God at Work - Chapter 1: Part III

 This is a chapter about the Christian's calling in the world, so it is not just limited to what we would typically think of as a profession - secular or otherwise. Veith's point, and this is crucial, is that every kind of work is a sacred calling. So, because of the priesthood of all believers in Christ, parents are "priests" to their children. We are to nourish our children in their faith in Christ just as much as we provide for their other needs - clothing, food, comfort, guidance, education, and so on. We are called to love our children. This is a joyful obligation that all Christian parents have a responsibility, albeit imperfectly, to carry out to the best of their ability.  I know that I need all the help I can get.

Another consequence of this is that, once again, the sacred/secular dichotomy that seems such a fundamental concept in our culture, both outside and - unfortunately - inside the church is a false one. If all work, especially when done as an act of worship to God, is sacred, then it is not helpful to place a distinction where one does not really exist. It leads to the kind of muddy thinking that only working within the church counts for the Kingdom of God, and thus has eternal value, which is what we saw in the book I quoted from last posting.

Every kind of work, including what had heretofore been looked down upon - the work of  peasants and craftsmen - is an occasion for priesthood, for exercising a holy service to God and to one's neighbor.

This, to me, seems tremendously empowering. Because that means that everything can count for the Kingdom of God, and everything I do can therefore have eternal value. Of course, that also implies a far greater accountability, but that is something we can put on the backburner for another day.

My son Jack loves (and I do mean loves) to play construction. Every chance he gets he is constructing something in the sandpit at work, or pretending to pave our pathway with asphalt as in the picture. I want to encourage him in this as much as possible because, as he plays at working, he is learning the joy that can be found in creating something. And, one day I hope, he will be able to see that as a joyful way of serving God and others too.

Do you think about your work with a "priesthood of all believers"  mindset? Do you consider how every great or small thing you do is potentially a sacred (and by sacred I mean set apart for God) act of worship to God?