Work

I remember at 7 years old writing my alphabet in cursive for what felt like the tenth time. As I drew that stupid cursive "S" I remember praying that this would pass the approval of my parents. Growing up many of us are trained and practically robotically programmed to be hard workers. Never say no. Never go half-way. Never quit. Give 110%. Its the classic American mindset. What more could you expect from a country built on overachievers. 

The overall ideology of work is woven into many controversial topics such as morals, ethics, economics and overall obligation to humanity. On a Biblical perspective a Christian recognizes the obligation to work because of the written references within the Bible. Proverbs 12:21," Whoever works his land ^qwill have plenty of bread, but he he follows worthless pursuits lacks sense". Work has been built up into a glorious figment that can do no wrong and produce no harm.” Work is one of those strange things that each and every human no matter what religious background or stance will struggle with, pursue and pass onto the next generation.

Okay so if work is so essential to Christian prosperity why is it essential to those not following the Lord? Why would they pursue achievement if they continue to deny that they is someone worth achieving for? It goes back to the Old Testament in the very beginning of The Tower of Babel.

The Tower of Babel consisted of what today would be the most successful business men, engineers, doctors and teachers all working towards creating a tower that would reach to the Heavens so that they could be the closest to God. As any educated Christian would know the Tower of Babel resulted in each man being torn from the other and a division of language creating a barrier. I don’t think enough study has been drawn out into this moment in history. No one can explain language. Why we have it. Why we all speak different. And how language itself effects our work. Why would God create a language barrier between people who were just trying to build a ladder to the gates of heaven?

Now this is my opinion and my own interpretation so I stand in order to be corrected but what if this was the first demonstration on how God valued the heart within the labor it produced. Yes, Christians and Atheists alike have three goals. 1) Work hard and 2) Be successful and 3) Make a difference in the world. Within that goal there are two different heart sets.

The first heart set is the heart set of the people of Babel, working because it is a part of life. These kind of men even though they may disguise their “good work” such as working for a charity, being a doctor and healing the sick, being an engineer for the poor and needy, these men are using their own works to reach salvation. They are using their works as a ladder to salvation. They get up every day, produce man-labor and come home with a check and the contentment in their heart they have made an effort towards building a better humanity.

It sounds great. We look at people so often and consider their work as if it’s something God would approve of. Does their work bring glory to God? Is their work using the gifts and talents God gave them? These are lies. Lies that Satan has been using since the tower of Babel. Our work has absolutely nothing to do with our salvation. We are saved BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH. Our work should have nothing to do with “Giving back to God” or “fulfilling God’s destiny for our life”. God didn’t put us here as working machines used to work in order to grow closer to him! If our work has to do with our relationship with Christ, then we have the same heart set as the people of Babel.

It’s a touchy subject because so much of the time we begin to believe Satan’s lies that we owe God something or we need to work twice as hard because God died on the cross for us. False. Yes, everything we should do should bring glory to God but he doesn’t need us to “work harder” as a “thank you gift” for his death on the cross. He died out of grace for our sins so that we could have the faith to believe.

Okay….. soooo.. what’s our purpose in life? Why are we even supposed to work then? Well my friend, its apart of life. We live in an imperfect world and if you recall when Adam sinned God’s curse on him was that he was to toil with soil of the earth the rest of his life. It’s like labor (which as you recall was woman’s curse) it’s not a glorious thing we just kinda do it because God called us to reproduce and work and repopulate the earth. So what is the second heart mentioned? It’s a heart of humility. When we work it shouldn’t be towards striving towards success at all. There’s a difference between striving for success and giving your all in humility.