthood? Join me next time as we explore answers to this question.
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