The Purpose of Hard Work

The Purpose of Hard Work

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as
we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will
not need to depend on others.

What is the purpose of working hard? When I was 12 years old, the phrase that changed my Dad’s work ethic after we became Christians was “Do everything as unto the Lord.” I’ve mentioned before that my
Dad stopped taking days off unless he was genuinely sick. He stopped taking naps on graveyard shifts all
because our new pastor taught that everything we do either brings glory to God or it brings dishonor to
God.

So let me tell you as a high school and college student janitor. When I cleaned a bathroom, I wanted it to
shine because it was a picture of my love for God. I’m not saying that every time I’ve ever done anything
it was perfect far from it. But I believe I can sincerely tell you that whether it was a newsletter or a
sermon, a cleaned bathroom, or even a cleaned office, I always tried to take pride in a job well done
because I believe it was a picture of my love for God.

I remember a beautiful lady who was our church janitor. She was the wife of one of our board members. I
walked into the sanctuary and she was down around the altars cleaning up the tissues from the prayer
meeting the night before. Tissues left because people had been praying around the altar. I said, “Theresa,
I’m so sorry you are having to clean up those. People should clean up after themselves when praying.”
Her response touched my heart. Through tears, she said, “Oh Pastor Ken, it is an honor to pick these up.
Each one represents the tears of a child of God who was crying out to God.”

Remember this, our hard work inspires others. More than talking about our Christianity, it is our daily
hard work that brings credibility and sincerity to our faith. When we work by faith, relying on prayer and
being aware that God is with us, then people who see us see him.

Our health journey is hard work, but God will be glorified through our walk and hard work to change and
transform. Esther a wonderful elderly woman who I used to pastor, said that every quilt she ever made
was a work of love. Her love for others and her love for God.

Triple D: Is this your mindset about hard work? If so, how has it affected your work? If not, how can you
make it so? In the end, it isn’t the results that make our lives, but it is the journey.