In my first job as a journalist I struggled with understanding how my faith and work could exist in the same space. I was young and inexperienced, but had a strong faith and was convinced that God would use me in this role.
I prayed a lot. I tried to be ethical in my working. I was kind to my co-workers. I gently promoted positive stories about the church. I emphasised the problem of sin and the beauty of redemption in my writing…
All these were helpful things, but I remained unsure if that was what God wanted from me in my job? It always felt like I was crowbarring faith into my work. I never felt very natural as a Christian in my job. When I was at church, I felt like it would be better if I did a more ‘Christian job’. When I was at work, no matter what I did, I felt guilty that I wasn’t being Christian enough.
Now, after 26 years of working and reading and study, I have some things I can say to myself as a young worker:
“Your work is not simply your paid employment.”
“Your work is not simply your paid employment.”
We all work, in many settings. Our paid jobs are just part of the work God sets us to do. We forget how modern the idea of a paid “job” is, just the last couple of hundred years. Work is any activity done with purpose, and can include laundry, loving actions, lathing wood and liturgical prayer, as well as paid employment.
“Your work is good.”
“Your work is good.”
In Genesis 1 we see God the worker at work in creation. He finished his work and pronounced it good. In fact he was very satisfied with his working. Then in Genesis 2 he invited humankind to join in the further work of creation: caring for his creation (2:15) and naming some of the created ones (2:19–20). We have an ongoing role in God’s workplace. Journalism is God’s way of informing, reporting, challenging and celebrating people’s stories. Work with him in your work.
“Your working is cursed.”
“Your working is cursed.”
In Genesis 3 we see the impact of sin, and that just as the process of childbirth is cursed for women (but NOT having children, 3:16), the process of working is cursed (but NOT work, 3:17–19). This means that your working will be difficult. There will be frustrations, ethical challenges, disagreements with co-workers. You will be flattered in your working and tempted to pride. The biggest temptation will be to leave God out of your working altogether. Recognise this as part of the fallen nature of working, but remember that it is not the full story.
“You can be an agent of redemption.”
“You can be an agent of redemption.”
God’s plan through Jesus was not just for individual souls to be redeemed, but to relieve the whole of creation (Romans 8:19–22). We can continue the redeeming work of Jesus by acting against the corrupting influence of sin in the workplace, by seeking to bring peace in working relationships, by creating as much as possible a vision of what the New Earth might look like. As a journalist there are many opportunities to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-–15) in the workplace, as well as to tell stories of redemption.
This is a basic theology of work that I find consistent in Scripture. In fact I am really encouraged when I read about Jesus: the way he called ordinary workers (Matthew 4:18–21), and used the strengths of their working (Matthew 8:23; 15:39). The way he used stories of work in his teaching (Matthew 13). The way he used everyday settings to do his work. Even the way he spent the first 30 years of his life learning the craft from his father and doing humble work in obedience to God (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3).
Now, I am Associate Dean of the Marketplace Institute at Ridley College in Melbourne. I spend some of my time teaching future church leaders and workers a biblical theology of work and about the modern marketplace, and the rest of the time encouraging everyday workers who are Christians to find joy in their work, be strong against sin, and seek ways of being agents of redemption.
I constantly find new examples of how God uses ordinary Christians to both sustain his creation through their everyday jobs, as well as creating unexpected platforms to do good and bring glory to God.
The first steps are always to work on your faith, so that you are spiritually strong in prayer and the Word, and to bring your faith to work, so that you can serve God and others, and people can honour God.
