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We all want to do something that is significant. It should therefore bring much comfort to read these words: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ,” (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV).
Paul was addressing Roman slaves when he said, “whatever you do.” So even in a harsh work environment doing menial labor we may find significance in our job.
At the heart of what we refer to as the Cultural Mandate (Genesis 1:28) is the command to subdue the Earth. This has the broad meaning of bringing the Earth under control, caring for it, harnessing its natural resources, and tapping into the abilities of all people to provide an environment whereby all creatures may flourish.
Attitude matters! Learning to work well entails serving with our best effort. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might,” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Working hard is not the point here but rather putting forth our best effort. As my father used to tell me, “If you are going to do a job, do it right or don’t do it at all.”
But most important is what Paul tells us, “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…” (Colossians 3:23). And this brings up our final question:
Who we work for determines the significance of what we do. As image-bearers, we reflect our Creator by using all our faculties to creatively do our jobs well. So, we need to realize that all kinds of work may be understood as creative acts, whether it be studying, teaching, housework, engineering, nursing, business, or the more obvious creative work of music, drama, and the visual arts.
It is in the serving of our Creator and Savior that we find real significance: “You are serving the Lord Christ,” (Colossians 3:24). Therefore, we have great freedom to use our abilities in whatever work we choose to do. When we commit our work to God and give it our best effort, we may be sure to sense his pleasure.
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Learning to work well is one of the main tasks in life given to all humanity. Adam’s first jobs included working in a garden and naming animals. What we learn is that every job is significant. The only exceptions, of course, would be those jobs that harm rather than help the Earth or other creatures.
