Working to Serve or Serving the Work?
September 18, 2007 |
We recently had a “worst or weirdest job ever” conversation among the adults in our Sunday school class at church. One friend had spent two years collecting umbilical cords for research (i.e. personally picking them up, packaging them, and taking them back to the lab in her car); another had worked the graveyard shift at a cherry-packing factory, quickly grabbing rotten cherries off the line…all night long.
My contribution to the discussion was one of my first jobs ever—a regular babysitting gig as a young teen. After several afternoons with the three kids and their “adorable” shih tzu named Buddy, I reported to my dad how cute it was that Buddy kept hugging my leg all the time. Needless to say, I nearly puked when my dad explained to me what all the “hugging” really was!
All joking aside, we all know from experience that sometimes work can feel frustrating, monotonous, exhausting, and unsatisfying. Whether you’re leading meetings in a board room or are at home washing dishes, your “work” consumes at least a third of your life.
So what does it have to do with your faith? Work, after all, should be much more than just a means to bring home a paycheck. And the discussion should go much further than just conversations about “witnessing” at work. There must be some meaningful value in the work itself, shouldn’t there? Otherwise aren’t we just wasting our lives?
Many Christian writings and teachings on the subject emphasize work as a manner in which we live out Christ’s commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). This mind-set of work as service to others does bring a powerful spiritual dimension to what we do. For example, a Christian at a cherry-packing factory can consider her job a meaningful gift of service to the child who will love eating a cherry-topped ice cream sundaes. A CEO can view leading her company in producing a quality service as a way to do good in the community. A stay-at-home mom…well, all she does all day long is really done for the sake of her children.
But Dorothy Sayers, a British novelist and brilliant theologian who was a friend of C.S. Lewis, argues that this approach to faith and work has got it all wrong. It’s not all about trying to serve others; in her essay “Why Work?” she says “the worker’s first duty is to serve the work.” Beyond exhorting a carpenter, for example, to live in a Christ-like way or to view his work as service to the those who will use his products, Sayers’ argues, “What the Church should be telling him is this: that the very first demand that his religion makes upon him is that he should make good tables.”
Work is a gift God gave us when he made us (Genesis 2:15). Our creative impulse—our desire to make or do something and feel the final satisfaction that, yes, our work is very good—is a reflection of being made in the image of the Creator. It’s not just about bringing home the bacon or counting the hours ‘til we can get home to our “real life.” And it’s also not primarily about others.
Here’s the real thrust of Sayers’ idea: “Work is not, primarily, a thing one does to live, but the thing one lives to do. It is, or it should be, the full expression of the worker’s faculties, the thing in which he finds spiritual, mental, and bodily satisfaction, and the medium in which he offers himself to God” (italics mine).
Wow—that sounds sort of selfish at first, doesn’t it? To suggest that we should seek our own satisfaction in our work is quite the opposite of focusing on the satisfaction of others. But serving our work is a critical means through which we obey the primary great commandment that Jesus spoke of: “Love the Lord your God” (Matthew 22:37). We honor God by employing our skills to perform the tasks before us with excellence.
Perhaps faith and work do find their most poignant intersection in that moment when one breathes a sigh of deep satisfaction after having led a meeting well or prepared a delicious meal or even properly and meticulously delivered an umbilical cord to the lab.
What do you think? What’s wrong—if anything—with the mind-set that faith is lived out at work primarily through witnessing, godly character, or service? Is it selfish to seek—and enjoy—satisfaction from work well done?
Posted by Caryn Rivadeneira on September 18, 2007
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/628
Comments
Interesting article. A working mother - particularly one who chooses to do so - lives with a myriad contradictions, particularly as a Christian. Many of us grew up hearing that no Christian woman should want to go to work. The working mom was emblematic of the Gloria Steinem-type feminist who did not fully appreciate the gift of her children and only true fulfillment could be reached in the confines of the home. How refreshing to hear that it is OK to work for the sake of working - especially for Christian women.
Posted by: Aimee on September 18, 2007
There is a very interesting collection of writings about work edited by Douglas Thorpe (a professor of mine from Seattle Pacific University). I believe it's titled "Work"...which is appropriate. Great collection of all sorts of writing, including discovery of vocation that may or may not be linked to how one pays their bills. (ie. the artist that supports themselves by working somewhere so that they can do "that for which they live."
Posted by: Andrea on September 19, 2007
It is true that you can witness a godly life by being a good umbilical cords collector. I'm not entirely sure that any and every occupation is noble in itself (and of course, I'm excluding obviously immoral jobs here). I do believe there can be a hierarchy of better and best jobs "for the kingdom." I know that as a web designer and video editor, every job that I finish at my company increases my skill set that I can apply to another noble idea when it comes along. I also believe that I should create great media. Both are valid reasons for completing a project with excellence.
(I hope this comment doesn't get deleted like the last one :-)
Posted by: Stephen on September 19, 2007
Hey, Stephen: Sorry about the deleted comment. As we encourage open conversation, it was most likely deleted accidentally as we try to filter ot mass quantities of spam. Thanks for re-posting!
