In the last post we briefly talked about Jesus’ business/work life… so what about your business/work life… what does it portray to the people around you? Is it telling them that you are obsessed with your job or position, and do they observe you idolizing yourself through your work. Maybe they see you being careless in your work and disrespectful toward your employer or those over you. Some Christians even believe they can neglect their job responsibility in order to do something spiritual to try to please God. Such idea and behavior is contrary to God’s view of work. If we think we have to do something spiritual at work to make our work valuable to God, then we lack in understanding why our work is honorable and valuable to Him.

So where did the idea of work come from? A proper understanding of the origin of work can directly affect our attitude and motivation in how we do our work. At the beginning of the Bible, in the book of Genesis, we read the account of God working to create the world. We are told that for 6 days He worked and on the seventh He rested and enjoyed what He made (Genesis 2:2-3). When He created man (Adam) and woman (Eve) He gave them the responsibility to work as caretakers of His garden (Genesis 2:8, 15). Catch this! The idea of work was not some concept that God made up apart from Himself, or some activity to occupy humans. Instead the idea of work comes out of God’s character and nature. When He made humans, He created us in His image, and our bearing His image, means work is part of our make-up and identity. This being true… then our work finds its ultimate purpose and meaning in our Creator and not in our transitory achievements, positions, and monetary gains. When we do our work wholeheartedly as unto God, we find our greatest pleasure and bare witness of His image to those around us. (Colossians 3:10, 22-24)

Paul Curtas, Author of “When God Shows Up At Work”