Legacy Ladies Note: This blog series is inspired by For the Life of the World, a film series that explores the deeper meaning of salvation. It discusses how we can steward every economy in our lives (creative service, wonder, the church, etc.) to proclaim God’s glory, so that the world might come to know Him. This is the second article in this series.
By Rachel Gardner
Okay I’m pretty sure I can see the heavy sigh and accompanying eye roll when I say, “Hey, let’s talk about work,” but bear with me because I think it can be fun!
First, let me explain what I mean by economy. Oikonomia is Greek for economy, or the order in which we manage our “house.” My economy of creative service (work) is to contribute to the service of something greater than myself.
You may have heard that work is not meant to be toil, that it was designed before the Fall, and this is true. Genesis talks about God’s commandment to Adam to subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28), which just means to bring order out of it. Even though we live after the Fall, it is still a privilege to co-labor with the God of the universe, working for Him and His glory, not our own.
Here’s a perspective I bet you haven’t considered before: Jesus actually worked 5 times longer than He was in ministry. In Mark 6:3, it says Jesus began to teach and people asked, “Isn’t this the carpenter?” Jesus worked for 18 years as a carpenter before He began His ministry, reaffirming God’s design for work.
Jesus was God incarnate, so if Jesus worked while on earth, work must be important to God. Jesus knew what it meant to get up and go to work with sinful people every day. Luke 2:52 says Jesus “grew in wisdom and stature, and favor with God and man” all while working! We shouldn’t let the type of job we have be a hinderance to sharing the Gospel. Jesus could have any one of our jobs and still be able to share His message like He did as a carpenter.
Work is all about relationships and being intentional.
Creative collaboration allows us to meet needs as well as to grow in wonder and appreciation of God’s creation. Even if we work alone, what we produce is designed to benefit someone else, so there is always a relationship connected to what we do.
If much of our life is spent working, think about all the potential there is in how we can use our time. Work isn’t something to do day after day just to make money and survive. Think of it as one of the platforms you can use to impact and benefit the city you are a part of.
All gifts are from above (James 1:17). Creating and using our gifts for the blessing and benefit of others elevates our work and our culture. There is value in the exchange of work, which in turn acts as a blessing to the life of the world. Let’s transfer the focus of work from ourselves, to our world. Let’s live outwardly.
Legacy Ladies 