Actress Marilyn Monroe said, “A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night.” Her sentence voiced a key dividing line in the workplace. Some people are deeply devoted to and love their work. They love what they do and it is integral to their personal identity. Others work because they are devoted to something, or someone else—so work is just a means to a greater end. The tension around why you do what you do is something every leader must grapple with. For some, work is a pure joy, a place where they are in their element, and they could not imagine doing anything else. For others, work is something to do between 8 and 5, and their passion is found in their marriage, family, a pastime, religion—life outside the office. Which view is correct?
Whether you view your work as simply a way to provide for your household or a means to live out your passions, is really up to you. In the Bible we see both types of people and we read instruction that endorses both directions in life and work. However, both views must also be taken in moderation. Work can fulfill a passion or a paycheck, but cannot be exclusively so. Study what the Bible says about this balance:
Work as a passion. Colossians 3:23-24 instructs, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” With all your heart is a reflection of passion in the workplace—doing your very best and giving your maximum effort. When you enjoy your work, you are doing what you love to do, and it seems less like work and more like a pastime. If you have an intense excitement and enthusiasm for what you do, you are also more likely to do it well.
God gave us work to do beginning in the Garden of Eden, so work precedes sin, and is an integral part of our role in creation. You should want to work, and it helps to enjoy the work you are doing. It’s also reasonable to consider changing your work if you derive no joy or satisfaction from it. The line with work, though, is in relation to other facets of your life that take priority over it. Marriage, family, home, faith—there is no indication in Scripture that work should be a greater priority than these most important of relationships, with your spouse, children and with God. Jesus confirms these priorities when asked about God’s greatest commandments in Mark 12:30-31. He replies, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Work as a paycheck. Proverbs 12:24 reminds us, “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.” The message here is that work is necessary and expected, so don’t be lazy. There are those who approach work from a sense of duty or necessity. You may not love what you do, and still put in your best effort at work, then put it down when the clock hits 5:00 p.m. This view also is God-honoring. In fact, when you think about it, there are many roles that are required in society but don’t necessarily inspire passion. Think about entry-level jobs like fast food or mowing lawns, or more functional jobs like security guard or house painter. On higher-end careers, you can also be an excellent accountant or attorney, and perform well without a deep and abiding love for numbers or the law.
In this view of work, the temptation is to do the bare minimum, or to put personal interest above responsibility. In recent years, concepts like quiet quitting have become popular among a segment of the workforce—doing just enough to keep your job, but no more. When working for a paycheck, the thought of a healthy work ethic comes into play. The Proverbs continue to teach on the topic of work, saying, “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense” (Proverbs 12:11). Work as a paycheck is a worthwhile pursuit. Give what you are expected to give to it, and give it your best.
Work is a balance. No matter the why of your work, the how is a tightrope of sorts, between the reason you work, and the biblical mandate attached to work. Whether you truly enjoy your work as a personal passion, or if you just work for your paycheck, you should in both cases give your best and complete effort to the job. And your job should never be placed in a position of greater importance than those close personal and spiritual relationships. The extremes of work—total commitment to the exclusion of all else, and total laziness with a minimum of effort—are both wrong.
Discipleship is not designed to be confined to church settings or private devotion. It is a way of life that extends into every arena, including the workplace.