I used to think that the only way to glorify God at work was by evangelizing my co-workers. If my co-workers weren’t converted, God wasn’t glorified.
Then I read Tim Keller’s outstanding book Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work
Most of us spend upwards to 40 hours a week at work, so this is certainly a topic pertinent to every believer. So how do we do it?
Tim Keller on How to Glorify God at Work
On page 22 of the book, Keller outlines several ways we can glorify and serve God at work.
- The way we serve God at work is to further social justice in the world.
- The way we serve God at work is to be personally honest and evangelize your colleagues.
- The way we serve God at work is just to do skillful, excellent work.
- The way we serve God at work is to create beauty.
- The way we serve God at work is to work from a Christian motivation to glorify God, seeking to engage and influence culture to that end.
- The way we serve God at work is to work with a grateful, joyful, gospel-changed heart through all the ups and downs.
- The way we serve God at work is to do whatever gives you the greatest joy and passion.
- The way to serve God at work is to make as much money as you can, so that you can be as generous as you can.
As long as it’s not sinful, you can glorify God doing any kind of job. Don’t put too much emphasis on your status as an employee as it relates to society. If you have a high status, it may go to your head; if you have a low one, it may go to your heart. Don’t let it. Your identity is in what Jesus has done for you, not what you do for a living.
Keller adds, “In the Old Testament, God was a Gardener; in the New Testament, he came as a Carpenter.” There is no menial work. Whether you’re the CEO of a company, or you’re an employee at a restaurant, the status isn’t the big thing, but God’s glory is. “Whatever you do,” Paul says, “work heartily as for the Lord, and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). Keep your eyes focused on his glory.
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