Caryn Rivadeneira, Managing Editor
GiftedForLeadership.com
Posted by: Caryn on September 19, 2007
I like this article because I've seen a disturbing trend among Christians to view work as "stealing" time away from "real kingdom work." Work isn't viewed as a part of life as a Christian, just stealing away from it. It is evidenced in complaining about work, slacking off on the job, and using work time to do personal things, which in essence is stealing from your employer. As Christians, we need to do our best in anything we do, whether we are writing sermons or slopping the pigs. Paul told Christians to serve their slave masters as if they were serving God! And I think we can believe that whatever work we do, if we do it well and faithfully, that God will work out his plan, refining us and shining his light through us - showing what it really means to be a Christian.
Posted by: Jeanette on September 20, 2007
WOW! I've run a business in direct sales from my home for the past 30 years. I've waivered the entire time "feeling" I needed to be in "full-time" Christian ministry even though I have total freedom being my own boss. This article has freed me! I'm my own employer and I need to serve myself like I would the Lord. I have stole from myself by not doing and giving my best, sluffing off on the job, procratinating etc! Thank you so much!
Posted by: Linda Jacobs on September 20, 2007
"Is it selfish to seek—and enjoy—satisfaction from work well done?"
I would go so far as to say that if we don't seek and enjoy satisfaction from work well done, we have no ability or context through which to make God manifest in our lives. Our culture is hungry for real, palpable, honest expressions of life - not veneer or lip service, and certainly not segmented lives into "work," "home," "church," etc. Our very way of being - everywhere and all the time - must be expressive of who we most are or we cannot/will not reveal God...at least in ways that impact our world for the kingdom.
Good, good words Kelli. Thank you!
Posted by: Ronna on September 20, 2007
Kelli asks
"What do you think? What’s wrong—if anything—with the mind-set that faith is lived out at work primarily through witnessing, godly character, or service? Is it selfish to seek—and enjoy—satisfaction from work well done?"
There's nothing really wrong with that mindset, as long as it doesn't insist that those are the ONLY ways that faith can be lived out at work. I believe it was Martin Luther King Jr (or Martin Luther) who said that if God has called you to be a street sweeper you should do such a good job at it that the angels in heaven marvel at your work. That's not the exact quote, but it's close. Eric Liddell who was portrayed in the movie said to his sister "I feel His pleasure when I run." Gal. 6:4 NLT says:
"Be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else."
As long as work does not turn into an idol or obsession, we glorify God by giving our best to a job that we enjoy and take pride in what we do. Do all to the glory of God whether God has called you to be a CEO, a stay at home mom, the solo/senior pastor of a church, or anything inbetween including cleaning latrines.
I was a solo church pastor and gave it my all until illnes forced me to resign. After exactly a year to the day I returned to ministry except this time in the role of Hospice Chaplain. It's a privilege to be God's presence for these people in their final stage of life and their families/significant others. But living out my faith at work is also very challenging too because I work for an agency where clergy are at the bottom of the food chain and my supervisor is very abusive to me. No surprise that employee turnover is high. I am worn and downcast from regularly being blamed, criticized and spoken to condescendingly by her. Never once has she said "good job," to me despite positive feedback from those I serve. Still I pray for her and the head honcho of the agency daily.
Those who know and love me have said I need to find other work as this is a "toxic environment" in the words of a close close friend. I am doing just that. God has placed before me an opportunity to be the Pastoral Care Manager at a small hospital. I sent a cover letter e-mail with an attached resume 11:10 PM on a Friday evening--Saturday morning at 7:30 AM came a reply from one of the hospital VP's saying: "I would love to talk to you about our open position. You have wonderful pastoral care experience." After a series of 6 interviews with them--it's definately a hand in glove fit and they value Pastoral Care there--even the President/CEO. Sooo I am waiting for a call from them with an offer. I truly believe God has called me there, but will continue to look if He indicates a change of plans. Please pray that God will deliver me soon from my present job situation--I don't know how much more abuse I can take. But until then I will continue to do this job to the best of my ability for the Lord's sake.
Posted by: Rev. Carlene on September 20, 2007
Sayers' essay is both brilliant and biblical. I coach individuals everyday in the workplace helping them understand what faith has to do with the workplace. Most see it has something they have to tack on, not the core of everything they do. Ephesians 2:10 sheds serious light on Sayers' thesis. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Good works is not walking little old ladies across the street, but work that is inherently good. Goodness of course is defined by the standard of God's person. I personally don't see a hierarchy of good work in the Bible. When we obey God's design in us, we are fulfilling the purpose for which He prepared us, no matter where we happen to do it--in the church, at home, or in the workplace.
Posted by: Bill Peel on September 25, 2007
About the comment regarding stay-at-home moms doing all they do for the sake of their children: that's only partially true. It seems to me that their work is one of the most critical gifts to the world considering the fact they are helping to mold and shape a future generation of people who will have an impact - for better or worse - in society. When a parent's work is done well by helping their children grow up in godliness, we will all reap the benefits!
Posted by: Rosie on September 28, 2007
Kelli, thanks for sharing! As my husband is a stay-at-home dad, I've struggled with being the one working but really feel that God's hand has been in this all. I love serving at work and at home.
Another observation from John (3: 23-30). John knew his role was to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. When his followers asked him about people going to Jesus instead of coming to him, John wasn't jealous. He didn't yell at God to give him more responsibility or a new assignment. He compared himself to a best man at a wedding, filled with joy for the bridegroom. He was 'filled with joy at [Jesus'] success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.' I love to serve. I love how sure John was of his role -- which he carried out with excellence -- and didn't worry that in the world's eyes he was to 'become less and less.'
Posted by: Deb Bernard on September 28, 2007