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Work While You’re In School

One thing is very clear when it comes to what God has to say about work. Our work is very important. The writer in Ecclesiastes exhorts us as Christians to work with all of our might. Whatever our work is, when we work hard, we honor God. The Bible is also consistent in that every time it mentions work it says "whatever" your job may be. So this doesn't apply to a select group of individuals who have the same type of job—this applies to every worker. Why we do what we do (for the glory of God) and how we do it (working hard in a God honoring way) is more important than the details of exactly what our hands find to do for work.

There are academic, financial, and experiential benefits to working your way through school. Let’s say you work 20 hours per week for $10 an hour. This adds up to $200 per week and $10,400 per year! That doesn’t include any raises you might get or extra hours you could work during summer and winter breaks. Four years of work in college is worth about $41,600. That can go a long way! There are great spiritual benefits as well when we work hard..  

A recent study shows that students who have part-time jobs in college have higher grade point averages because they’re required to manage their time well and prioritize their responsibilities. God loves faithful stewards of their time, their talent with jobs, and their treasure of money. 

Throughout high school and college, I worked at the same job about 20 hours per week. It was a great gig. They paid me well, which really helped pay for college. After four years in guest services, they also put me in their management program and I worked as a store manager for another four years. The promotion came with better pay, more flexibility in my scheduling, great resume experience, and the ability to hire about 30 students from my church. Not only was I able to put away a significant amount of money for college, I gained valuable skills and experiences you can’t learn in a classroom. 

How much Netflix do you watch in a week? Maybe instead of binge watching, you could work. For sure, it is hard work to manage classes, homework, a part-time job, a social life, and spend time with God, but I know from personal experience that it is totally possible and totally worth it! Some of my favorite memories are from my time working that first job. 

Prayer:  Jesus, I want to honor you with every second of time, every ounce of  talent and capability, and with every cent of money. It is all yours, Lord. Give me the strength and wisdom to be a good steward! I pray over my career, that every endeavor would be one that brings glory to your name. You are worthy! Reveal your will to me, I want to make a difference for you!