What Are You Working For?
Last week, I packed up my classroom, cleaned out and organized my cabinet, and wrapped up all the loose ends of the 2019-2020 school year. Now, my summer has officially begun.
While I am looking forward to a slight change of pace and a little more flexibility in my schedule, I do want to make sure my summer is productive. I am blessed to have this summer "off", and to be able to fill my school hours with writing instead, but as the summer begins, I am faced with the necessity of prioritizing all the things I would like to do.
John 6:27 stood out to me afresh this week.
"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed."
This verse has been on my mind recently, as I have considered my priorities. It brings up the question, "What am I working for?" Is the purpose of my efforts to make money? Is it to get approval or popularity? Is it to fuel my pride? Or is it, as Jesus often said, to do the work of my heavenly Father?
That is a question all Christians should consider, regardless of what kind of work they find in front of them. The world has its answers: to move up the corporate ladder, to afford a better lifestyle, to keep up with their peers, to get fame or fortune, or just to scrape by and keep food on the table.
But a Christian's answer must go deeper. We have more than just our physical life to consider: we have a spiritual life, an eternal perspective, and a perfect Master. All this should give us a different focus. It should cause us to stop and ask God each morning, "How can I honor and glorify You through my work today?"
This holds true for the carpenter, business executive, auto mechanic, teacher, or stay-at-home mom. Your job description isn't the point: what matters is that God wants to use your work for His glory.
From another angle, this question can be stated, "How can I represent Christ well through my work today?" This is one that I am especially considering with my writing. A writer's work is a reflection of who he or she is. As a Christian, I want the things I write to reflect not who I am as a person, but who I am in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:20 reminds us that "we are ambassadors for Christ", and even in prison, Paul speaks of being "an ambassador in bonds". (Ephesians 6:20) No matter what circumstance Paul found himself in, he focused on representing Christ well.
How we work will showcase why we work, and if we are working for men's approval or for our own gain, those around us will surely be able to tell. They will see that our motives are no different than theirs. But when we work, not out of necessity or greed or desire to impress our boss, but as unto the Lord, the contrast will be unmistakable. As we seek to reflect Christ in our work, God will be glorified and others will have the chance to glimpse what our God is like. This question is of the utmost importance, for on it hangs what the people around us will think of our God. Because He has chosen us to be His ambassadors, His reputation hangs upon ours.
So, let's take a look into our hearts and find the answer to the important question:
What are you working for?