People sometimes think God cursed us by making us work. As evidence, they cite Genesis 3:17-19, wherein God tells Adam he will have to work the ground and it will give him thorns and thistles, and “by the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread.”
However, Adam’s work was NOT part of the punishment. Adam had a job BEFORE the sin and the Fall of Man. God gave Adam work so that Adam could be a partner with God in the creative process. Adam was told to name the animals. He probably named plants, too, and took on the task of sorting and understanding them: these are fruits, these are herbs, these are mammals, these are reptiles, etc. I’m sure the work was very creative and fulfilling: part writer, part teacher, part database administrator, part museum curator.
Numbers 18:7 supports this idea. God tells Aaron:
“I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift.”
Our jobs are also gifts. God created you with talents and abilities, and it is deeply fulfilling when you can use those abilities in a positive way. God gives you the talent for a job, then He gives you a chance to do that job. That is so satisfying. Take the time to be grateful for your talents and the chance to use them. Ask God to send you the right work. And make up your mind to enjoy it and be grateful, because your work is a GIFT, not a punishment.
Dear God, give us grateful hearts that want to work and value the work you send us, no matter how humbling. Thank you for the gift of work! Help us to honor you in our work every day. Make us humble enough to scrub toilets. We want to be like Jesus who washed feet. Help us serve you by serving others. Thank you for the GIFT of work. Help us treat it like a gift! We love you.
ΑΩ
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