Your Work Matters to God

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17

Can you whistle while you work? A memorable song in Walt Disney’s animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is “Whistle While You Work,” sung by Snow White as she sweeps the dwarfs’ cottage. While that probably is the ideal of all working men and women, I have found that the opposite is often the case. Most people I know don’t like their jobs very much at all. In fact, instead of whistling, they grumble, seeing work as drudgery, a necessary evil for a paycheck.

I’ve noticed this is especially true during times of recession, when in many areas jobs seem to be scarce and people are relieved just to be employed. They aren’t worried about enjoying the job or being fulfilled. In fact, many people hate what they do for a living. This attitude is a problem when we consider how much time we spend at work, at least a third of every workday. If we spend another third sleeping, there’s only a third left for enjoyment, ministry, and meaningful activity. It’s no wonder that many people feel as though their lives are meaningless.
In the midst of all this, however, I have good news--our work matters to God. In other words, it is possible to find meaning and purpose in our jobs, even though right now they may seem to be a waste of time. I’d like to explain at least part of what I mean. At the outset, I must credit a book published by NavPress with a similar title, Your Work Matters to God, for many of these ideas.

First of all, our work matters to God because work has intrinsic value. God, himself, is a worker--he created the universe; we read in the Old Testament how he worked in history, especially in the nation of Israel; he worked in and through Christ to redeem us; and through the Holy Spirit, he works today in us. Work also has intrinsic value because God created people as workers and as his coworkers. At creation, God gave Adam and Eve work to do in the garden, tending the garden, naming the animals, ruling the earth--it was a privilege, a gift--they would be partners with God. And this work assignment came before the fall. Work is not a curse--it is a blessing. God honors us by making us coworkers with him.

Second, our work matters to God because it has instrumental value. Through work we serve people; through work we meet our own needs; through work we meet our families’ needs; through work we earn money to give to others; through work we love God. Of course there is the reality of sin--we do live in a fallen world. In fact, at the fall the ground was cursed, so work became difficult. And because of the sin nature of all human beings, there will always be struggles with selfishness, corruption, twisted values, waste, poor treatment of workers, and illegitimate or trivial jobs. But we can honor and love God through our work, even in a fallen world. Remember that your work matters to God.