This Sunday Pastor Andrew will be preaching on the blessing of working diligently. A recent Gallup survey of the American workforce revealed that 71% are “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” from their work.[1] Talk about Orwellian doublespeak, just how does one go about being “actively disengaged”?!? Regardless of the how we describe it, the diagnosis is straightforward: a large majority of workers hate their work. As a Christian this saddens me. With such large numbers of disaffection I know there are many Christians included in these survey results that feel the same way about their work. And hey, work is after all a four-letter word; surely it must be under the curse!
But what does God say about work? Is work something man must do now because of sin? Actually, before the fall of man, God placed him on the earth and expected him to work. He explicitly speaks of work in Genesis 2:
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
And He implicitly implies work is a blessing in Genesis 1:28:
“And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing the moves on the earth.’”
When Forbes magazine reported on the survey, columnist Carmine Gallo joked, “I can see the reaction now among managers and HR professionals across corporate America: Beef up incentives and perks like gift cards and free lunches.”[2] He, quite rightly, argued that nobody is going to leap out of bed on a Monday morning because the lunchroom offers free pop in the vending machine. Instead, Gallo writes, “People want to be inspired. They want to work toward a higher purpose and feel good about themselves and their leader.” I don’t necessarily disagree with the author, but I wonder how, outside of the Christian faith, the majority of the workforce will find either their work meaningful or their leader inspiring.
As Christians, we know we are purposefully created by God. Paul writes to the Ephesians: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10)” God desires to bless and establish the work of our hands (see Deuteronomy 2:7; Ps 90:17). May I encourage you to not despise whatever work God has gifted to you at this particular point in your life. He calls his work for you good; walk in it purposefully, thankfully, and joyfully all to his Glory.
Much love,
~ Pastor Gary
p.s. Stay tuned for a seminar series this fall on “Faith and Work”.
[1] http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2011/11/11/your-emotionally-disconnected-employees/
[2] ibid