design – Page 8 – Called To Work

5. Learning from Your Mistakes

October 28, 2024

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:4, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Isaiah 40:31

In Matthew 5:4, Jesus states, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” As we reflect on our failures, we can receive this promise.

Failure can be the result of others’ actions, circumstances beyond our control, our own actions, or a combination of all three. While failure is no fun, it can benefit us in the long run. When mourning our mistakes compels us to make ourselves right with God and others, God comforts us and our relationships improve.

For those who struggle with perfectionism, grieving humbles us and puts us in touch with our humanity. Anxiety-driven striving alienates us from our emotions. Allowing ourselves to feel unadulterated sadness dispels this anxiety and the stress that comes with it.

Feeling sadness is uncomfortable. Without the emotional blessing of sadness, however, we would probably never muster the guts to admit our mistakes. But when we do admit mistakes, we may be surprised how often people are ready to forgive us. If we make a mistake with a colleague, student, customer, employee, or other person, we can admit it, ask their pardon, and commit to learning from our mistakes.

Of course, we must also deal with our failures in prayer. We can ask for forgiveness first, and then for the wisdom, courage, and perseverance to meet future challenges. Failure teaches us that we must depend on God’s living power. Faith in Christ enables us to do through God’s power what we could not otherwise.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for this opportunity to grow. I pray for the wisdom, courage, and perseverance to properly mourn and learn from my mistakes. Amen.

For Further Exploration: ReadBlessed Are Those Who Mourn, for They Will be Comforted (Matthew 5:4) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

4. Success and Failure Don’t Define Who We Are

October 21, 2024

Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:11-13

Many think the apostle Paul was successful. Because of his work, the gospel spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire. Within 100 years of his death, strong churches existed everywhere he had been. But few in Paul’s day, including Paul, would call him a success. Paul evidently was not much to look at or listen to. By his own admission, at best he was a so-so speaker. His work often got him in trouble, which led to beatings, imprisonment, and getting thrown out of town.

Then-prevailing standards of success or failure didn’t much matter to Paul; he didn’t use them to measure his personal worth or his work. Interestingly, Paul still says that he had to learn to be content with his circumstances. He didn’t start out with that attitude. It’s not human nature to be happy despite our circumstances; we want to be happy because of our circumstances.

But as a result of Christ’s transforming presence in our lives, we can learn to shift the source of contentment (and discontentment) from circumstances to God. We are His beloved sons and daughters—loved for our place in Christ, not because we succeed or fail. That is our truest source of joy.

In his book, Winning Smart After Losing Big, entrepreneur Rob Stearns echoes this perspective regarding his own failures. Stearns writes that there’s a big difference between experiencing a failure and being a failure: “You are the same person after your loss as you were before your loss.” It is strength of character that enables us to get up and keep moving when we’ve failed.

But where do we find strength to move forward? Paul freely acknowledged that such strength is not native to his soul. It came to him from Christ. “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13, NIV). Hardships and failures taught the apostle to ask for strength. He learned to “fail forward” into the everlasting arms of God.

Prayer: God, as I face failure, I pray that I would find my value in who you say I am. Help me draw strength and joy from your everlasting arms. Thank you for your unchanging love. Amen.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

3. Work and Redemption

October 14, 2024

Scripture Reading: Genesis 3:17-19, 21, 2 Corinthians 5:18, Revelation 21:1

In Genesis chapter 3, Adam and Eve sin. Their decisions have disastrous consequences that stretch all the way to the modern workplace. As a result of their sin, we read in Genesis 3:“…cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you…” – Gen. 3:17b-18a.

Sin created alienation between people and God, among people, and between people and the earth that was to support them. Work became more difficult and liable to failure and unintended consequences. Work was not inherently a curse, but the curse affects our work. Notice that although the ground is “cursed,” the people are not, for God is not abandoning humanity. In fact, God continues to provide for Adam and Eve, even to the point of sewing clothes for them when they lack the skill themselves (Gen. 3:21).

