Work often does not hold the place in society that it once held. There are those who do take their work seriously, but too many instead look for ways to avoid the various labors of life. The Bible places a high premium on work and performing our various tasks should ultimately be viewed as a type of worship to our Lord who has given us both the work and the ability to do the work. Viewing work from the proper perspective is critical to understanding its place in our lives and in understanding the God who has placed us here to glorify Him through our efforts laboring with our hands.
Historically, Americans have been hard workers. This country was literally built by the sweat of the brows of many people who had vision and determination to see their dreams become reality. There is an entrepreneurial spirit which has existed, almost from day one, and has driven people to be innovative and strive harder.
In honor of this Labor Day holiday, I wish to share something I came across recently in my reading. This brief article presents a very interesting picture of work that is both simple, yet profound.
Engrained deep within the American spirit is the Puritan work ethic, which places a high moral value on doing a good job because work has intrinsic value for its own sake. To the Puritan, all of life was to be lived in relation to God, a principle which gave sacred significance to every activity. Work was valued as a vital part of their service and worship to God, and they took the Bible seriously when it said, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17). Just as the Israelites were instructed to work six days and then rest on the seventh (Ex. 20:9-10), the Puritans regarded work and worship as a lifestyle of obedience to Christ.
God Himself taught us this by example as He created this universe and all that is in it. He could have merely thought creation into being, but He took six days and rested on the seventh. Man was created in God’s image with a purpose, to work by creating a desirable habitat (Gen. 1:28). Man was created to work toward the betterment of both himself and others for six days, and then the Sabbath rest offers opportunities for worship that renew the spirit.
When God completed His creation, He declared it “very good” – the quality was a reflection of His character. Similarly, the quality of our work reflects our personal character. Whatever our trade or craft, we should do all to the glory of God and in the service of mankind. God is worthy of the best we can offer, for He has endowed us with gifts to be used for the good of all. God has designed our labor to have dignity and consequence.
This spiritual heritage has led America to be the strongest economic powerhouse in the history of the world. There is no desire in this independent spirit to simply exist on handouts from a government agency or siphon off a living from benevolence or friendships. And it flies in the face of a pleasure-oriented society that exalts leisure above all else. The object of life is not to see how much work can be avoided or how much fun we can have, but to give our very best “with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. (Eph. 6:7)” (Taken from The Patriot’s Study Bible; an article entitled “The Principle of the Work Ethic;” pg. 1354)
In Christ,
Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor
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