Working Unto the Lord

The purpose God intended for us is to bring glory to Jesus in all aspects of our lives, including the workplace. The workplace is such a diverse concept—it could be a home office twenty feet from one’s bedroom, it could be a battlefield, a ball field, an aircraft, a car, a truck, or a cubicle in a building. Throughout my career, my workplace has been a ship, a small boat, and an operations center, but I've spent the most time in the cube-land so often portrayed in pop culture expressions like The Office and Dilbert. At times, it’s been challenging for me to find the joy and contentment that Paul speaks of in Philippians 4 on the job and in the workplace. The stress caused by more deadlines and projects than I could handle, the constant requirement to deal with difficult people and transactions, and sometimes the temptation to simply be free of all responsibility and become a beach bum far away, all conspired to shift my perspective away from glorifying Jesus. So what to do as a bread-winning husband and father who also wants to find joy and contentment—and to make a difference for Jesus—at work? There are some killer passages found in Scripture to directly address this question. My personal favorites are 2 Chronicles 15:7; Colossians 3:17, 23–24; 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12; 5:16–18; and Ephesians 6:5–8. In the 2 Chronicles 15:7 account, King Asa receives the throne of Judah after a short three-year reign by his dad, Abijah. Asa "did what was good and right in the eyes of the the Lord." In chapter 15, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon a prophet, Azariah, who shares God’s message with Asa, declaring, "But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." I love this verse because it so defeats the lies the enemy whispers: "you’re tired and deserve a break," or "your work doesn’t matter because you have no value to add," or "who cares if you work diligently and excellently," or "what a jerk so-and-so is." Our work does matter to Jesus. It is one of the primary venues in life where we can reflect Jesus by our diligence, excellence, and an attitude aligned with the New Testament passages listed above. So let me suggest that you take a few moments and read these passages bolded above. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you regarding attitude, effort, perspective, and, most of all, how to glorify Jesus at work—regardless of where that might be. After all, our boss is a Jewish carpenter, and it is to Him alone that we offer our sacrifice and our praise for the privilege of serving in the workplace.