How To Approach Work as a Christian
Before sin entered the world, work was an essential part of God’s design for mankind (Genesis 2:15). God invited Adam to serve Him by tending the Garden. It was a role that was meant to bring joy and honor but became twisted by Adam and Eve’s rebellion. Now in our Western culture, work is viewed as a necessary evil, something we must begrudgingly endure in order to get to the “golden years” of retirement. Leisure and ease are our motivators as we “live for the weekend.” In the words of Aristotle, “We work to have leisure, on which happiness depends.”
But throughout the Bible God asks his people to live separate from the world’s misguided mentality. We are called to view our vocations with a radically different mindset. Although rest and leisure are not inherently wrong, they shouldn’t become the goals of our labors. Rather, we should view our jobs as a special vehicle for bringing God’s good news into a secular world.
Recognize Your True Job Title
When getting to know someone a common question we ask is, “what do you do?” Our vocations have become intrinsically linked to our personal identities. But before we were doctors, businessmen/women, homemakers, etc. we belonged to God. As Christians, our primary and most important identity is “dearly loved child.” And from that identity our job title transforms to “Ambassador for Christ.”
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
The life we live in Christ removes our need for personal recognition. We are no longer the main character in our story. This selfless posture should also saturate our vocations. If we were called to live for ourselves, then we would be justified in our anger when our co-workers disrespect us. Or we would feel comfortable with cutting corners in order to achieve our goals. But instead, we are given an unshakable confidence through our position in Christ to strive to “be blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:14) This hard work and commitment to holiness will intrigue the world in the best ways possible.
Remember God’s Sovereignty
When we commit to viewing work through a Gospel-lens we inevitably face challenges. There will always be co-workers that test your patience, bosses that abuse their power, clients that monopolize your time. But when we return to our Gospel identities, we are able to remember that God has purpose in every detail of our lives, including our places of work. That the people and circumstances around us are hand-picked by God himself for the purpose of achieving His good and perfect will.
The co-worker who is nice to your face but gossips about you behind your back is someone that God divinely placed in proximity to you, a Christ follower. You might be the only Christian that they know and if you let their offense blind you from remembering God’s compassion, you won’t be able to see them as souls. Being an ambassador for Christ means that we turn the other cheek and fight to display Christ’s love in the workplace even when it hurts. Just as Jesus completed the work of salvation even when our sins didn’t deserve forgiveness.
God is ultimately the one that changes people’s hearts, but what grace that we may participate in the process by loving our co-workers/clients well.
Rejoice in God’s Grace
Reorienting our perception of work is not only intimidating, but hard. It is unnatural for us, sinful beings, to desire humility and service. As long as we are this side of Heaven, we will struggle with displaying Christ through righteousness. But God offers us new mercies each morning. He promises to be with us as we fight to love our co-workers and work hard even when our work feels in vain.
Christian, fight for God’s original plan for work. As with any pursuit of holiness, we know that what honors God brings peace and joy. We will feel more fulfilled by the Gospel influence we have in our workplaces than any promotion or success. Instead of “living for the weekend” live for the transformation of people’s souls. That is the true and lasting work we are called to.