Work, Work: Rethinking What God Meant by Work

I've been thinking a lot about the nature of work.

I used to play a game called Warcraft III, before WoW and all the online stuff. This was back in the day when you had to connect to other computers with an ethernet cable to co-op. Anyway, there were these Orcs that, when you selected them and assigned a task, say mining or cutting wood, would always give the same reply: "Work, work." That plays rent free in my head when I begin a task.

You've probably heard the term "work-life balance." What a concept. Work has become something we need to protect ourselves from. I've never been good at that. I carry things with me, replay conversations, and worry about how my work is received. I doubt I'm alone.

The way we think about work today feels twisted. We look at pro athletes, successful musicians, and the wealthy as the lucky ones, the people who escaped it. I wonder if we have it backwards. What if we're giving work too much power? Our energy, our thoughts, and our beliefs about ourselves get wrapped up in what other people think our value is. Think that's too harsh? Go ask for a raise. You'll find out quickly what the value of your work is in their eyes.

But that's not what God wanted for your life. Work has been twisted by greed, industrial revolutions, and all the "isms" in between.

In God's eyes, work is simply you being your best self while you create good around you (Genesis 1:28). And you can do that anywhere.

A 9-to-5 job has been part of my life since I realized I had to pay for something I wanted. It's an exchange: I give you my time, talent, and effort, and you give me money. That money pays bills, funds vacations, or helps someone in need. But it doesn't get the final word on who I am. My family, close friends, and loved ones get that space in my head.

Maybe I'm just rambling. But maybe someone else needed to read this.