For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
Matthew 20:1
Work is… Good?
Work can be such drudgery! As the song goes, “We are working for the weekend” …Well, aren’t we?
Believe it or not, the drudgery that comes with work is a result of the fall of humanity. Part of God’s covenant with Adam, and core to Adam’s creation, was work. Consider Genesis 2:15: “The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.” Work is good. It’s a way to imitate God’s creativity and wonder, and it is a way we can bring glory to God.
Created by Design
But why is it sometimes so miserable? After Adam rebelled against God by eating the forbidden fruit, God told him, “The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow” (Genesis 3:16-19).
Work can be miserable because we (humanity) broke the universe. Because of our sinfulness, things don’t completely function the way God designed them to anymore.
What’s The Big Picture?
In our work, we get a magnificent picture of the gospel story. What was intended for good and for joy—our labor, we corrupted through our disobedience, resulting now in toil and frustration. Yet in our work, even in the brokenness of our universe, we hear echoes of God’s mandate to Adam to enjoy the garden. We also get glimpses of our future home when God sets it all right.
There are rocks on both sides: lethargy towards our work doesn’t reflect God, and the abuse of our bodies (and sometimes even our families) through overwork also doesn’t bring glory to God. Consider learning more about work and faith through organizations like the Center for Faith & Work or the Nashville Institute for Faith and Work.
Now What?
Take a moment to reflect on the last time that work got you down. Consider the ways that our fallenness and brokenness played into the frustration of that situation. Then, remind yourself that you have a Savior who works all things together for good for those who love Him—which includes our relationship to the work He has entrusted us to. Thank Him for the ways He has provided and for the strength we need to honor Him in our work.
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