God At Workনমুনা

 Work Is Good 

Yes, you read it right! Some think of work as evil. But the Bible mentions that God commanded Adam to work even before the Fall: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15). So, work is not the result of the Fall. Rather, God had ordained that man should work even before sin entered into this world. If we don’t realize that work is inherently good, we will see our work as a necessary evil. On the contrary, work must be seen as a ministry and our workplaces must be seen as mission fields.

Work is inherently good if it doesn’t go against God’s Word. There are some jobs which are clearly sinful. For instance, human trafficking is a terrible sin. Making drugs and selling them is sin. Prostitution is a sin. Taking bribes and being involved in corruption is sin. We need to make sure that our work is above reproach. Our jobs should not cause others to stumble and fall into sin.

Since work is inherently good, when we do our work well, it gives us a sense of accomplishment. Particularly, when our work helps others, our work becomes a channel of service. When my wife and I moved to another city, we didn’t take our car over there. Every time, we would take a cab, I would thank God for the service offered by the cab drivers. The cab drivers may not see their work as a service, but it’s a very helpful service indeed. A few days ago, I had to get my bike from the servicing center, so I tried booking an auto, but it was not available. So, finally, I booked an Ola Bike which picked me up from my doorstep and dropped me at the servicing center for just 22 Indian rupees!

When we go to a store, a salesperson helps us to select the right products. A restaurant offers us lip-smacking food when we are unable to cook food for ourselves. A teacher serves his/her students by teaching them. The maid who works in your house is a blessing as she helps you to concentrate on other important things. The Lord gives fulfillment and joy to people, including people from the other faiths, as they serve others through their work.

The first time a person is mentioned as being filled with the Spirit was a craftsman (Exod. 31:1-5). We derive pleasure as we toil. That’s because that work is God’s gift to us (Eccl. 3:12-13). Work is the means through which God meets the needs of your family (1 Tim. 5:8). Also, it’s the means through which the Lord meets others’ needs (Eph. 4:28). Through our work, we can even support the ministry of the Lord. So, work is good for you and others!