By: Barry G. Allen- President & CEO
Author Eugene Peterson calls true work “kingwork” to explain how our work is an extension of and participation in God’s work, and therefore, is imbued with significance and dignity. He uses the word to call attention to the essential dignity of true work and to distinguish true work from false work which is spurious, destroys and deceives. He uses the word to emphasize that our work is of a kind with God’s work. All real and genuine work is subsumed under kingwork.
Another author, Ronald Sider, considers work as a way to cooperate in the creativity of the Creator. He suggests work is the way we meet our basic needs and express our basic nature as persons made in the image of God who is Creator. Obviously we cannot create out of nothing, but we are created to use our God-given abilities to cultivate the earth, create new things and expand human possibilities. Jesus’ parable of the talents reminds us of the sharp rebuke of those who fail to use their abilities to multiply their resources.
On this Labor Day 2011 let us be reminded once again of our work as co-creation with the Creator God. Prayerfully ponder the fullness of Christ affirmed in Colossians 1:15-23. The passage includes 15 tremendous assertions referred to as “the great Christology,” but the Apostle Paul also wrote these inspired words for very practical purposes, namely, to instruct a questioning faith and to enrich daily Christian life.
Paul’s theme is the preeminence of Christ (a) in relation to God – “the image of the invisible God;” (b) in relation to the universe – “first-born of all creation…all things were created through him and for him;” (c) in relation to the church – “the head of the body;” and (d) in relation to experience – “he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by death.”
Only in Christ does creation have any meaning. Christ continues His creative work today. A vital aspect of our Christian stewardship responsibility is to participate with Christ in restoring and recreating by means of our daily labor, our “kingwork.”