Have you ever wondered if the work you were doing really mattered?
There is an insightful story I am sure you have heard or read before:
A man came upon a construction site where three people were working. He asked the first, “What
are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am laying bricks.” He asked the second, “What are you
doing?” and the man replied: “I am building a wall.” As he approached the third, he heard him
humming a tune as he worked, and asked, “What are you doing?” The man stood, looked up at the
sky, and smiled, “I am building a cathedral!”
While this story has often been used to convey the importance of vision, it can also be used as an
analogy for a view or mindset of work in light of the Kingdom of God. A biblically accurate response
by a Christian might be, “I’m building the Kingdom of God.”
But do we really believe this? Is this really the view of OUR work?
The Bible says there is work to be done in Heaven (no eternal holiday!) and our work here on Earth
matters. “My work matters? MY work?” I hear you asking. “You don’t know my work / business /
job!" Yes friend, even YOUR work.
I remember, many years ago, a fantastic businessperson coming to faith in Jesus in an amazing way.
He said to his pastor, “Well I guess I should become a minister now and “work for The Lord!””
As good intentioned as that may have been, this man had not yet understood The Gospel. In my
experience, and I think the Bible tells us, God does not save us from our work, but FOR our work.
Wonderfully, the man’s pastor gave him some wise counsel and he ended up staying in business
after asking God what he should do. God blessed him hugely in his obedience and he ended up
spearheading a global ministry with the resources he had from his business.
Of course, it may be completely appropriate to leave your place of work and go into full time church
work (as an example) if that is what obedience looks like in your circumstances after seeking God’s
guidance. It may be helpful to remember too, as a good friend reminded me recently, that as a
Christian, we are all in ministry, no matter the work we do. The channel of our ministry could be
through church, business, non-profit, social enterprise, government, or family.
This is true because of what Colossians 3 verse 23 – 24 says:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ
you are serving.”
What kind of work qualifies as working for the Lord? According to scripture, “whatever you do.”
CEO? Yes!
Pastor? Yes!
Teacher? Yes!
Government minister? Yes!
Parent at home? Yes!
Volunteer? Yes!

There is no such thing as a job that pleases the Lord more than another because whatever you do, if
you do it in and for the Lord, it becomes the Lord’s work.
So, YOUR work truly matters to God and truly matters in the Kingdom. It just might be that HOW,
WHY and FOR WHO you do what you do, matters more than WHAT you do.
How about you? What is God saying to you about your work and the role it plays in His Kingdom?
Will you bring forth His Kingdom in your work today?