Part Two – Summoned and Equipped by God: Chapter 5 – Doing the Lord's Work
Work in the Bible
Stevens gives a cursory overview of the idea of "work" from Scripture. He catalogs several metaphors that describe God as a worker, including builder/architect, teacher, composer and performer, metalworker, garment maker and dresser, potter, farmer, shepherd, tentmaker, and camper. He highlights that, according to Genesis 2:15, "…the world was not made for human beings; human beings were made for the world." (113). The nature of work has been corrupted because of human rebellion, but the vocation of human beings being created for work and created for the world still exists.
Stevens says that based on his read of Scripture, "There is no deprecation of manual labor in the Bible, no exalting of 'creative work' over manual labour." (115) The Wisdom literature points to the futility in finding ultimate satisfaction through work. Still, it does value work done within the context of a relationship with God. We begin to see the devaluation of labor with writers in the intertestamental period like Ben Sira, who had become heavily influenced by Greek values.
In the gospels, Jesus is portrayed as a carpenter or an artisan worker. While little is said about work, Stevens suggests that "work," what we do in our daily lives, transforms into work for God's kingdom as we accept Jesus Christ and Lord. Paul builds on this theme as well. How we conduct ourselves in the transactions of daily living and work today, has an impact on others and on eternal matters.
Finally, Stevens points out that not only will we receive our reward in heaven, but we will also receive more work. We were made for communion, community, and co-creativity. In the New Creation, all of these will be fully restored.
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