Despite the curse, the work commissioned in Genesis 1 and 2 continues. There is still ground to be tilled and phenomena of nature to be studied, described and named. Men and women must still be fruitful, must still multiply, must still govern.

But now, a second layer of work must also be accomplished—the work of healing and repairing things that go wrong and evils that are committed. In a world of sin and sadness, many jobs echo God’s redemption: Scientists and salespersons help people overcome various difficulties by providing products to make life easier and healthier. Law enforcement officers and parents provide safety in the midst of chaos. Accountants and repairmen fix broken ledgers, appliances and technology.

These and other roles project hope for the coming restoration (Revelation 21:1). One day, brokenness will be gone; pain will be no more. But until that day, even the most frustrating jobs can be means by which we carry out the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). We can reflect Jesus’ finished work in our own lives as we display God’s characteristics to the world and work to redeem areas of brokenness.

Prayer: God, you alone are our glorious Redeemer. But you empower us to display your glory and redemption to those around us. Help us in everyday moments to shine forth your image, character and attributes through our work. Show us where we can display your gospel’s work by reconciling areas of brokenness in our jobs. Amen.

For Further Exploration: Read People Work in a Fallen Creation (Genesis 4 – 8) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

2. In God’s Image

October 7, 2024

Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:27-28, Genesis 2:15

Created in God’s image (Gen. 1:27), we were designed with work in mind. From the beginning God intended and created human beings to be his junior partners in the work of bringing creation to fulfillment. God brought into being a flawless creation, and then made humanity to continue the creation project.

“God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth’” (Gen. 1:28a).

God could have created everything imaginable and filled the earth himself. But he chose to create humanity to work alongside him to actualize the world’s potential, to participate in God’s own work.

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15).

These two words in Hebrew, avad (“work” or “till”) and shamar (“keep”), are also used for the worship of God and keeping his commandments, respectively. Work done according to God’s purpose has an unmistakable holiness.

Through our work God brings forth food and drink, products and services, knowledge and beauty, organizations and communities, growth and health, and praise and glory to himself. Our work is meant to serve God’s purposes. It is largely in and through our work that we make a contribution to the common good, find meaning in our daily lives, as well as leave a footprint of influence in the world. Each one of us wants to make a difference in the world. We want our lives to really matter. That’s because we were created to matter.

Think about the implications for our work. How would God go about doing our job? What values would God bring to it? What products would God make? Which people would God serve? What organizations would God build? What standards would God use? In what ways should our work display the God we represent? When we finish a job, are the results such that we can say, “Thank you, God, for the privilege of partnering with you to accomplish this?”

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for trusting me to participate in your work. Help me work as one created in your image and bring glory to you. Amen.

For Further Exploration: Read Fruitfulness/Growth (Genesis 1:28; 2:15, 19-20) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

1. God’s Good Idea: Work

September 30, 2024

Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1-2, 2:7

The Bible begins by telling us something about God. It’s not a descrip<on of God’s nature or a hymn to God’s glory. Rather, the first thing Scripture reveals about God is his ac<vity: God created the heavens and the earth. Where once there was nothing, now there is something. Indeed, now there is everything. Scripture starts with a bang.

To use more general language, the first thing we learn about God is that he worked. He made something. He exercised his crea<ve, visionary, ordering power. Throughout chapters 1 and 2, we see God engrossed in the shaping of crea<on.

“The earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2).The nascent crea<on, though s<ll “formless,” has the material dimensions of space (“the deep”) and maTer (“waters”), and God is fully engaged with this materiality (“a wind from God swept over the face of the waters”).Later, in chapter 2, we see God working the dirt of his crea<on. “The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground” (Gen. 2:7). Work isn’t something added on to the biblical story. It comes right at the start. In the beginning, God worked.

Prayer: Thank you, dear Lord, for graciously revealing yourself to us in Scripture. The first thing you show us about yourself is that you are the God who created all things. You are a God who worked, and who is working s<ll. May you work in and through my life today. Help me to see all of my work this day as an imita<on of your crea<vity. Amen.

