Bible Verse: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15)
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 12:11; Colossians 3:23-24; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
Sometimes, we feel like work is a curse, but it isn’t. It is a crucial part of God’s design for men. The Curse has made work harder (Genesis 3:17-19), but work has existed since before the Fall.
Some work really stinks, to be sure. I’ve never liked pulling weeds or lugging loads of dirt around.
But, if I’m being honest, even if I hate the job, I do always feel a sense of accomplishment when the job is done and done well.
When God created Adam, one of the reasons He created him was to work. In the Genesis 2 account, before Eve was even created, God gave Adam a job to do.
This is not to say that women don’t also have work to do (see the Proverbs 31 woman for an impressive example!), but it remains a key distinctive all the same: from Adam on, men were made to work.
Through work, we provide for our families, serve others, contribute to the greater good of the world, and witness to God’s goodness and glory. Through work, we fill our days with purpose and a sense of accomplishment as we give ourselves to the task and see it done.
When Jesus, the perfect Man, walked the earth, He too came to work. He said that His job was to do the Father’s work that was ordained for Him (John 5:17; 5:36). Jesus’ work was to teach, perform miracles, reveal the Father, and ultimately achieve His greatest work on the Cross. Jesus’ life was full of purpose, and He actively pursued that purpose until the very end. He used His time, strength, and gifts to glorify God and serve others, sacrificing all for His calling, even His very life.
Men, God gave us strength (1 John 2:14), and part of what we spend our strength on is work—to provide for ourselves and our families, to contribute to society, to help support charity and those less fortunate, and to fill our days with purpose and accomplishment.
As men, we were created to work, and we work hard—that is one of the reasons we are here.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for what You have given me to do in this life. May I work hard, without complaining, as if I am working for You, since it all comes from You. Amen.
Reflection: Beyond your day job, where do you use your time and talents to “work hard” for the Lord? Are there any places where you might serve that you aren’t yet?
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