It’s the last thing we want to do, but the only thing we can do if we expect to bring home a paycheck. It sometimes involves long hours, conflicts with management, and a hostile environment. If you haven’t guessed it yet, I’m talking about work. As we look forward to the observance of Labor Day, we ought to consider the significance of the first responsibility God gave mankind and its impact on our lives.
Work Is Good for You
In Genesis 2:15, we read: “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” God designed us for work. It’s healthy, and it gives us a sense of fulfillment. King Solomon would later write: “In all labour there is profit” (Proverbs 14:23a). Whether we are involved in God’s work or have a 9-to-5 office job, it is our privilege to work for the glory of God.
If work is so good for us, then why do many people dislike it so much? One of the reasons is the awareness of our inadequacies. Day after day, we’re confronted with our physical, emotional, and spiritual limitations. When you add other people, with their unique shortcomings and expectations, to the equation, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and fail — or even worse, give up.
Work Is Ministry
Some people feel if they isolate themselves from others, they will be able to work better. It’s true: When there are no other people to deal with at work, there’s no pressure, competition, and unfair treatment — and there’s no ministry. Yes, I just used the words “work” and “ministry” in the same sentence. Your workspace affords you a unique, God-given opportunity to impact others. That’s ministry, Friends. And you can’t have it without people.
Underqualified
The problem with dealing with our inadequacies at work centers not on the people we work with or on the magnitude of our responsibilities, but on our attitude towards them. Far too often, we trick ourselves into thinking we can’t perform any given task because (1) We failed last time. (2) We think someone else is more qualified. Since when has God turned anyone down from serving Him because of their past failures? Since when has anyone God called been qualified for the task at hand? If you want some real-life examples of underqualified servants, consider Moses (Exodus 3-4), Gideon (Judges 6), and Peter (John 18).
The fact is, God has called every Christian, and we are all underqualified. Rather than comparing ourselves to others or thinking about how much we can’t measure up, we need to take our flaws at face value — and get to work. We ought to do the best we can for God’s glory. Missionary John Beekman said this, “Human frailty dedicated to God can accomplish what armies can never do.” God works best through our weaknesses. Do you believe this?
The time will come when you must put these things into practice. It may be sometime today. It could be tomorrow. Perhaps it won’t be until next month or next year. Whether you fail or succeed, remember that once you have given God your best, you can trust Him to do the rest.
By Cameron Edwards
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