On the Job

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

– Matthew 25:23

Career.io is an AI-powered career platform with tools for job seekers, career changers, and those looking to grow in their current roles. In 2024, it analyzed 755,758 employee-submitted job reviews to identify the careers that make Americans the happiest. And if you believe the results, a big paycheck doesn’t guarantee workplace satisfaction. It turns out that real estate agents have the happiest job in the nation. The list’s other contented job titles include carpenter, software developer, fitness instructor, firefighter, and administrative assistant.

The saying goes that you’ll never work a day in your life if you love what you do for a living. That’s when a run-of-the-mill job becomes a passion. But whether you’re thrilled with your career or you’re just putting in the hours for a paycheck, the New Testament’s book of Colossians has this admonition for us:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men …”

In other words, it makes no difference if you’re the CEO of an international corporation or a 9-to-5 ditch-digger: we should all do our jobs for God’s glory. And Christ-followers should also consider the workplace as much a place of worship on weekdays as church is on Sundays. Likewise, we must work — and live — with the end in mind. Because once we pass into eternity, job titles and salaries will be worthless. Rich or poor, famous or obscure, we’ll all have to account for what we did in our lifetimes with the gifts and talents our Creator gave us. 

The world’s message is that focusing on money, status, and upward mobility can lead to a successful career, and that a successful career equates to a successful life. But the world has it backward. Everything we have — our money, possessions, family, and health — is due to God’s generosity. He gives it freely ... and he can take it away without notice.

God’s definition of success surely comes as a surprise to many in the workforce. The lesson here is that instead of living self-centered lives on the fast track to stock options and a corner office, our motivation should revolve around being Jesus’ hands and feet in the home, workplace, and community. It's our faithfulness to him that's the real measure of success on the job.