For Further Explora>on: Read God Creates the World (Genesis 1:1-2:3) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

66: The big picture of work (Revelation 18:1-20; 21:1-7; 21:23–26; 22:1-2)

September 23, 2024

Scripture Reading: Revelation 18:1-20; 21:1-7; 21:23–26; 22:1-2

Insights into the big picture of work come in Revelation’s concluding chapters, where the worldly city Babylon is set against God’s city, the New Jerusalem. Babylon represents the dead-end street of humanity’s attempt to build their culture apart from God. It has every appearance of being the paradise for which humanity has always longed. But it is in fact a counterfeit, doomed to be exposed by God in the final judgment.

The lesson that God would judge a city for its economic practices is a sobering thought. The fact that much of the condemnation appears to stem from its self-indulgence should hit with particular force at modern consumer culture. But the most worrisome thing of all is that Babylon looks so close to the New Jerusalem. God did create a good world; we are meant to enjoy life; God does delight in the beautiful things of earth. It is precisely the genuine benefits of technological advance and extensive trading networks that constitute the danger. Babylon slowly but inexorably twists the good gifts of God—economic interchange, agricultural abundance, diligent craftsmanship—into the service of false gods.

Revelation offers an alternative vision of life together: the New Jerusalem. At one level, the New Jerusalem is a return to Eden—there is a river flowing through it, with the tree of life standing by with fruit-laden branches and leaves for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:2). Humanity can again walk in peace with God. But the New Jerusalem is not simply a new and better garden: it is a garden-city that forms the counterweight to Babylon.

Parsing out precisely how this works is not easy. Will there still be farming in the new heavens and new earth? Will a godly computer programmer’s 1.0 software be consigned to the flames while version 2.0 enters the heavenly city? The Bible does not answer these types of questions directly, but we may once more look at the big picture. God created humans to exercise dominion over the earth, which entails creativity. Would it be sensible for such a God to then turn and regard work done in faith as useless and cast it aside? On balance, it seems far more likely that he would raise it up and perfect all that is done for his glory.

Prayer: Jesus, I want my work to honor you. Help me do everything I do for your glory. Amen.

For Further Exploration: Read Babylon and the New Jerusalem: A Tale of Two Cities (Revelation 17-22) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

65: Showing mercy (Jude 1:22-23)

September 16, 2024

Scripture Reading: Jude 1:22-23

The brief letter of Jude paints a startling picture of one very dysfunctional workplace—a church blighted by ungodly leaders. Some of the problems are unique to churches, such as heresy. Others could occur in a secular workplace: rejection of authority, slander, violence, and greed. The worst abuses are perpetrated by leaders who gorge themselves at the expense of their flocks. Jude’s words apply equally to church leaders misappropriating church funds for their own pleasures, executives plundering a corporate pension fund to prop up reported profits (and thus their bonuses), or employees surfing the web on company time.

In the face of this malfeasance, Jude gives a command as surprising in the workplace as in the church: Have mercy. Jude is not afraid to take strong action against evil. His mercy is not soft or weak, as his images of fire, fear, and defiled bodies indicate. Jude’s mercy is severe. But it is mercy nonetheless, for its hope is not merely to punish the offenders but to save them.

This severe mercy may be what some workplace situations require. Someone who commits fraud, harasses other workers, or lies to customers cannot be let off lightly. That leads only to greater evil. But discipline cannot turn into mere revenge. In Christ’s eyes, no person is beyond hope. The godly leader treats each person with respect and tries to discern what kind of discipline might lead them back into the fold.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your great mercy. Help me show mercy to others, even while holding them accountable. Amen.

For Further Exploration: Read Jude from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

64: Communicating with care (3 John 15)

September 9, 2024

Scripture Reading: 3 John 15

At the end of 3 John, there is an insight for our daily work. John adds, “Greet the friends there, each by name.” Speaking a person’s name adds further to the personal touch that John recognizes is needed in communication.

Many of us come face to face with hundreds of people in the course of our work. To some degree, we need to communicate with each of them, even if only to avoid knocking into each other in the hallway. How many of them do we know well enough to greet by name? Do you know your boss’s boss’s boss’s name? Probably. Do you know the name of the person who empties the trash in your workplace? Do you greet people by name when you are in conflict with them? Do you learn the names of newcomers to the organization who may need your help at some point? The names you bother to learn and those you don’t can reveal a lot about your level of respect and compassion for people. John cares enough to greet “each” person by name.

