How do you find your place in work? If Exodus 19:4-6 is right, about following God in obedience as he makes us his people, then we should be able to follow him in work as well. But first, a few categories:
job
A job is something you do in order to trade for some type of benefit. In the West it's usually for financial reasons that we go to a job. At my son's preschool they had 'jobs' they did, which where interactive, educational games. The idea was that for the next few minutes he'd be working a job. Jobs are something we clock in and out for. Often we interview to work at a job. We acknowledge the giving of our time and skill set in a position at a job.
During high school my twin bother and I cleaned movie theaters. We'd go in at midnight after all the films were finished and spray down the bathrooms, vacuum the foyer, and sweep the theaters. We'd often find cash that'd fallen out of people's pockets while cuddling with someone special during the latest blockbuster. Another guy we work with once found a gun. The worse was someone would chew tobacco and leave a cup full of tobacco spit under their seat. Often, we wouldn't see it until it was too late. We'd knock it over and the cup of tobacco spit would run down the theater, under the seats, all the way to the front of the screen. We'd, of course, have to clean it all up. Cleaning theaters was a job. It was something I did for money. Not necessarily something I enjoyed.
career
A career is something different in that it's a chosen pursuit, usually a profession or occupation. Jobs are something we do in order to receiver a return; careers are something we pursuit as an a way to find our calling, what we're good at, or advance in a particular public practice. There are many things we do in order to boost a career: we go to school. We study hard. We look for ways to intern at a particularly workplace. We interview, check out companies, follow doctors, and set up appointments to connect with department heads. All this we do in order to pursuit a "career" a path of professional occupation.
Part of the reason I write at abrahambates.com is to advance a career as a pastor, speaker, and writer. It's a way to pursuit a path. It's a way to enter the world of writing. I'd love to eventually publish a book and take on more speaking engagements. But it all begins by actually writing a few blog posts. It's a career path, chosen a focus, a planned pursuit.
work
Work is something we do in order to make something happen. Work is something we do at a job and as we advance a career. This includes everything from pushing levers at a lumber mill to city planning in an urban center. You may be a teacher, graphic designer, engineer, or stay at home mom. You may work at a coffee house, a restaurant, a retail store selling shoes. You may be a stay at home helping grow your kids. You may have a clinic you work out of. You may travel for what you do. In all of this, we engage in work.
Work is given to us at the beginning of creation. God tells us that we are made in his image and we are to go out and become 'care takers' of all creation. Adam's first work was to name the animals on the face of the earth. For the history of the world we've engaged in many types of work. No matter if we are clocking into a job, staying at home with our kids, or growing in a professional skill, we are engaged in the act of work.
gift and glory
How do we view this thing called work? If I asked you, "Hey, do you like your job?" You'd probably give me an earful. You'd at least have an opinion. I like me job. I don't like my job. I need a new job. I enjoy what I do for a career. I'm having trouble starting my career. I'm in a career, but I want a different career. We tend to be quite informed and opinionated about what we do.
The question is: but do we see work as both a gift and for the glory of God?
Work is a gift. It's a gift to be used for his glory. It's also become spoiled. When sin entered the world God told Adam that work would come from the "sweat of his brow." This means work is hard; often unenjoyable. This is true whether we are moving our lawn (I hate mowing my lawn) or planning our next business meeting (I also don't enjoy meetings). There can be moments where we say: ugh…I don't like work.
But in it's original intention work was designed to be a good thing. It was to bring us closer to the image of God. We were created to work; and to enjoy our work. Think about what you do for work: Do you stay at home? Do you work with kids? Do you work out of an office? Do you travel? Do you manage a team? There are moments of good and bad in all of it. There may be moments where you love what you do and can't believe you get paid for it; and probably many other moments where you hate what you do and wish you could do something else.
We are to work in such a way that it brings God glory. His image is placed in us. As we work this image is developed to care for creation in a way that is unique to the person we are made to be. We find our place by bringing glory to God in what we do. No matter if you are working a job or pursuing a career I want you to think about doing what you do to the glory of God. As you work with your hands, type with your fingers, answer phone calls, organize people, or change diapers, do it all to the glory of God.
AB.
