Work

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat:
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

The above passage from Psalm 127 illustrates part of what our opinion of work should be. Those that are unemployed appreciate that work is a gift from God and those that are employed, whether by an employer or the self-employed who work for the customer, should appreciate that the rewards are from God. Once we have determined that we are doing God's will for us, we have to give that task our best effort in serving those we serve, and then pray that God will have it bear fruit. Elsewhere the Bible suggests that it is the farmer's job to plant the seed, but God is the one that makes it grow. Some may not apply that principle to their job today, whatever it may be, like it is my job to prepare and present knowledge that encourages understanding and application and then hope God makes good its defects, so the students can really evaluate and synthesize it to meet their immediate and future needs.

The same goes for the work we do with our families. It is our job to do the best we can for our spouses and children, and have faith in God that they will do what they should. That's hard because we may want to do more and more to give ourselves the illusion that we are gaining more and more control, but ultimately it is in God's more than capable hands. It is our responsibility to play our role to the best of our ability and let God do the rest.