Why are you working?

September 30, 2011 in Just a Job with 15 Comments

“It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, but why he does it.” — A. W. Tozer

I have listened to so many people ranking occupations as to whether they are Godly or not.  Being a preacher, missionary, evangelist, priest or monk might qualify as spiritual.  But surely being a truck driver, farmer, internet marketer or dentist was just “secular” work.

How about this perspective then – what you do is not the issue.  ”Why” you do it tells whether what you’re doing is sacred or secular.

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  • http://TeamEagleRevolution.com Bryan Hart

    This is an issue for me as a preaching minister. At times I feel the weight of my Christian friends expecting me to be more than I am; while at the same time I want to lean into the men and women of our church and help them embrace the personal responsibility of their faith.

    Thanks for working with so many of us preachers Dan. We need someone inspiring us to say what we have felt for so long: each person in the church is a “minister,” “missionary,” and worker. Each person has the God given mission of being the person they made them to be.

    This is a vision I want to continue to hit home on Sundays: start your own ministry, or rather, recognize that what you have started is your area of ministry. It’s your ministry when you do this job because God made you to be able to do this job with excellence. 

    • Anonymous

      Count me in on sharing that message.   We are ALL called to ministry.  The only question is how has God gifted me to deliver that?

    • Bernard Haynes

      Bryan, I agree. I am also a minister and I have seen people think that ministry is being in the pulpit or working for the church. I found that I was ministering to more people at work, traveling visiting customers and other activities. If I was waiting to get in a pulpit or church I would have missed those opportunities. continue to encourage people that God has given them a ministry to fulfill no matter where they are. I believe as you help others embrace there personal vision then they will realize all of the opportunity that God has set them up for ministry.  Keep doing what you do.

    • Bernard Haynes

      Bryan, I agree. I am also a minister and I have seen people think that ministry is being in the pulpit or working for the church. I found that I was ministering to more people at work, traveling visiting customers and other activities. If I was waiting to get in a pulpit or church I would have missed those opportunities. continue to encourage people that God has given them a ministry to fulfill no matter where they are. I believe as you help others embrace there personal vision then they will realize all of the opportunity that God has set them up for ministry.  Keep doing what you do.

  • Summer

    Dan- I noticed you comment back on these comments so I am going to use this opportunity to ask you a question.  When you quote Dr. Oz, or anyone else directly do you get permission?  What about in your books?  I want to include short quotes in my book to support my point and if I give credit to the speaker do I still need to get permission?  An example:  In Oprah magazine this month Magda Sayeg is quoted as saying “There’s this belief that if you don’t have formal training, you are going to fail.  But you can figure out how to do anything your own way.”  Do I need to get permission to use this? Did success magazine get your permission before quoting you recently?  Please shoot me back a quick answer and thanks for your time!
    -Summer

    • Anonymous

      Summer, No I do not ask permission for quotations or references to articles and books.  Part of the issue is length – if you use more than 250 words or so in the exact format of the author, then you really do need to get the publisher’s permission.  I use thousands of quotations and references to other’s writing – and permission is not needed.

  • Summer

    Dan- I noticed you comment back on these comments so I am going to use this opportunity to ask you a question.  When you quote Dr. Oz, or anyone else directly do you get permission?  What about in your books?  I want to include short quotes in my book to support my point and if I give credit to the speaker do I still need to get permission?  An example:  In Oprah magazine this month Magda Sayeg is quoted as saying “There’s this belief that if you don’t have formal training, you are going to fail.  But you can figure out how to do anything your own way.”  Do I need to get permission to use this? Did success magazine get your permission before quoting you recently?  Please shoot me back a quick answer and thanks for your time!
    -Summer

  • Stephen King

    Dan,

    There is an interesting article I read several months ago called “Why Work” by Dorothy Sayers.
    If you’ve not read it, just google it online. It deals directly with this question and basically makes the point that all work is “spiritual”.

    Regards,

    Stephen D. King
    stephen.king@stthomas.org

    • Anonymous

      Yes – that is an amazing article.  I recommend it.

    • Edward

      I personally struggle with this right now as a christian because I have a hard time seeing anything good about detailing and driving cars for a living or of what importance it has to me or to others I’m involved in. I keep seeing, myself as a failure with a bachelor degree when I think about work right now.

      • http://TeamEagleRevolution.com Bryan Hart

        Think about it this way: you are spending time serving others–how are you fulfilling the “golden rule” in your car detailing? How are you going even further and doing something special for each person? How are you showing love, kindness, respect, etc. each day to customers even if it isn’t required? 

        And when driving cars: Be listening to audiobooks/audio programs that help you learn while you drive, or (if you are a service driver) spend time learning about your clients and showing that extra kindness to them. I am a christian preacher currently. But my dream is to be in another field while choosing to leave a christian impact. As a preacher I want more people to realize that there isn’t a separation between their secular life and sacred life (like post says). I really do believe it is a choice we all can make with our work to show who we are, what we believe, and how we love others. 

        To boil it all down: If your work isn’t connected to your faith/goals, then make those connections on purpose.

        There are some good groups on 48Days.net that talk about this topic.

        I hope this helps!

        • Edward

          Let me explain it’s not done for customers it’s done for a used car broker who sells used cars to other dealers or it gets auctioned off. I never see a customer and many times I’m prevented from getting the car as clean as I can make it due to time constraints and the ultimate value of the vehicle. Otherwise I could see it the way you are explaining it. I am constantly being made to feel like a terrible person because I have trouble knowing what to leave and what should be done in the time the boss wants it done. And when I think I got it right the boss changes his mind. So I’m in a job that I hate and being made to feel subhuman by my boss because I can’t get it right because he can’t communicate to me what he wants without making me feel bad. Then he says it’s not personal. I will check out the link you posted thanks. 

          • http://TeamEagleRevolution.com Bryan Hart

            I feel for you. In this case you have to ask yourself how long you want to be in your situation. I strongly suggest you check out Dan’s 48 Days to the Work You Love book and get on the actual schedule. I am on day 48 out of 48 and forming my 1 year plan. I am transitioning from a full-time ministry model to a preaching + speaking/coaching/writing. I don’t know where it will lead me exactly, but I know that I would not see much positive change unless I set goals to create that change.

            If you jump on 48days.net feel free to look up “Bryan Hart” there and send me a message. I would love to share some of the resources that have inspired me to make leaps towards a dream job. 

            Don’t lose heart!

    • Edward

      I personally struggle with this right now as a christian because I have a hard time seeing anything good about detailing and driving cars for a living or of what importance it has to me or to others I’m involved in. I keep seeing, myself as a failure with a bachelor degree when I think about work right now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ephantus.waititu Ephantus Waititu

    What a great revelation.