Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
Psalm 127:1
Do you see your work more as vocation or ministry? When I think of the word “vocation”, I think of a job that is done in order to provide a living for one’s family. The word “ministry,” which in Greek is “diakonia”, is more correctly translated as “service.” Many of us think of our jobs as vocations, especially on days we don’t enjoy them. We see them as the means to putting food on the table, living in a nice house, and enjoying things like entertainment and travel. Many of us dream of a day we can retire from our vocation. Some people don’t like their jobs at all, and some are in their job only for money. If the money aspect was taken away, or lessened, the job wouldn’t be attractive at all. And that’s a fair point. I wouldn’t expect many (or any, really) people to say they’d keep working if they weren’t getting paid to do it.
There has to be a higher purpose in work, however, than just making a paycheck. There has to be some sense of serving in the work. Why does that matter? Because only working for the paycheck betters ourselves. And one of the two great commandments is that we are to love our neighbor. Imagine doing a job for many years, even one’s entire working career, and never giving a thought to any “neighbors”, only the paycheck. The paycheck is a must, no argument, but there has to be more to work than just that. Ideally we see our jobs as ministries as well.
Every job comes with an opportunity to serve others. If there is anything spoken at a job, there is the opportunity to speak in a friendly way to others. There is great power in a smile. A smile has the power to change someone’s day. Even for people who work and think they are just a cog in the wheel, that what they do might be not as important as what other people do, their simple choice to smile can change the course of someone else’s day. There are people who don’t interface with other people in their jobs. They sit behind computers. Attention to detail is important in all jobs. So is being efficient. Even if you don’t interface with a lot of people, working with efficiency and accuracy will instill joy and confidence in that company one is working for.
At a recent youth group meeting, we discussed “what are the most important jobs in our country?” The top three—garbage collector, truck driver and farmer. Without people picking up our garbage, we’d all be dead in a month from bacteria and disease. Without truck drivers, stores wouldn’t have food delivered, doctors wouldn’t receive medical supplies, no supplies would move anywhere. And without farmers, we’d have no food to eat. As society ranks which careers it deems most important, based on prestige or pay, these three are generally overlooked, yet where would be without them. Every job is important—we need all of them to make the world go. Which means that every worker is important. Each of us, whether we realize it or not, has the opportunity to make a positive (or negative) impact on the world. Which is why we should look at our jobs not only as vocations, but as ministries, where we serve others. Fill in the blank of this sentence: I serve as a (write in your job). We shouldn’t just work at our jobs, we should serve in them. And if we are serving in them, we should smile, be kind, efficient and even grateful for the opportunity we have to serve.
Each of us has a unique path to salvation. Each of us has a unique set of skills. Each of us has the opportunity to positively affect the world, our corner of it, based on not only how we work, but on how we serve.
It is important that we also find a way to serve for which we don’t receive compensation. Volunteer work should be an important aspect for every life. Because when we work, even if we look at our work as service, when there is money earned for work done, that is an exchange, and not pure service. To really “serve” is to expect nothing in return. This is something we should all do. That doesn’t mean we need to put hours each week on the calendar, but there should be things we do during the course of the year where there is no expectation of income or recognition. This is pure “service.” Some examples include volunteering at church. There are many possibilities, from the parish council, to the choir, teaching Sunday school, and many others. There is volunteering in the community—as a coach, for community organizations, feeding the hungry, or working for a literacy program. Donating to charitable causes is also service, when we give without expecting anything in return. Taking a day to help with neighborhood clean-up, mowing a neighbor’s lawn who is out of town, helping an elderly person put of Christmas lights, there are lots of possibilities here.
As Christians, we are encouraged to pray often. While it might be frowned on to bow your head at your desk and pray, that shouldn’t stop us from having prayerful thoughts throughout the day. Invite God to sit with you at your desk, or stand with you in your classroom, or be by your side in the operating room. Make sure God is present in your meetings with clients. Having the Lord in our consciousness throughout the day will help us be more efficient and joyful workers, and will aid us in seeing our work not just as vocation but as ministry.
Lord Jesus Christ, my God, You have said, “Apart from me You can do nothing.” In faith I embrace Your words, Lord, and I entreat Your goodness. Help me to carry out the work I am about to begin, and to bring it to completion. To You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. (Orthodox Prayer before beginning a task)
Work should be not just vocation, but ministry. Keep the Lord in your thoughts and actions as you work.
