We have all heard the phrases “living to work” and “working to live”. Depending on the values of a person, we see one of these stand out in their life. In some people’s eyes, working to live is promoted as the better way of life. We talk about how work is a way to live the life we want to and to value the things we care about – family, traveling, etc. Your work isn’t your identity but just a place you have a transaction with. By that, I mean you work for them, and they compensate you. Along with this, we’ve seen an increase in glorifying retirement, traveling while working remotely, and entrepreneurial endeavors that enable you to stay at home and spend your time as you will. If you’ve found a job with little commitment in these areas while still making a large amount of money, you are deemed successful.

Comparatively, for those on the other side of the spectrum, we see an overvaluing of our careers and success. While both perspectives value income, they value different ways of getting there. In this view, we talk about the beauty of working hard and earning where you’re at. Those who spend all their time, effort, mental capacity, and passion working are thriving and flourishing in life. It is proclaimed that to be successful, you have to dedicate many hours and sacrifice your other priorities – at least until you’ve gotten to a certain point. Your job is a big part of who you are and if you’re successful in that area, you believe you are a successful person.

These are both extreme views of where our world is at today. Whether you fall on one side or the other, I feel it is important to consider what God has to say about this subject before interjecting our own opinions. I daresay that if looking at Scripture, you may find that neither one of these perspectives reflects God’s values. Throughout the Bible, we see an overall concept of honoring God in every single arena He has put you in. In Colossians 3:23, we are told, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” This challenges us to work in a way that would glorify God and make the most of him. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, it says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Again, we see this calling to do whatever we do in a way that reflects Christ.

When reflecting more upon these verses, I see this as a beautiful way to view our work here on this earth. Everything we have here is a temporary gift that God has given us and asked us to steward. All that I have was given to me by him. This includes my money but extends to every other area of my life as well. He has given me my time to steward as well. If I am striving to glorify God in all I do, then I would have a balance of working hard with the career God has set before me while also spending time with my family, serving others, and developing relationships.

This is a concept that has been thoroughly debated in our world. For centuries, people have fought the battle of working too much or not working enough. Considering God’s calling for us, I believe we all should work hard and strive to honor God with our time. We will all have to stand before him one day and take responsibility for what we have done here on earth.  

Citation

Taylor, John, and John Taylor. The Bible. Printed by Fay & Davison, 1978.