WORK TO PLAY, WORK TO ACQUIRE

"I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:3-4).

A popular TV commercial comes on the screen raising the question of why the viewer works long hours while showing beautiful pictures of a luxurious car. The message was clear. We work in order to acquire.

Another TV commercial comes on showing beautiful aqua blue ocean waves and an attractive couple lounging on the white sandy beaches. "Come to Jamaica says the voice." The message from this commercial is that a vacation to Jamaica is the ultimate reward for your work.

There are many motivations for work. Some might say it is simply to put food on the table. George Barna, the American researcher on religious habits, found disturbing results from his study on the motivations of many Christians in American society. "We are not a society that simply enjoys its time off. We are driven by our leisure appetites. It is increasingly common to hear of people turning down job offers because the hours or other responsibilities would interfere with their hobbies, fitness regimens and other free time activities. Even our spending habits show that playing has become a major priority. The average household spends more money on entertainment than it does clothing, health care, furniture or gasoline."

His study also found that many people define success in surprisingly non-Christian terms: He found that 66% of Americans define success in life as the acquisition of sufficient money, education, material possessions or career prestige; only 7 percent related success to their faith condition and its influence upon their life. "The Christian Church has stagnated, largely due to its comfort with routines and rituals that are neither challenging nor relevant for millions of people," said Barna.*

Have you ever asked yourself the question, "Why do I work?"

Jesus had a work to do that was given to Him by His Heavenly Father. You too have a work you are called to do. Ask God to give you a renewed sense of the work you are called to do today.