Pastor John D Jakes

What makes your work meaningful for you? Is it the paycheck? Are you climbing the ladder? Is that enough for you or do you need more? What if you are retired? Does getting out of bed in the morning excite you? What about you stay at home moms? Is your work meaningful to you?

There are two ways that work becomes meaningful. I am not talking about work satisfying a need (like paying the bills or keeping us out of trouble). For most of us, our occupation is a necessity. However, God says that it can be more. It doesn’t have to be just a job or a task. It can be meaningful. It can have a deep purpose. It can make us want to jump out of bed in the morning.

How? How can being a button pusher be meaningful? How can changing diapers be meaningful? How can a dead end job be meaningful? What about retirement? How can it be meaningful?

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” – Colossians 3:23-24

Our Scripture shares two ways we find meaning:

1. Change who we serve. We get very focused on who sets our agenda everyday. If that person is good or fun to work with, we can enjoy our work most days. However, small children, cranky bosses, unappreciative managers, and disrespectful coworkers can make it difficult to see the meaningful nature of our work. God encourages us to make a boss change. He encourages us to wake every morning to the reality that it is Jesus who we are serving. He isn’t a person who will let you down and ignore your contributions. The loving and giving Son of God is your true boss. I can work every day for a boss like that. Can’t you?
2. Change why we are serving. Unless we can work at an occupation that has intrinsic value to us (you really believe in the product or service you are providing), it becomes easy for work to lack meaning. However, if every day we see our work as an investment in eternity – that changes it. We aren’t just turning bolts or typing on keyboards. We are investing in the future. We are investing in people. We are seeking to plant seeds in the lives of people for Jesus. No, you don’t have to be a pastor to do this. We all do it all the time. Sometimes on purpose. Sometimes by accident. When we do it on purpose, it changes not only the people around us, but it also changes us. It gives new worth to each day.

So, what about you? Will you work for the same boss that you did yesterday, or will you now work for Jesus? Will you just do the job and pursue the paycheck, or will you also reinvest in the future of those around you for Jesus’ sake?

Something to think about,

Pastor John