Work
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Work
Work
What is work?
How would you define work?
Work: activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something:
a) activity that a person engages in regularly to earn a livelihood
b) a specific task, duty, function, or assignment often being a part or phase of some larger activity
c) sustained physical or mental effort to overcome obstacles and achieve an objective result.
What are some jobs or roles that would be considered work?
Does all work result in tangible results i.e. money or paycheck?
I would guess that coming into today you have heard or even subscribed to several falsehoods when it comes to work. Work is hard, work is cursed, work is a result of the fall, etc.
#1 Is work a curse?
No—work is not a curse but work is hard because of the fall. We will talk later on about why we work and how it can be redeemed.
#2 Are there legitimate ways to make lots of money without having to work hard?
What are some of those ways?
God’s design for us to work hard and work smart. The author says, “Schemes to make money without skill and effort seek to circumvent God’s wisdom and will result in economic loss or dishonest gain, which will not be blessed.”
Work requires skill and/or effort. Some jobs take one or the other--I don’t trust anyone in this room to try and replace a valve on my heart. I don’t care how much you try and how much effort you put into it, I don’t believe you have the skill. A trained surgeon can probably do it pretty easily.
There are jobs that don’t take a ton of skill—most of you in here can mow my lawn, but I am going to hire the person that works hard and does it efficiently.
Some jobs take both—if you have ever seen concrete work done—those guys are highly skilled and work super hard, on their hands and knees all day.
Beware of sources of money that don’t require skill or effort—its probably a mirage and has a catch.
We are talking consistent sources of income, livable wages, not gifts or little things here and there.
#3 Is a college degree the answer to a lifetime of wealth?
NO—it can be a tool used to get to a certain job or level but its not the golden ticket.
#4 Should everyone have a job he or she loves?
Ideally you would have a job that is fulfilling. But, we are not promised that.
7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.
Paul certainly did not find as much satisfaction in making tents as he did preaching and yet he did it as to not be a burden to others and give an example of doing what needed to be done to make ends meet.
#5 Is it most fair for everyone to share equally in the community’s output?
Or to put it another way—is the best way for everyone to have equally—cars, houses, clothes, etc.
No—no where in the bible is this idea of socialism or communism taught nor expected. You see great wealth in the scriptures and great poverty. Solomon wasn’t rebuked for his wealth or riches but rather his actions.
Also—it doesn’t work. If I were to give every single one of you the same car—a 2022 Hyundai Tucson. Its a great car, easy to drive, fits 5 people, has some nice features. What would be the problems with me doing that?
Some of you need more than 5 seats, some can’t drive, some don’t like SUVs, some can’t afford the insurance, etc. Also, a year from now I guarantee they would no longer be equal—the way you take care of it vs the way I take care of it are different. Some of you may be missing the front bumper or may have a few scratches or dents. Some may be dirty inside while others are spotless. We all value and care for things differently and so while it may be equal for a time—over time the separation continues.
#6 Is profit evil?
Can it be evil—yes. Price gouging, taking advantage of someones weakness or affliction is evil and sinful. But fair, honest gain is not only not evil, its actually good.
#7 Does God want all his people to be rich?
This is a hard question isn’t it.
I’m guessing more than one of you have this hanging in your house:
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Plans to prosper, plans for welfare—we’re supposed to be rich!
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
We can do it—we can make lots of money and be rich and have all this money for God’s kingdom.
Yes, that may happen. But do you know what the verse before 4:13 is?
12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
If faithfulness results wealth, what was Paul doing wrong? Jew of all jews, he had the education, he was respected, he was faithful through many trials—shipwrecks, beatings, lynchings, imprisonment.
“I know how to be brought low, I know what the secret of facing hunger and need.”
27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
Lets look outside of Paul, lets look to Jesus. If God wants all to be wealthy certainly that would include his son?
58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
We will have trouble in this world but faithfulness does result in reward, in heaven. Sometimes we are blessed on this earth but we are not promised that.
So what is work? Let’s get back to that. First I want to cover two very important points about work.
God Works
The very first chapter of the bible is an account of God’s work, of him doing stuff.
31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, 26 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, 29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, 31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
God made all these things, he was working, creating.
Not only that, he is still working:
17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
He is holding all things together.
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
He is working the Redeemed even now.
2) God created humankind to work
We are meant to work—designed for work.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,
We are designed—we are meant to be working. Its good, not evil.
However, work is hard because of the fall. Sin has made work toilsome. Sin has not made work bad or evil, but rather hard and toilsome.
17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind. 18 I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, 19 and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, 21 because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? 23 For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.
Work has been these since the beginning.
If we were to draw a timeline of history. We can call this the history of work. Work has been here since creation. but there is a point, at the fall, that work went from enjoyable and fulfilling to hard and difficult to find satisfaction. Work did not go away or change, but sin has entered the picture and changed the way we view work.
Work can be hard and sometimes not due to anything we can control. We have unjust bosses.
