But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
— 1 Timothy 5:8
I can recall an inspiring story of a man who used to work with my oldest son when he was still in high school. My son was working at a fast-food restaurant and there was a forty-something year old man working in a similar role. I learned that this man not only worked hard at the restaurant, but also had two other similar jobs. He told my son that he had to work hard to support his wife and children. I never knew the man’s religious beliefs, but he certainly had an admirable work ethic. Why any professing Christian would be less intent on providing for themselves or their own family raises certain questions about their motivation, and therefore, their faith.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.
— Colossians 3:23
The Greek word translated “heartily” in v23 means “from the soul,” implying that whatever we do, regardless of the task, it ought to be “for the Lord.” Even the most mundane or unpleasant of tasks is an opportunity to bring glory to God, which is why rewards in Heaven won’t be given for prominence or success, but rather for faithfulness. Whatever work we perform, we ought to do it faithfully for the Lord. Is it fair to say that most people work for themselves, to their own glory, and for their own purposes (e.g., saving up for that shiny new object)? Even if this is true, I only mention it for context (I have a more subtle reason for writing this blog, and it’s to protect your sanctification). I want you to think of why some people are able to work really hard and remain content while others work sparingly and are miserable. The difference is a matter of perspective.
The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
— Proverbs 13:4
In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
— Proverbs 14:23
The Bible clearly states that we are to work diligently. Does God guarantee that we’ll all be rich, financially, as a result? Nope. According to the world’s system of thinking, this is folly. We must remember, though, that we aren’t supposed to be working to impress the world (remember, “not for men” - Colossians 3:23). The Word of God never says the reward for hard work is lots of money, as if that’s where God’s blessings come from. Contentment never comes from worldly assets gained from working hard.
A contented worker works hard because their eyes are fixed on pleasing the Lord, not on the personal gain of the work, or the work itself.
I’ve heard people say to me that I work hard because, well, I’m one of those people who “like to work.” I suppose there’s some truth to that; but, what these folks aren’t taking into account is my motivation. I am, for the most part, intrinsically wired to work hard because deep in my soul (ref. “work heartily” - Colossians 3:23) I know it’s the right thing to do, and, therefore, my Lord is pleased with it. Is the work always pleasant? Let me tell you about the time my son and I had to snake out a septic pipe and the sewage was splashing all over my body and face. Neither one of us wanted to be there - trust me - but it needed to get fixed and it saved my family a lot of money (money that eventually could be sent to, say India or Africa, in support of Christ’s ministry). For the record, I asked the Spirit while writing this if I had to share that story about myself because I didn’t want you accusing me of trying to come off as being so awesome at this (trust me, I fail just like you do).
What do I discern when a lazy person discounts the hard work of another with a wave of their hand and a flippant comment like, “Oh, they work hard because they like to work”? That comment stems from ignorance (for the hard worker may just be working “heartily, as for the Lord” - Colossians 3:23) and a deflection of the simple fact that the accuser isn’t working the way they ought to be. ‘Idle hands are the devil’s workshop,’ as they say.
For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.
— 2 Thessalonians 3:11
Am I writing this to throw stones at anyone? Not at all. I’m writing it because I’m confident that the Spirit has His reasons - that at least one of you is plagued with this disrespect for those who work hard and for Him whom they work for. Read 2 Corinthians 11:18-28 when you get the chance and ask yourself if Paul always “liked” the work of the ministry the Lord called him into.
Newsflash! God-fearing people don’t work hard because they like the work, itself; rather, they work hard because they like to be pleasing to the Lord. They work hard because it’s simply the right thing to do.
Now, I get to share the little “secret” that prompted this blog (I haven’t even alluded to it yet, but I promise you, I’m on the edge of my seat right now as I write). The blessing of working heartily for the Lord is that He rewards the hard worker with the special blessing of “liking” their work, regardless of their station in life. This “liking” is what the aforementioned ignorant, flippant person misunderstands and is blind to. What this person sees is another person who’s content in working hard, so much so that it appears they actually like the hard work, itself. What they don’t see because of their own arrogance is the joy set before the one working.
God gives a greater grace to the humble person who works heartily for Him and not for man. This grace results in contentment that is often construed as attributable either to the work, itself, or the blood and sweat it drains from them. While some work is enjoyable, much of it isn’t. To write off hard work as something optional for only those who “like to work” is a complete cop out for those still missing the greater blessing that God gives.
I’ll give you one more example to help drive this home. Suppose a student desires to go to a certain trade school to become a plumber. Their dream is to help pastors like myself avoid having to wrangle with rented septic snakes that spew awfulness all over them (maybe that’s my dream? - LOL). This student doesn’t like academic school work at all; but, eventually, they manage to get through the rigorous training and achieve success. Now what if another person says to them, “Oh, you’re a nerd, so you work hard because you like to!”; is that a fair assessment?
Here’s what the Bible teaches us. The “liking” part of working hard comes after we accept that God wants us to work hard. When we obey Him, He blesses us with a joy that transcends the work, itself. In the back of our minds, we cling to the simple fact that it’s the right thing to do. The driving factor isn’t that we like to work, it’s that we like the Lord.
Liking doesn’t drive the hard work; rather, the hard work drives the liking. The prior is worldly viewpoint; the latter is godly.
If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
— Ecclesiastes 10:10
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins
