Guest Author: Thomas Dodds | www.thomasdodds.com
In 2013, I began studying the Scriptures in earnest to understand the purpose of work.
Over the years, I had often heard preachers say of business, “Earn as much as you can. Give as much as you can.” and “Do your work with excellence as for the Lord.” Generosity and excellence are certainly good things. (1 Tim 6:18, Col 3:23)
Every businessperson values great products, done with excellence, that meet real needs and make money. But there’s more to it, isn’t there? I wanted to know that my work mattered in some way–– that the trouble of leading a business was worth the personal cost.
We gain satisfaction in excellent work, but is there more?
I understood that the message of the Bible is to glorify God. This purpose is repeated often throughout the Old Testament and the New. Yet, how would I conduct myself when business gurus were all shouting, “Promote. Promote. Promote. Sell. Sell. Sell.” that is, “Glorify yourself.”
How do we work to glorify God?
“To glorify God” applies to everything, which means it applies to work. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31)
While “glorify God” can be a confusing phrase, I knew it was a command to follow. What more could it mean? I turned to Matthew 5:16, “…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
There must be some way in which to work that others would see that work and acknowledge God at work through me. “To glorify” means to make glorious or show as glorious – having beauty, splendor, worthy of praise. In glorifying God, we point to who God is. Therefore, Christians show God as glorious by our words, deeds, and manner.
Am I working just for the result, or is my manner one of Christian love as I work? Do my words speak of my glory or God’s glory? Does what I do point to and reflect God’s beauty, goodness, and splendor or something else?
Yet I found myself wondering, “How do I work this way? What’s in it for me?” One day, while preparing for a class at church, I read through the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. I finally understood.
It is to Our Benefit to Glorify God, Not Ourselves.
“And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ “(Mt. 25:20-21)
That verse hit me like a ton of bricks.
Talents are everything that God has given me, not just my abilities but even the abilities of everyone who follows me. I have stewardship over them as a business leader. When I see the Lord, He will ask, “How have you been faithful with what I’ve given you, to work for my purposes?” When we invest all God gives, we gain joy from our Master Jesus and the opportunity to do more faithful work for him in the future. The reward from the Lord’s work must be greater than everything the world has to offer, including riches and a name for ourselves.
I resolved to work for this joy––for faithfulness to God’s kingdom purposes, to glorify him. However, as soon as I rolled up my sleeves and got to work, I would run into conflicts. I couldn’t accomplish what I wanted to in the time I wanted to do it. I got frustrated and discouraged. I wasn’t getting the results I wanted because I thought that glorifying God would also mean that things would go well for me.
I stumbled into these stunning words, “[we are] sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” (2 Cor. 6:10) As we labor, even while suffering, Paul says to rejoice?
What I read in God’s word told me there was more to work, even when it did not go as I planned. The Bible said that I could rejoice, have joy, even as I labored in work!
Joy in work to glorify God!
I took the parable of the talents to heart, then something amazing happened.
Instead of gritting my teeth to get my work done, I saw that I could set my mind on the beauty of the Lord to complete the work with joy. I saw more of God in the work of bringing benefit to others. I could praise the Lord because of what he was doing through the work, thus bringing glory to his name. Others saw the change in me in the moments where I was trusting in the Lord. I wanted more of that every day.
I found joy in the journey was possible. I committed my work to the Lord every day.
Seeking the Lord’s purposes and enjoying working for Him allowed me to have great joy in my work regardless of what else happened. I experienced setbacks in my plans. I experienced the thorns and thistles of the work when things didn’t go my way, (Gen 3:18) yet I could have joy in the journey because Jesus died for me and rose again to purchase for me the ability to obey all his commands by the Holy Spirit.
I pressed into that truth with faith as I worked in obedience. I enjoyed Him in the present while storing up joy forever and the opportunity to do more work for him. I made it my aim to do good work so others could see it and glorify Him. I shared my joy every day with my employees, and as opportunity arose, my customers. I shared the good news of the gospel not just with unbelievers occasionally but regularly with believers to encourage them to persevere in their faith and experience the same joy I’d found. I made it my aim to share what I learned with others and build my business to glorify God.
I had moved from just earning a paycheck to working with purpose.
What opportunity do you have to enjoy God by faith in your work? How can you share your joy in the Lord with those around you? I invite you to work with the purpose of glorifying God and enjoying him in all the work he’s given you to do.