Work: A Blessing or a Curse?

I believe that instead of a curse, work should be a blessing. The 3 key elements to shift our mindset about work are Principles of Discipleship, Spiritual Formation, and Kingdom Living. The result is a new way to approach our work, and a doorway to discovering meaning, purpose, and value in whatever we do. That's why I wrote The Gift of Work, and why I love to talk with people about the importance and value of their jobs.

God has you exactly where He needs you. Your work done faithfully and well, blesses others - answers countless prayers for food, clothing, shelter, health, justice, knowledge and joy - and glorifies God. Work is one significant way that you love God and love your neighbor.

May God richly bless you and your work — Bill Heatley

The Gift of Work

From the Foreword by Dallas Willard:
"We are now, as disciples of Jesus, members of a divine community that, when we seek it, we find with us in our job and throughout life, and thereby we turn all that we do into work for and under God. Thus, Paul advises: "Whatever you do, do your work heartily"—literally, 'from the soul'—"as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." (Col. 3:23-24) We are not to try to look good (do "eyeservice"), as men-pleasers, but on our job we simply "do the will of God from the heart." (Eph. 6:6-8)

"Now this book tells us exactly how to do this. Intelligent, well-informed, and biblical to the core, it is intensely focused upon the real-life context of the job: on what really goes on there, and how, for our part, we can turn it into divine work. In this respect the author is telling us how to live a life that is spiritual throughout, full of meaning, strength and joy. He thus stands in the solid tradition of Christian teaching throughout the ages. He does so with the freshness of personal experience and the forcefulness of careful thought."

Reviewed by Ben Escabarte for The Navigators Philippines.

Reviewed by Rachelle Dawson in Associated Content's Business and Finance section.

See the Gift of Work blog hosted by Bold Enterprises.

Big Ideas and Little Details: Review of The Gift of Work by Jan Johnson

My favorite thing about this book is that it combines the big picture issues (purpose of work, whole-life discipleship, making space for God) with street level ideas of what it looks like to live this everyday from 9-5. Too many books offer six tips to a perfect life with no overall purpose and framework. But this one offers those capital-T truth ideas that we don’t hear anymore: reconciling success with goodness, redefining success for the follower of Jesus, stating that God’s purpose for work is to “bring people together in loving community for mutual benefit and support.” Bill quotes from the best: Dallas Willard, C. S. Lewis, William Law, Brother Lawrence, and Frank Laubach. Yet he also gives practical insights and tells his stories (so honestly!) of bringing people together in loving community. Someone could read this and think about their job and say, “Gulp! Bill did it–so can I!” I couldn’t help myself–I began reading his stories out loud to my husband.

As a 25+ year small business owner, I know that why I conduct my business and the heart with which I do it must be all about Jesus–that’s as important or more important than the product I offer. But to hear someone describe this in a book was like hearing a song I’d been trying to hum for years.

Jan Johnson is the author of Invitation to the Jesus Life: Experiment in Christlikeness, When the Soul Listens: Finding Rest and Direction in Contemplative Prayer and many more titles. We encourage you to learn about her work at www.janjohnson.org.