Ever wish you had a different job, one that was more fulfilling, had fewer hours, one that had better rewards?
Interestingly, Martin Luther had a revolutionary concept of work. He felt that there were no “low status” or “high status” forms of work, no better or worse forms of work. Luther felt there was no difference between the kind of work that the Christian did so long as he performed it to the glory of God. This notion of work shifted the meaning from “what” and “how” to “why”. Work was not an end in itself, but something the person did in everyday life to the glory of God and to the service of mankind. It was in this context that Luther saw God was in all forms of work, although He was “hidden” within it. God was so hidden in people’s work, that unless the Christian thinks about it (and only the Christian with the Spirit of God in him can do so), he will have no awareness of God’s presence in his work. Luther felt that since God is hidden in one’s work, to the Christian, all work is of equal value.
There may be lots to grumble and complain about in your job, but do you take time to see God in the midst of your work? In your job, do you expect God to meet you and to work through you? Do you accomplish all that is before you to the Glory of God? (1Co 10:31 “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”)
As argued by Karl Marx and his primary philosophical influence, George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, work is the true essence of man. But why? Why would these two academics say such? While I disagree with Martin Luther’s comments on the surface, I think there is a far more fundamental discourse that should be discussed. Instead of ‘accepting’ a pre-determined definition of ‘work’, why can’t we ask what work is and come to an appropriate conclusion? Is it not possible that Martin Luther was wrong? That further inquiry is required?
In response to: “There may be lots to grumble and complain about in your job, but do you take time to see God in the midst of your work?”, I would like to state the following: Given the unjust axioms of capitalism, it’s quite reasonable that people complain about their job. While plenty of complaints are out of ignorance, this does not detract from my previous note on capitalism. One can ‘glorify’ God in way X yet still maintain a legitimate complaint about the axiomatic origins of their job, the simple fact that capital formulation is unjust.
You may not like Luther and his definition of work, and it is true that many do not have fare employees or good working conditions, yet the bigger picture is whether we as Christians are able to see/sense God in the midst of the work we do. To be able to do this is a matter of our heart and spirit (our relationship with the Lord) and is not dependent upon definitions, economic philosophies or external circumstances.