Why Work?

I want to pause periodically as I go through scripture to reflect on themes that are emerging from passages related to work. Today is one of those pauses.

One of the things that really stands out as I look at some of the recent posts from 1 and 2 Thessalonians and a few other places is how important it is to work and not be idle. Bible commentaries tell us that one of the major struggles that the Thessalonians faced was the temptation to do nothing as they waited for Christ's return. If Jesus was coming back, why should we spend times working, especially for those who don't like their jobs. Paul came down pretty hard on them, "if you don't work, you don't eat." In other places, Paul talks about the point of working as providing for one's family while not being a burden on others.

Everyone has days when they'd rather not be at work. Days when you would rather not deal with your boss. Days when you would rather spend that time with family. Days when you may not want to even get out of bed. Paul is saying that, in the fallen world in which we live, work is necessary, whether we want to do so or not. Remember, God told Adam that he would survive on the basis of working, which was part of Adam's curse. It's not that work itself is the curse--God wanted Adam and Eve to work the Garden even before they sinned. But perhaps the "daily grind" is one way to describe work because of God's curse on Adam. I love my job. I can't believe I get paid to do things I really like. But there are still those days that I'd much rather be doing something else. Sometimes that comes from selfishness. Perhaps you've seen the bumper sticker, "I'd rather be fishing," or similar ones. Other times, we may not want to go to work for very legitimate reasons like spending time with family or volunteering to help the needy. Those are noble ways to spend time, and scripture certainly emphasizes the importance of both. But those activities should not be excuses for not working.

Having emphasized the importance of spending time working, there's another extreme--spending too much time working. Many jobs push the envelope of a 40-hour work week, and our technology today blurs the line between work time and family time even more. Think about the last time you checked your work email while spending time with at home with family. One "answer" might be the quiet life, that Paul encourages in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. Paul argues that working and living a quiet life are not mutually exclusive goals. Another approach might be protecting the idea of a Sabbath rest, a time where you stop working. The Bible describes work as important, but certainly Paul knew when it was time to stop making tents and spend time with people around him, developing relationships with people (Timothy, for example) and planting seeds about Jesus. If you've been overworking, perhaps you need to adjust your priorities with regard to your time.

So working too little and working too much are both extremes to be avoided. The goal is a search for balance. If you think about Paul's "job" as a tentmaker, it wasn't really what defined him. He did it to pay the bills, so to speak. To provide for himself and not be a burden on others. But his workplace ambition may have been tempered by his understanding of his place in the world and what was really important. If you are tempted by idleness, are you a burden on others? How can you provide for yourself? (But again, I think these passages refer to those who could work but weren't doing so, not those who were unable to work.) Or, if you are struggling with being a workaholic, consider how God would want you to define yourself.