Working Just like Our Heavenly Father:

I have recently just started a book by Timothy Keller called “Every Good Endeavor.”  This book is really a great book on the importance of work, and how work is a very godly thing to do.  It is a part of God’s plan for humanity, and it is not something we just have to bear or live through.  It should not be considered an unnecessary evil, but rather it should be considered a way to live by God’s example.  

The first thing I loved about this book was the showcase of God as a worker.  It is a good reminder that even before there ever was sin in the world, God was working.  He wanted the chance to be a creative person.  He created the light and darkness in the world.  He created the oceans.  He created the heavens. Then he went back and added some more details. He then added the creatures and the people who were going to occupy the world, so there could be more life and movement.

God also gives us the opportunity to work.  This was mentioned in the book as a reminder, but God did actually give Adam a task to do.  He told Adam to go into the world and name all the animals.  He also gave Adam and Eve the opportunity to work and garden the crops.  Yes, this was even before the fall. This is said in Genesis 2:15,  “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”  The fall and sin meant the labor was going to be hard, but the actual idea of working in and of itself was something God thought was very good and essential for a thriving lifestyle even before sin was in the picture.  

This book also does a really good job of showing that it is not just any jobs Christians need to have.  Sometimes society, especially in the west, can look down on certain jobs.  The ones with the intellectual jobs can look down on those who have manual labor jobs or who are working a service job.  However, throughout the Bible, it shows that any job can have an importance.  Jesus came down and started work as a carpenter, and a lot of his followers had jobs like being a fisherman.    

Other people Jesus would commonly work with were tax collectors.  Granted at the time, they were not the most respected profession, but that was only if they were not following the law well.  The main reason people during the time of Jesus didn’t always respect the tax collectors was because of their behavior and their attitudes towards the job.  They were taking their job and using it for granted, their power and their position to receive more money than they were supposed to. He just wanted them to respect people while they were respecting their job.   Because of this, Jesus would become their friends and would even try to inspire them to become believers and then leaders of how to be a Christian while also being a tax collector.  

There is more information on how to be a better worker throughout the New Testament.  Paul really speaks to the importance of working.  One verse I want to use as an example is Galatians 6:4-5 which says, “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.”  I love this verse because this is a good reminder to work really hard, but not in the way of taking pride, but rather there should be more focus on doing your particular “load.”  Load, here I would say, means the task or the calling God has set on a particular person.  

The challenge for this week is to spend time being grateful for your job.  Write down a list of ten things you really love and appreciate about the job or the jobs you have currently.  I am not saying they are perfect.  I am not saying you need to stay there till the end of time, but it is a good thing to practice being really grateful for the jobs we do have.  There may be at least a few people you do really enjoy meeting with.  There may be one chance to work on certain tasks you enjoy.  There is something about the job that brings you joy.  I hope you take the time to reflect on this work to really bring work going closer to God.  That joy just might inspire others to become believers as well.