Working for God

Some of you may be aware that I work in computing. I have worked in Hewlett-Packard's Networking division for roughly 12 years. For much of that, I programmed router drivers in a computer language called 'C' and now I write networking software in a language called 'Java'. I don't work directly with customers and only big businesses buy the stuff I work on, so I can't point you at the latest HP printer/computer and say "I made that". You can, however, see a recent presentation I did here and some of the patents I've filed here. Don't worry, it sounds like jibberish to pretty much everyone, but it's what I call a job.

As you read this, you are probably either deciding on a career (school/training), working your way through a career (or supporting your spouse in theirs), or enjoying the fruits of your labor in retirement. Work is a large part of our lives. When we ask children "What do you want to be when you grow up?" they often answer with a chosen profession, rather than "I want to be happy" or "I want to be a good person". During periods of vacation from work or school, we get a chance to take a step back to realize the scope of work's impact on our lives in terms of finances, contentment, and time.

Several years ago, I had a real problem with working 8 hours per day. It wasn't the typical problem where I either didn't have the energy to work 8 hours, or where I felt compelled to work more than 8 hours. The problem I had was that I was spending 8 hours per day devoted to a for-profit company, when I spent significantly fewer hours praying or studying the bible. How could I consider myself a devoted Christian if I spent more time earning money than I did on things God wanted me to do?

What I discovered (through the help of a bible-toting friend) was that my question was based on an incorrect assumption. I had incorrectly segmented my life into work, relaxation, and God stuff with no overlap between those categories. What I'd overlooked was that both relaxation and work are God stuff if they are approached with the proper mindset.

God commanded rest from work in the Old Testament, following the pattern that God himself had set during the creation of the world:

"Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy." - Exodus 20:9-11 

"Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest." - Exodus 34:21

When we relax, we should do so in appreciation of God himself and a work greater than our own he has accomplished around us (creation). Does it make sense that God was tired after creating the world over 6 days, so he needed to rest on the 7th? A more likely interpretation is that God rested as an example for us, to prevent us from working ourselves ragged. It feels pretty comforting that God himself took time to rest, just so he could show me an example to follow.

My mind became at ease when my friend showed me how our attitude toward work should go beyond the scope of integrity and earning money:

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." - Colossians 3:23-24 

"With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free." - Ephesians 6:7-8

A proper attitude towards work is focused on God as our boss. Behaviors like theft, laziness, mouthing off, and sub-par quality are no longer things we just try to hide when our manager is around. With God as our boss, we deliver quality work because we want to make him proud. Try employing this attitude (pun intended) at work in the coming year and I am confident you and your boss will be pleased with the result.