We Don't Labor in Vain

The other day my son-in-law asked me a humorous question he had received in an e-mail: "If you try to fail, and you succeed, which have you done?"

Here's another question: "If you aim at nothing and hit it, what have you achieved?" Thoreau noted that most people "lead lives of quiet desperation." Who can calculate the amount of quiet desperation many workers feel as they drag themselves out of bed to face yet another day in what they perceive as a pointless, dead-end job? Long ago Solomon wrote, "There is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work." But he also spoke for a lot of weary laborers when he observed, "What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless" (Ecclesiastes 2:22, 23, 3:22).

It's unrealistic to think your job will always be enjoyable; but if you see yourself as a co-laborer with God, you can always find meaning in your work. Even with his worries about the weather, a Christian farmer partners with God to produce food. Though she grows weary of the endless parade of minor sore throats and serious human suffering, a Christian doctor or nurse heals the sick in partnership with the Great Physician. A godly homemaker demonstrates love for God by caring for the needs of her family, and believers salt the earth with the flavor of Christ as they scatter to factories, stores, schools, and office buildings.

David's career included stints as a shepherd, soldier, king, and part-time songwriter. Baruch served as Jeremiah's secretary. Joseph was a carpenter. Matthew worked for the first-century version of the IRS. Peter caught fish (sometimes). Lydia bought and sold high-quality purple fabric. Cornelius was a soldier. Priscilla and Aquila made tents.

Christ is Lord of all—including the workplace. We are saved by grace, but "we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" (Ephesians 2:8-10). Scripture tells us several reasons to honor God in our daily jobs:

1. God himself engaged in creative work, so when we are productive and creative, we reflect his image in us (Genesis 2:2).
2. In the Law of Moses, God not only commanded his people to rest on the Sabbath Day, but also to work six days a week (Exodus 20:9, 10).
3. Our earnings provide "something to share with those in need" (Ephesians 4:28).
4. Diligence on the job enhances our witness by earning the respect of those who don't know Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12).
5. By staying busy, we avoid the temptations that come with laziness (2 Thessalonians 3:10-13).
6. Our earnings enable us to provide for our families (1 Timothy 5:8).
7. The workplace provides opportunities to demonstrate hope and answer the questions of others who are curious about the Lord (1 Peter 3:15).
8. Work gives us a sense of dignity as we use our gifts for the common good (1 Peter 4:10).

Our jobs may not pay as much as we would like, the hours may be long and exhausting, our coworkers may cause us frustration, office politics and difficult decisions may leave us feeling drained. But we can still find meaning in our work if we remember we're "working for the Lord, not for men" (Colossians 3:23). That's why the Bible says, "Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58).