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“Dude, I could sit here for hours and just stare out into the sun set.”
I just met him sitting on the patio of the Starbucks just off I-35 in Temple, Texas. He had little money and I had the time chat with him before heading back to the evening events at church.
He was on his way north from Austin after having the time of his life celebrating four-twenty at the largest(?) pot-smoking gathering in the state. He came south, from Missouri I think, because he lost his job (he crashed a tractor into the only pole in the field because he was high while driving it). I think it had been months since he had a job. Now that he was out of money, it was time to head north to get back to it.
We discussed topics like the purpose of life and how convenient it is having a TV in your car.
He told me that he was very good at relaxing and could just sit for hours and watch the sun set in complete tranquility. Our conversation was over; I gave him a Bible and some money…he was definitely more excited about the money, but appreciative for both.
I didn’t ask him this question, but I wonder what he believed about the value of work.
What do you believe about work?
I am guessing he used work to make enough money to do what he wanted when he wasn’t working, but he didn’t find any real meaning in the actual work itself. In other words, “work” is merely a necessary evil for a different good.
What do you think?
Is work meaningful and something good in itself or is it something we simply have to do in order to do something else when we aren’t working?
Can we learn anything about work from Jesus’ resurrection? Yep.
The resurrection indeed teaches us we can relax because God is in control (so we don’t have to depend on weed for help). But it also teaches us that our work is meaningful…for the exact same reason: God is in control.
By resurrecting from the dead, Jesus affirmed that this world can get better because he will make it better. This “better-ness” happens when human lives are improved, convenienced, or increase in “flourishing.” So work is valuable as a service to humanity.
There is real significance in meeting others’ needs and making their lives more convenient than it was prior.
In light of the resurrection, we should now understand work as something that is meant to serve other humans. Jesus resurrected to serve us in order that we may flourish and become a “serving-people.”
Work is the means of creating corporate human flourishing. Work is not something that occurs only when you sweat, make money, or do something you don’t want to do. Work happens when what you do serves others—whether you make money or not.
Furthermore, the resurrection means that Jesus values the earth and how humans use it. God meant for humans to flourish in the earth as the earth flourishes. Furthermore, God wants humans to make the earth flourish in order to enhance human flourishing.
In the resurrection, we see that a physical earth is still part of God’s plan which he will produce anew one day through Jesus.
Also, those who choose to follow Jesus and embrace his promises receive the responsibility and privilege to make sure others experience flourishing. We have been at the forefront of receiving the benefit of Jesus’ work so that, now, we can be at the forefront of working on behalf of others.
True flourishing will happen only when you experience God’s love for you and accept his work for you.
He did the ultimate work by dying for your evil ways so that you can live forever with him in a new creation. He resurrected so you can receive power to live as if you are already in God’s new creation—this means power in order to forsake selfishness for selflessness, harshness for kindness, and your own wisdom for God’s wisdom.
Therefore, our work receives meaning if we understand it in light of the resurrection. The resurrection allows us to rightly understand work.
There is danger in valuing work too much so that it becomes our life and valuing work too little so that it is merely for the purpose of making money.
By valuing our work too much, we begin to feel like work is the only reason for which we exist and we will lose our sense of purpose in life if our work is taken away from us. Plus we kill other areas in order to keep our work life alive.
By valuing our work too little, we will show up to work without enthusiasm and lack diligence in our responsibilities. We will not view our work as meaningful for others, but only as an enemy causing us to spend our time in ways we do not wish.
So it is important to understand work as:
1) something created by God for humans to bless other humans
2) something done by God, through Jesus, so he can bless you—so you can experience true flourishing.
One day, Jesus will finish what he began and complete the new creation. Work will be completely meaningful always serving others and never dull or monotonous.
But remember that even today your work has meaning. There will be times when it is dreadful and boring. There will be times when our work treats us poorly and times when work is the greatest.
Just know that your very life itself can be a work of foretaste—a foretaste of true flourishing for those who long for it, but have not truly experienced it. So be encouraged. This truth is as true as the resurrection. And if Jesus truly resurrected, then you can get to work.
Thanks,
Aaron