My first job was at Atz’s Ice Cream (it had a lot of great food, too). I was the guy who cleaned the tables, washed the dishes, and I even scooped ice cream and worked the cash register. I was 15. I wasn’t afraid of work. But did I do lazy work? Many times, yeah. My job was just a job to me. I was young and just wanted some money.
I’ve worked in many different environments and one thing seemed to be common throughout many of those work environments: the prevailing attitude of management was to just get through the day, get paid, and go home. This resulted in lazy work. Jobs were done, tasks were handled, but lazy work was still prevalent and prevailing.
Is Lazy Work Problematic for Christians?
Have you ever encountered someone doing lazy work? I’m sure you have. But let me explain what exactly I mean by the phrase.
Lazy work is a type of work that people do that focuses on the bare minimum commitment and energy.
Lazy workers are concerned about putting in their time, meeting the minimum quota, not getting fired, payday, and no-work-days.
Lazy work isn’t the absence of work, but it’s the absence of mission from work. By many standards, lazy work is to be expected. It’s normal. But is it problematic for Christians?[shareable]Lazy work isn’t the absence of work, but it’s the absence of mission from work.[/shareable]
Is it problematic to have your work be something you simply endure? Is it right to have the majority of your conscious time each day be occupied by a job that you go on auto-pilot and coast through?
Lazy work is absolutely problematic for Christians!
Made to Work
A conversation that is desperately needed within the Church is how our faith plays into our work. There’s definitely been pockets of conversation, but there could be more. We spend a lot of time talking about family, relationships, and suffering, but we tend to neglect how Christ factors into our work – the thing we do for the majority of our conscious day.
We don’t have to get far in the Bible before we see this connection between God and work come to light. Adam and Eve were given two jobs from the start:
- Make babies (you know, the other subject that doesn’t get talked about much in the Church – sex) – Genesis 1:28
- Work and keep the garden – Genesis 2:15
God didn’t tell them to just sit around. Mankind was made to work. And, as you can see from the job descriptions, work can be fun!
As time goes by, we see more jobs like shepherding. Mankind was made to work.[shareable]Mankind was made to work.[/shareable]
Lazy Work Dishonors God
If mankind was made to work, and lazy work is still work, then how is it dishonoring to God to do lazy work? I’m glad you asked!
Whatever you do, do it in the name of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:17). Whatever you do, work hard, not for men, but for God (Colossians 3:23).
God incorporated a built in day off for His people (the Sabbath day) because it was understood that they would work six days a week and get done all they needed to get done, then trust God with the rest while they took part in rest (Exodus 20:8-11).
In the economy of the kingdom of God, if someone isn’t willing to work, they shouldn’t be given food (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). Likewise, it is said that if someone doesn’t provide for their household, they are worse than an unbeliever and has DENIED the faith (1 Timothy 5:8). Kind of intense, don’t you think?
Whatever you do, work hard, for God, in the name of Jesus Christ.
If you are practicing lazy work, you can make a change. A change that would honor God and bring glory to His name.[shareable]Whatever you do, work hard, for God, in the name of Jesus Christ.[/shareable]
Going From Lazy Work to God-Honoring Work
Lazy work is missing one vital ingredient: the mission of God. If you want to make the switch from lazy work to God-honoring work, then change the attitude you approach your work with.
Instead of looking at work as a burden, look at it as a gift.
Instead of looking at work as purposeless, look at it as your mission field.
Instead of looking at work as something to coast through, look at it as a vehicle to bring glory to God.
It took me awhile to realize that my faith should compel me to work hard, to be a great employee, to lead well, and to go the extra mile. But when I discovered this truth, it made all the difference.[shareable text=”Work is a vehicle to bring glory to God.”]Instead of looking at work as something to coast through, look at it as a vehicle to bring glory to God.[/shareable]
Banking for God’s Glory
Late in 2012, my wife and I discovered that she was pregnant with our first child. I cried with joy when we found out.
At the time, we were both attending as traditional undergrad students at Cincinnati Christian University. After the reality of a baby set in, I began thinking about how this was all going to work financially. I was serving part-time at The Crossing and needed to bring in more money to support my growing family. I made two switches: I transitioned into the adult learning program at CCU where I could attend class in the evening and I began looking for full-time employment while still serving at The Crossing.
I got two interviews at US Bank for two different positions. It was an interesting experience to interview for two different positions at the same company. But hey, I had choices. One choice was to work in the backend of banking in an office, the other was to work in a branch, interact with people, and do some sales. I wanted the latter (I like sales and I like people).
In my interview with the three managers at the branch I remember answering a question something to the effect of, “what makes you good for this job?” You know, the generic introductory interview question. I responded by pointing to my faith and how that compels me, drives me, in fact, to be the best I can be, to work my hardest, to honor God in all that I do, and to treat people right.
They also had me, on the spot, make a sales pitch for why they should buy a highlighter from me. That was fun!
Here’s the point: I got the job. I got it offered to me before I got to the gas station down the street. I don’t say that to brag. I say it to show you that your faith in Christ should cause you to not only talk like that, but to live by that.
Your faith should drive you to be the best employee or business owner you can be, to work your hardest, to honor God in all that you do (including your work), and to treat people right (with the love of Christ).
For the next 6+ months I banked, as best as I could, for God’s glory. Then I got to go full time with The Crossing.
What Will Your Story Be?
How will your faith in Christ compel you to work? How has it in the past. How is it right now?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments below, on Twitter, or on Facebook.
For more on this subject, check out: Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work
Connect Deeper
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