1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.
Sound like some people you have heard of in the news. They build up riches by ill-gotten gain and it in the end it is worthless.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
3) God can redeem our work.
God commands us to work and instructs us that our labor has significance in God’s kingdom. Our work can have fulfilment and purpose.
4) Our work reflects our character.
One of the quickest ways to tell the character of a man is to watch how the work. I know its not perfect and all men are flawed or can give off false impressions. But show me a man who works hard and is faithful to his task and you will find a man of character.
In a lost and dying world there is no greater way we can be light and salt to those around us than how we work. When we are diligent and punctual we show our coworkers it matters. Have you ever thought about being on time and ready to work is part of your gospel witness. Working hard and faithfully for the entire duration of your shift is part of your character. Adhering to the companies policies on breaks, discounts, time off, etc. is part of your testimony.
I have been working for over 15 years in formal job settings. Not very long compared to some but longer than some of you have been alive. I remember those people whose character and testimony showed in their work. They were at work on time and ready to start before their shift was supposed to start. They clocked in and out on time and took appropriate breaks. They were the ones that when they were given a $10 break voucher and then spent $10.63 they brought the $0.63 to pay the difference. When given a task they did it well, promptly and efficiently.
Our work matters.
5) One more point on work—we will work in heaven.
On our timeline here we can end the end of it all, eternity—and yet work does not go away.
When it says all things are made new—all things are redeemed, that includes work.
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.
We don’t know much about what this work will look like—what will need done or what will be expected of us. We know we will still be serving the King but we will also be face to face with the King. But there will be work.
Quickly before we end lets talk about Success
Want to know how to be successful?
First let me add successful is relative and often we have unrealistic expectations so we think we have not be successful. But there are two ways to be successful:
Work Hard.
I know, the last thing you wanted to heard me say. Work hard. We all have that wise sage in your life that has told you this—son, if you ever want to be anything in life you have to work hard. If you want your marriage to work, your children to behave, your job to be rewarding—you have to work hard.
4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
24 The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
Oftentimes this can be a simple tradeoff—the harder you work and the more hours you work, the more you get paid!
Typically the employer highlights those that work hard with diligence and honesty and gives them more shifts or even a promotion.
in 21st century America, I have been around enough business owners and companies to know that if you are willing to work, work hard, and work diligently they will not only pay you but go above and beyond to take care of you.
Many of you have jobs—don’t fall into the worlds trap that you deserve XYZ just because you are working. Let’s us Eliza as an example—they are not paying Eliza because of her skills. There not, Ruthie, Anna, Summer, Elliott, Grant, they can come in and take your place and scoop ice cream just like you can. They are paying you because of the value you add to the company—the efficiency you work to increase throughfare, money you save by doing it right the first time and properly not over or under serving.
Those skills and reputation you are building will help you at this job but also at your future jobs. So when we say work hard and you will have success—that doesn’t mean that if you bust your butt at Country Cones you are going to make the same earnings that your dad does at his job, or I do at mine or etc. Success is relative to the situation but it requires hard work.
2. Work Smart
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
Develop skillsets that are desirable. Some of you have been gifted with skillsets that can be very desirable for certain jobs. The ability to remember numbers or information easily and quickly makes you really well suited for some high paying, highly satisfying jobs.
I have been in various positions of leadership at times. At one point I oversaw 18 varsity sports at Malone. Here at the church I have obviously led some various large events or projects. Let me share with you some skills that people have had that have made them very good workers—even high desirable workers.
Works with a good attitude. Is upbeat, encouraging, eager to help out others and get the task done
Listens. When you ask them to do something or give them instructions they listen and do it well—without trying to do it their own way or make changes based on what they think is best—sometimes what you need is someone that listens and does things without hassle. They may not see the whole picture and can’t see how this little piece fits in but they do it.
Adaptable. Is willing to flex as plans change or expectations very based on day or needs. This means whatever task they are helping with they do it well—from sweeping the floor to paying the bills to hanging drywall to carrying trash—it all is part of work and it all can be done well.
These are just a couple but those don’t have to do with certain natural skillsets, those are things you and I can choose to do everyday that help us work smart and be good workers. Those things are what helps lead to success.
“People pay for what you do and what you know”
Acquire skills—this can include education, training, apprenticeship, etc. It does not mean you have to go to college or go get a certification, although for certain tasks you might, but it means you are learning and building skills to help you with work.
Let me add one thing—this can include learning from others. Some of you are going to be working in the home, caring for children and taking care of the house. First of all that is work—that is good and noble work. But you are not going to go to school or go get a certification how to care for your children. You are however going to learn from the women in this room and this church. Spend time with them—ask them how they do XYZ. See how they plan meals or find time to clean the bathrooms when there are volleyball and soccer games and practices every night and homework needs done. You are working smart and acquiring skills by doing those things and it doesn’t show up with a piece of paper or letters after your name but its good and worthy.
