The ‘dog days’ of summer bring to mind images of long, hot, sultry days where a dog lays around panting because of the heat and humidity. Actually, the phrase finds it’s origin in the dog star, Sirius and it’s position in the heavens. The phrase, ‘dog days’, is an example of how over time, the meaning of a thing can get lost but the phrase lives on. Another example is the phrase, ‘you work to live, you don’t live to work.’ It may sound good but nothing could be further from the truth.
If you believe we were created by God as opposed to evolving from the slime, you have to recognize we were created in a specific way for a specific purpose. 26 verses into the first book in the Bible there is a reminder we were created in the image of God, himself. ‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female, he created them.’ Genesis 1:27. A few verses later…’The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.’ Genesis 2:15. We were created to work and do good works. Work is not something to balance with life, it is at the core of why we were created.
Work is what God does and is His gift that reminds us we are created in his image (remember that on Monday morning.) Work is what God did to create the world. ‘By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing: …’ Genesis 2:2. Work reveals our heart and expresses who we are by what we do and how we do it. ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving’ Colossians 3:23-24. So, our inheritance, our retirement, comes from God and not the balance in a 401K.
Understanding how work is such an integral part in our lives requires viewing our work not simply as a means to make money. Work is not a chore that enables us to live a lifestyle or reach retirement. Like God, we should never stop working. ‘In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” ‘John 5:17. Work is a lifetime endeavor, not something we do to live. We live to work, just like the Creator.
We have lost the meaning of work when it becomes a means to the end we know as retirement. Where in the Bible does it ever talk about retirement as part of God’s plan for our lives? This reveals a huge difference in how to choose your work. God’s plan for our work doesn’t center on dollars and cents. It’s a red flag when the driving force for your employment is strictly monetary and not the direction of the Holy Spirit. For a Christian, Jesus was the role model, right? His outlook on work is worth modeling. ‘ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” ‘ John 4:34. If your work is directed by God, deciding when to quit isn’t defined by the balance in a retirement account or when full Social Security benefits kick in.
Understanding work requires a deeper dive into how and why we are on planet Earth. Work is a divine gift that allows us to find personal satisfaction, connection to the Creator and fulfillment of purpose, not simply a paycheck. Work is so much a part of our core it is usually one of the first questions people ask each other. ‘What do you do?’ is best followed by “Why do you do what you do?” What you do is important, but HOW and WHY you do it is the revelation. The truth is that work is at the core of life itself. Your work reveals what is in your heart. What you do and how you do it shows heaven and earth who and what you serve.
‘Don’t let your work define you’ is another phrase that has become twisted. I believe your work does define you. Christ’s work revealed and defined him. ‘…The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.’ 1st John 3:8. What He did everyday, His work, showed everyone His heart and purpose. In turn, your work shows the world your heart and purpose as well.
If you don’t have a proper understanding of work, life can be long and sultry like the dog days of summer. And, like the dog days of summer, life WILL come to an end and then your life’s work will be judged and the balance in your account tabulated. “Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.’ 1st Peter 1:17.
Work reveals and rewards you. Work so that your life will reward you accordingly. Work as though there is a tomorrow and what you work on today defines that tomorrow.