Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. Ecclesiastes 9:10
Your ultimate boss is never another person. You work for yourself and your God. If you can wax a floor well, the shine on that floor declares the glory of God and puts in a good word for you, too. Some of us are in management positions and the way we manage, advertise and compete reflects on our God.
God has been active from the beginning
The Bible is a pro-work document. Remember, work was not assigned to Adam as a punishment for sin. Human beings were put to work before they sinned. Genesis 2:15 tells us Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. After Adam and Eve sinned, work became more difficult. Thorns and thistles frustrated Adam's farming. His work required more sweat and toil. But work itself is no punishment from sin. It is a good thing.
Jesus, the perfect reflection of God, also worked. We are created in the image of God and in our work we reflect God. Jesus tells us in John 9:4 "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.
Work, not idleness, is the glory of God. When we display a work ethic we are a reflection of God’s glory. Things such as goodness, honesty, faithfulness, integrity and excellence all reflect the character of God in our lives.
We should view all of our tasks, jobs or work as service to God. Martin Luther understood this:
"The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays -- not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on his shoes, but by making good shoes because God is interested in good craftsmanship."
Is God really concerned about good craftsmanship? Take a look at the world around us! View the intricate design of the wings of birds so they can fly, the remarkable engineering of the eye to see, a sun just the right distance and size and a moon just the right size, distance, speed for tides. The world is full of all kinds of remarkable craftsmanship from God. Aren't you glad God is a good craftsman? If God is concerned with good craftsmanship, we should be as well.
We also reflect the character of God in how we do our work.
This is why I like to remind young people that school is service to God. Moral behavior as well as doing your best and getting good grades are all a reflection of God’s character in you! When you study, do homework and get excellent grades this is a reflection on family, church, and God.
When you go to work and get a job, it is the same thing. Not only your moral character, but how you perform your job speaks of God’s influence in your life. When you work faithfully and do your job well it is a reflection of God in you. Good work is a reflection of the God we serve. Think about it...when people watch you perform your job, do they have reason to think more highly of your God?
Scripture to Claim:
…for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13
