The right attitude for work

The work we do needs to be washed in the joy and glory of the Lord.  Yes, this even applies to washing dishes, making a bed, or taking the dog for a walk.  Each email written needs to have grace and empathy, each line of code written or taken away is a moral decision that must be directed by God.  Toil will then become joyful, a fulfillment of the words “well done good and faithful servant”.

I tell people often this phrase:  “Success is having someone look at the decision I made 6 months or further down the road and say ‘That was a ‘great/wise/smart’ decision.” 

However, when reading the first few verses in Ecclesiastes 2:18-26, I am a lot like Solomon, who is frustrated when the labor done is wasted or foolishly used.  I try to make the work I do have a foundation.  The “busyness” mode drains me the most, high volume but low value.  I want to work on high value work, but apart from God’s hand in it, everything is meaningless.

Whining about the work that occurs is meaningless.  The root cause of this whining is usually around wanting respect for the work we do or the emptiness of the work that we see others doing around us.  The completion of work becomes prideful if God is not rooted in the meaning of work that we are doing.  We need help daily in this area to cut out the pride nature and bring forth glorious craftsmanship that God is directing.