Is Work Your God?

The ability to work is a wonderful gift, but we may be taking it too far, In the past, people left their jobs and came home, but now they come home to e-mail and phone messages. 

Dr. Dave Arnott, associate professor of management at Dallas Baptist University, says, “I don’t know whether work is taking over family and community, or whether family and community are giving up their place to work. But I know the movement is going on. Everyone’s job seems to be who they are.” We tend to equate our identity with what we do for a living.

The president of the Families and Work Institute says, “How busy you are has become the red badge of courage. . . . It’s become a status symbol,” even though people complain about it.

Making a god out of work is not a new problem. In the first commandment, God said, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). That includes our jobs. Through God’s gift of work, we can honor Him, care for our families, and help people in need. Work is not to be our main source of fulfillment; that must come from God Himself.

No matter what our occupation, we must keep work in perspective. God and family are more important than dedication to a job. Work is a gift, not a god.

So, did you hear about the guy who went to his boss and asked for a raise in pay and for more benefits?  He told his boss, “at the last place I worked, I got all kinds of benefits.  I got a retirement benefit, life, health, dental, and eye care benefits.  I also got sick pay, vacations, personal days and family leave days all with pay.  I got all that and more!”  “Well.” Said the boss, why did you leave that job and come to work here?”  “Oh had to leave that job,” came the reply, “They went broke.”