Celebrate All Work as Sacred

by Michele Husfelt on September 1

With today being Labor Day, the topic of yesterday’s sermon at our church was aptly titled “The Sacredness of Work.” I followed along fairly studiously; however, I tend to miss a thought or two, primarily due to being distracted by the attractive preacher delivering the message. Please don’t worry; my husband is aware of my struggle in this area, although he’s not sure he wants me to overcome this challenge.

            He referred to Genesis 1:26, where man’s first work assignment was to “rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth” (CSB). The text goes on to remind us of God’s directive to care for the land and, ultimately, to care for each other. What resonated with me the most, however, was God’s example as He fulfilled His work. After God created everything, Genesis 2:2 states, “On the seventh day God had completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from all His work of creation” (CSB).

These few verses remind us of the importance of both working and resting. Later in the New Testament, Paul encourages us by saying, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord” (Col. 3:23-24 CSB). This serves as a significant reminder that, regardless of the nature of our work, there is value and sacredness in doing our best.

I recently succumbed to the dreaded visit to the DMV to surrender my Florida driver’s license and begin life as an official resident of Virginia. Part of my trepidation regarding this process was the actual trip to the DMV. Ironically, I had just heard a song on the radio dissing this establishment and portraying it as a place we all loathe. I went prepared to be turned away, surely not having brought whatever specific documents they required.

I made an appointment and brought a book to pass the time during my long wait. Surprisingly, there was no one in line ahead of me. Even more surprising was the warm and friendly smile I received along with the greeting, “Hello, how can I help you?” Clutching my life history in a brown manila envelope, I spread all my papers on the counter and somehow managed to bring everything I needed. As I waited for the clerk to find me in the database, I noticed her shirt that read, “There is power in the name of Jesus!” She proceeded to process my request as efficiently as the computer would allow. She was kind. She was friendly. And so were her co-workers. This was not the DMV experience we expect.

As I left a few minutes later, I wondered if the difference was that she valued work. She understood all jobs to be sacred and worthy of being done well. She was working for the Lord, looking forward to her reward: an inheritance from Him. Oh, that we would all execute our work as a sacred gift offered to the Lord.