"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody" (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV).
Paul is one of the few authors who addresses the topic of work in the Bible. He realizes that most people must work for a living in addition to living out the ways of a Christian. He stresses the importance of being self-supporting and encourages us to work at something that earns the respect of others. I don't believe he means a high-paying job or one in the spotlight but instead he is encouraging us to work at a job that brings us happiness and satisfaction.
A job needs to be one you are excited about getting out of bed to do every day. It makes you happy to go to work and you enjoy what you do whether it is working as a babysitter, a homemaker, machine operator or directing a big company. If you are fortunate your job utilizes your God-given talents and you are able to work with people you enjoy. That would be the ideal situation.
But, what if you have a job that just pays the bills and doesn't provide all that's good about working? These days you are lucky to have a job and not everyone can be choosy. In those situations I'd suggest making the most of your hours there and work with a positive attitude. We can't always be in the ideal situation but we can do a job faithfully and with a loving heart toward those we work with. Be the one with a smile and a kind word; the one who does the job well and works hard, using work time efficiently. The one who God would say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
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