WORSHIP GOD THROUGH YOUR WORK (PART 1)

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. (Proverbs 6:6–11)

Author Lester DeKoster points out in his book abut work that “Work gets the largest single block of our lives. Yet we tend to look for meaningful living anywhere but on the job.” Many people view work as a means to an end - the means to buy the things that we think will give our lives meaning rather than what gives our lives meaning which is not how God wants us to see work.

Proverbs has a lot to say about work and Proverbs 6 is perhaps one of the most memorable. Solomon's insistence that the sluggard should learn from the ant, which is among the lowest of God's creatures calls for a serious examination of our attitude and thinking about work.

Work is Part of our Dignified Design

Scripture tells us that God made man in his own image. (Genesis 1:26-27) This makes humans unique in comparison to other creatures God made, for only we bear the image of God. This means we are little representations - little living images of the living God, or reflections of his magnificent glory. Then scripture tells us "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."(Genesis 2:15)

We tend to think work is part of the fall, and therefore part of our punishment. But work finds its origins in the beginning with God who created everything. And we see that everything God created was created for a purpose – even the ant has a purpose. Anyone who has studied ecosystems know that insects and other wildlife keep things in balance. And as Proverbs points out – the ant is busy fulfilling that purpose showing that work and purpose go hand in hand! God above us works, the ant below us works which means we work too! And that’s what God put Adam in the garden to do – work it!  This is BEFORE the fall - not after. The only thing that has changed is the fruit of our work does not come as easily. After Adam and Eve sinned, God pronounced: “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life." (Genesis 3:17)

Yet the fact remains - we were made to work. But why is our work so important? What does it accomplish?  For starters, it matters to those around us. We know what it looks like when someone works only to collect a paycheck - they don't care about doing their job right or well. They are only concerned about collecting a paycheck. But work is not about a paycheck - work is about service, as Lester DeKoster states, "Work is the way in which we make ourselves useful to others..."

Think again about God's work: what was the end result? His own glory but also our good. He created a world that is perfectly suited for us to thrive. God was serving us while glorifying himself. Likewise our work serves others while glorifying God. And by glorifying God in our work we are worshiping God through our work.

Every Type of Work is Dignified Work

We often think of work in terms of blue collar, white collar and priest collar. This assumes some jobs are more glorifying to God than others. Part of this has to do with the dollar value associated with each. But one of the most dignified and valuable occupations does not earn a paycheck. I am talking about motherhood. The work of mothers is dignified work! Don't let the Women's Liberation movement tell you otherwise!

While it is true, the responsibilities of our work may vary, every human being is equally capable of glorifying God through their work regardless of the color of our collar, size of the paycheck or skill of the worker. When our work is done in the right perspective (service) it brings God glory! And that's whats wrong with the sluggard in Proverbs 6.


The Sluggard's Problem is Ultimately a Worship Problem

Proverbs 26:13-15 tells us, "The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!” As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth."

The word "sluggard" refers to habitual laziness, to a lack of discipline and procrastination. The Proverbs describe the Sluggard as utterly pathetic and undesirable! Not just because poverty will come upon us like a bandit (Proverbs 6:11), but because living unproductive, lazy lives is a defamation of God's character. The sluggard is failing to rightly represent God. In fact, the ant in Proverbs 6 is representing God better than the one made in God's image! Look at how independent, diligent she works: she has no commander, no ruler, yet she knows what to do and does it! The ant is bringing God more glory than you are! OUCH! And sin is our falling short of the glory of God. So then the sluggard has failed morally – he is in sin. And every sin is ultimately a worship problem. Something else has control of our heart and keeping us from being like God in how we work. Whatever that might be, that is what we worship.