Sunday Soaking: What is Your “WHY” for Work?

Whatever you do,
work at it with all your heart,
as working for the Lord,
not for men.
Colossians 3:23

It’s hard to overstate the value of a strong work ethic. No matter the arena—workplace, athletic field, ministry, or home front—a strong work ethic distinguishes the industrious from the lazy, the committed from the complacent, and the motivated from the disengaged.

For those of us who are stay-at-home wives and mothers, the days we work diligently leave us feeling satisfied when our heads hit the pillow: the family is fed, the kitchen tidied, and the laundry all caught up. The same is true for those who have a career outside the home.

Instilling a strong work ethic in our children and grandchildren sets them up for success in life. Those who work hard normally have greater job security, higher wages, and more promotions in the workplace.

Diligence can even compensate for a lack of natural ability. My husband spent decades as a college professor. More than once, he has commented he would much prefer a student of average intelligence who works hard, over a gifted, but lazy, student.

We may not all have the same natural abilities, but we all can choose to buckle down and work hard.

As parents, it was our responsibility to begin early on, training our children to develop responsible work habits. Those of us with grandchildren can also help them learn to be diligent when the opportunity arises. I often told my children that completing a task without being reminded to do so is a mark of maturity. My parents instilled a strong work ethic in me, and my husband and I intentionally cultivated that in our own children and try to model it for our grandchildren.

A stellar GPA, stable income, a promotion in the workplace, a well-managed home … these are all worthy goals, and fitting rewards for hard work. But as followers of Christ, those should be the by-product—not the end goal—of demonstrating a strong work ethic.

Look at the last paragraph’s list again. Each of those is not bad in and of itself, but any one of them can certainly result in pride, shifting the spotlight onto SELF. Our why for working hard must be bigger than ourselves or any rewards that flow back to us.

Our work should be for the glory of God. Let’s unpack Paul’s challenge in Colossians 3:23 phrase by phrase:

• Whatever you do (“Whatever” encompasses cleaning the kitchen, mowing the grass, or selling insurance.)
• work at it (Don’t play at it or just apply minimal effort.)
• with all your heart (all in, nothing held back)
• as working for the Lord (God is our Master. Our lives no longer belong to us, we are His.)
• not for men. (Our calling is higher than mere human service or recognition.)

As we seek to serve Jesus in all we do, our daily tasks are transformed into acts of service and living sacrifice. Our diligence can even become evangelistic, as others take note of both our hard work and our attitude.

Our work ethic should reflect the reason for our existence: to glorify God. Paul complements the truth of Colossians 3:23 in I Corinthians 10:31: ” So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

It’s good to work. It’s better to know our why for the work we do. May we commit to make every task not just work, but actually worship, as we do it all for the glory of our great God!

Easter falls during the month of March this year, so this is the perfect time to immerse your heart and mind in FAITH—our Write the WORD topic for next month! We invite you to listen as Laura introduces our March bookmark in this week’s devotional video and then join us as we read, write, and contemplate verses about FAITH as we prepare our hearts to celebrate our Savior’s resurrection!

Visit our Download page for your free March Write the WORD bookmark, optional S.O.A.P. Bible study pages, and more resources to help you use your time, talents, and treasure to honor the Lord.