How would you answer this question: “How is God being glorified through your job at the workplace?” It is a tension that Christians seem to grapple with. What does God think about your work? For that matter, what does He think about work period? The idea of work either came from God’s character, or you must prove to God that your work or workplace is somehow worthy of His approval. There are two extremes people seem to gravitate toward in trying to figure this out.
DETERMINING SUCCESS
One extreme leads people to think that God gets greater glory through your work to the extent of your ability to achieve success and gain status in it. It goes like this… the more you achieve, the greater opportunity you have to be used of God. There is nothing wrong with achieving and being promoted, it is commendable. However, you do not need to reach a certain status level in the business world to be a success in glorifying God. Oh yes, God uses this, but it is not what determines success in His eyes. One of the many wonderful stories in the Bible is the story of Gideon, the farmer. One day he was out working in his field and God sent an angel to him with a message. The angel addressed Gideon by saying, “The Lord be with you…O valiant warrior” (Judges 6:11-12). Gideon, was astonished by the presence of the angel but even more astounded by being addressed as a “valiant warrior.” God did just that, he used Gideon, the farmer, to defeat a fierce enemy. The way God did it still baffles military strategists. When God is working through us, He does things that confound human statistics and strategies. God is producing in us an eternal weight in glory that will outlast the fading records or achievements of humans.
PROVING WORTH
The other extreme to which people can go is to try and prove that their job is worthy to God by somehow doing something spiritual in it to give it divine value and approval. Just talk about the Christian’s responsibility at work and you will see this mindset arise. There can be an immediate association of the value of work based on whether or not you witness or evangelize to people at work. There is nothing we can do to give intrinsic value and purpose in work. This comes from God himself… the fact that He worked in creating the world (Genesis 1) and that Jesus worked as a carpenter (Mark 6:2-3). This tell us that work was not some idea He thought up… instead, it is part of who God is. We are made in the image of God which makes work a part of our makeup as a person. When you do your work wholeheartedly as unto Him, you reflect something about God that He designed to be seen as you do our work (Titus 2:9-10).
THE SOURCE OF OUR VALUE
But there is another angle we must not miss. Though the basis of work is good and holy, because it comes out of God’s character, it is currently being affected by sin and evil. We are working for people and with people that have no interest in God. Both sin and selfishness can infect their work, but our working under these conditions points to our calling to shine as light in darkness, and to be like salt in tasteless and deteriorating work situations. God has put His people on the move out in the world with a mission. As children of light, we will confront the darkness of people, not belligerently, but naturally in our contact with them. Our witness is twofold: We are to act out the Gospel of Christ to people, our coworkers, and then be ready to speak as opportunities present themselves. This will come naturally as we see our jobs as a service unto God first, then unto people and to the companies under whom we work.
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Colossians 3:23-24
This article was written by Paul M. Curtas, General Director of FCAP. Paul is also author of the book “When God Shows Up at Work”, which is now available in German and Spanish, as well as English. Visit our web site for more details.