As we cheer on workers and their work this Labor Day, shouldn’t Christians be the loudest cheerleaders of all? After all, the Bible unequivocally affirms that work was designed by God; that it is intrinsically “good”; that all kinds of work — from the simplest to the most complex, from the highest paying to the lowest paying to the not paying — have immense dignity and value; and that God uses human work to carry out his purposes of providence and redemption in this world (Gen. 1:28; Gen. 2:15). We therefore celebrate the good work of all people, all bearers of God’s image, out of gratitude for their contributions to the common good and as tribute to the One who made us like him as workers in this world. So, yes, Happy Labor Day, everyone, very much so.
Again, God delights in the work of all image-bearers and so should we. But does this then mean that there is nothing unique about the way a follower of Christ conducts her daily work? No, it does not mean that. So what makes a Christian’s work distinctively Christian?
It is not only the intentionality with which you seek opportunities to share the gospel with co-workers or customers, as a Christian is called to in every sphere of life (Col. 4:5; 1 Pet. 3:15). It is not only the moral integrity with which you conduct yourself on the job, laboring with honesty, diligence, self-sacrifice, and loyalty (Prov. 21:5; Eph. 6:6-7) — and not just when it benefits you but even when it costs you. It is not only the unique spiritual fuel that propels you through the day, even in the face of frustrations and failures — knowing that you’re working for the Lord and not for men, freed from having to prove your worth having already having been approved in Christ (Col. 3:23; 1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 5:1). It is not only the commitment to invest in meaningful relationships with those around you — loving and serving your workplace neighbor with a listening ear, helping hand, or priestly heart (Gal 6:10; Rom. 12:14-15). It is not only the Missio Dei, God’s mission to make all things new, to which your daily work allows you to contribute as the “hands” and “feet” of Christ (Acts 1:1-2; Rev. 21:5) — serving the kingdom and common good, announcing the reality of the Resurrection, giving foretastes of the final Feast, displaying “sneak previews” of the world as it ought to be and one day will be. With each meal cooked, the chef serves hors d’oeuvres of the Lamb’s heavenly Feast (Rev. 19:6-9). With each push of the broom, the street-sweeper approximates those incandescent streets of gold (Rev. 21:21). This is the Grand Story we narrate from “nine to five.” Don’t you know? Your work tells a story.
Indeed, it is not only this or that or one thing or another, but all these things — the evangelistic, ethical, motivational, relational, and missional dimensions of our daily labor — that together make a Christian’s work distinctively and richly Christian. It is therefore an inestimable honor to be called as a worker in God’s world in the name of Christ.
Happy Labor Day.
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