Description
The True Purpose of Work
Join us as we delve into Ecclesiastes 4:4 and explore the significance of work beyond mere env… (visit YouTube for more)
Transcript
Ah, Ecclesiastes. How I love this book. Let’s meditate on Ecclesiastes, chapter 4, verse 4. Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes is wisdom literature, and it’s provocative. It’s intended to make us think. What is it about us working that is associated to envying our neighbour?
How often in our work, whether that be schoolwork, university work, or paid work, how often do we compare ourselves with our peers? Do we compare ourselves with those we consider to be junior or senior? And how often is that the reason why we put more or less effort into our work?
The writer of Ecclesiastes says, that’s pointless. The writer knows that the reason for our work should be to that God has given it to us, that God asks us to work, that God has put dignity into work itself. Right from the start, He gave Adam and Eve work to do, and this work was glorifying to God. And so all work that is not sinful is glorifying to God.
Thank you, God, for this reminder. We know that work that is from you is a good thing, that there can be great satisfaction in being stretched by work, in finding achievement, in solving problems, in helping people, in producing beautiful work. In art, in literature, in technology, in medicine, and in all these areas we can glorify you, God. So please help us to do that with pure motives in our hearts and please forgive us our selfish ambition, because Lord, rather, our greatest ambition should be to serve you truly. Amen.
