Love Turns Work into Ministry

If you’re a follower of Jesus, the way you approach your work should be totally different from the way others approach work.

The Bible says in Titus 3:14, “Our people must learn to spend their time doing good, in order to provide for real needs; they should not live useless lives” (GNT).

For a Christian, there are two purposes of work: to do good (that’s called ministry) and to provide for real needs (that’s called productivity). God wants you to be productive in your work, and he wants you to minister through your work.

Years ago, one of the best-selling books in America was The Dilbert Principle, a business book built around a collection of Dilbert cartoons. It’s about a guy who works in an office but is basically useless. The book contains wisdom on topics such as “Disparaging Your Co-workers,” “Taking Credit for the Work of Others,” “Exaggerating Your Talents,” and “Using the Computer to Look Busy.”

What makes Dilbert cartoons so funny (or not so funny, when you think about it) is that they really reflect the truth about a lot of workplaces. Many people are basically just marking time at work. They’re watching the clock, waiting for the day to be over so they can go home. They don’t enjoy their work, and they certainly don’t produce anything.

On the other hand, there’s a book called the Bible. The Bible says that in your work, God doesn’t want you to mark time. He wants you to mark lives. He wants you to make an impact with your life. He wants you to influence people for good.

“It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others” (Ephesians 2:10 TLB).

We are saved to serve. We are made for ministry! No matter what kind of work you do, God wants you to use your work to help other people. We serve God by serving others.

So, how can your work be a ministry? The Bible says, “Do all your work in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14 GNT). The key to turning your work into a ministry is not what you do. It’s how you do it. When you do your work with an attitude of love, it turns normal, menial work—regardless of what it is—into ministry.