The value of work

Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working" (John 5:17).

How do you feel about work?

Some people see work as a necessary evil, something you have to do in order to put food on the table and pay the rent. They punch the clock grudgingly, take long breaks, and try to get away with doing as little as possible without getting fired. They get through each shift by planning how they will use their time off.

Others see work as a way to achieve their goals. They might use their jobs to make a name for themselves. They might use their jobs to travel the world, seeing new places and meeting new people. They might use their jobs to sharpen their minds or improve their health.

And then there are those who see their jobs as a way to serve others. They might use their jobs to improve the environment or feed the hungry. They might use their jobs to cure the sick or give comfort to the suffering. They might use their jobs to defend the weak or help travelers safely reach their destinations.

God designed men and women to work. Even in paradise, there was work to do; the Bible says The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Genesis 2:15). In the New Testament Paul writes, If a man will not work, he shall not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

Of course, life was different in paradise. Work was not backbreaking or tedious. A wise man once said, "a man who enjoys what he is doing will never work a day in his life." When we are doing work that we like the hours fly by, and when the day is over we feel good about what has been accomplished. That’s what life was like in the Garden of Eden.

Regrettably, sin has changed all that. Sin has made us selfish, bringing conflict into the workplace. Sin has cursed the world with inefficiency and accidents, with stress and disappointment. Yet despite of all the aggravations, God still expects us to work—work at making the world a better place for each other, dedicating our efforts to His glory.