Prayer: Lord, I know that you know us each by name. Help me to respect everyone I come in contact with at work as one of your precious children. Amen.

For Further Exploration: Read 3 John and Work from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

63: Speaking the truth in love (2 John 3–4)

September 3, 2024

Scripture Reading: 2 John 3–4

Each of John’s letters is notable for bringing the concepts “truth” and “love” together into a single idea. Here in 2 John, we find the most extended development of this idea.

Regrettably, we often act as though grace, mercy, and peace depend on love minus truth. We may hide or shade uncomfortable truths in our communications with others at work in the misguided belief that telling the truth would not be loving. Or we may fear that telling the truth will lead to conflict or ill will, rather than grace or peace. Thinking we are being merciful, we fail to tell the truth.

But love must always begin with the truth. Love comes to us through Christ, and Christ is the perfect embodiment of the truth of God. That is to say, God knows the way things really are, and he wraps his knowledge in love and brings it to us through his Son. So if we are ever to love as God loves, we must begin with the truth, not with falsity, evasion, or fairytales. It is true that telling the truth may lead to conflict or upset feelings—ours or others’. But genuine grace, mercy, and peace come from facing reality and working through difficulties to genuine resolutions.

Prayer: Jesus, even when it is difficult, help me to speak the truth in love. May genuine grace, mercy, and peace come from facing reality and working through difficulties to find solutions. Amen.

For Further Exploration: Read Honesty and Speaking the Truth in Love (2 John 1-11) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

62: Walk in the light (1 John 3:17-18, 24)

August 26, 2024

Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:17-18, 24

Although written under greatly different circumstances than James, 1 John also challenges the notion that faith can live without “works,” that is, acts of obedience toward God. 1 John regards caring for those in need as one expression of genuine knowledge of God. “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?” (1 John 3:17).

This has immediate significance for workplace ethics. In recent years, there has been increasing attention to “virtue ethics” after a long history of neglect in Protestant thought and practice. Virtue ethics focuses on the long-term formation of moral character, rather than on formulating rules and calculating consequences of immediate decisions. Not that rules or commands are irrelevant, but that long-term moral formation underlies obedience to the rules. John’s concept of walking in the light as a way of life certainly commends the virtue approach.

One specific application of the light metaphor is that we should be open and transparent in our workplace actions. We should welcome scrutiny of our actions, rather than trying to hide our actions from the light of day. We could never defraud investors, falsify quality records, gossip about co-workers, or extort bribes while walking in the light.

1 John also underscores that we don’t need full-time jobs in ministry to do meaningful work in God’s kingdom. While most Christians don’t have jobs in which they get paid to do the so-called “spiritual” tasks of preaching and evangelism, all Christians can walk in the light by obeying God in their actions (1 John 3:18–19, 24). All such actions come from God’s prior love, and therefore are deeply spiritual and meaningful. Thus nonchurch work has value, not only because it is a place where you may get a chance to evangelize, or because the wages you earn can go toward funding missions, but because it is a place where you can embody fellowship with Christ by serving others around you. Work is a highly practical way of loving your neighbor, because work is where you create products and services that meet the needs of people nearby and far away. Work is a spiritual calling.

Prayer: Lord, show me how to love in truth and action. Amen.

For Further Exploration: Read 1 John: Walking in the Light from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

Called To Work

Author: design

5. Learning from Your Mistakes

4. Success and Failure Don’t Define Who We Are

3. Work and Redemption

2. In God’s Image

1. God’s Good Idea: Work

66: The big picture of work (Revelation 18:1-20; 21:1-7; 21:23–26; 22:1-2)

65: Showing mercy (Jude 1:22-23)

64: Communicating with care (3 John 15)

63: Speaking the truth in love (2 John 3–4)

62: Walk in the light (1 John 3:17-18, 24)

Contact Us