By Jane L. Fryar
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9 ESV).
Imagine the wicked queen in the fairy tale Snow White chanting this question each morning:
Mirror, Mirror, on the wall,
What’s the meaning of it all?
If Snow White’s foe were to ask that, she would not be the first. Even Christians who love their work sometimes wonder. What’s the meaning of it all? How can we honor our Lord in every aspect of our lives—our work included? How can we live lives of significance?
It may be that the people around us define a “life of significance” as one focused on accumulating fame or wealth or power. For Christians, though, lives of significance are always lives of service. Even if we find ourselves becoming famous, wealthy, or powerful, we understand that our Savior intends us to use these blessings for the good of others.
You, Child of God, have received from your Creator a unique mix of interests, talents, experiences, and abilities. You have a distinctive personality. You live at a specific time and in a specific place. All this, taken together, opens specific doors of opportunity to you: your work for pay; your family setting; and the needs around you in your church, community, nation, and world all come together to shape God's various callings on your life.
What does God want me to do?
Often, in answer to that question, your Father in heaven will ask additional questions like these: “What would you most like to do? What can you do with a glad heart, a servant heart?”
On the other hand, God’s answer sometimes goes something like this:
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10 ESV).
So . . . go ahead. Counsel your son. Change the oil in the truck. Take the cat to the vet. Prepare the expense report. Prescribe the medicine your patient needs. Recycle the trash. Tighten the lug nut. Practice the solo. Write the devotion. Play checkers with the shut-in. Hit the gym.
And in it all . . .
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV).
Editor’s note: Today’s devotion is slightly adapted from Faith That Works, CTA’s inspirational book for Christians in the workplace. This book is part of our Where Faith Meets Life series.
Editor’s note:
Even Christians who love their work sometimes wonder. What’s the meaning of it all? How can we honor our Lord in every aspect of our lives—our work included? How can we live lives of significance?
