The sacredness of work is not an abstract concept. It is not sufficient to be a competent and enthusiastic servant of God; you also must be a humble and trustworthy servant. The Bible says, You must serve each other with humility. (1 Pet. 5:5) It also warns us to be trustworthy in whatever we do, even if it is a minor task. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with a lot. Whoever is dishonest with very little is dishonest with a lot. (Luke 16:10)
There is nothing inherently wrong in being proud of your work. But crowning yourself with pride is self-idolatry, the chain of the spirit. God demands (and everyone appreciates) modesty. The Bible puts it in starkest terms: I won't brag about myself, unless it is about my weaknesses. (2 Cor. 12:5) Pride is an unholy state. You cannot even be proud of not being proud. God also cautions us against excessive self-confidence; the Bible warns: Don't be so...self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. (1 Cor. 10:12)
There is also nothing wrong in expecting appreciation and reward for your work. Remember, though, there is a difference between a reward and merit for a job. A reward is what you may receive from others in compensation for the work, while merit is what you earn from doing the work itself. If you work only for recognition in the eyes of another person, the focus shifts from the work to the judgment of that person. The approval or disapproval of that person (or the potential reward that accompanies it) becomes your main point of reference and limits your imaginative power and creativity. More important, if you make someone else the point of reference for your work's value, you'll never be able to value the work for itself.
The sacred nature of work is best preserved when it is true in itself. Such work more than pleases everyone, even the most difficult employer, because it brings with it the air of authenticity-its true merit.
You might ask: "Should I commit to any work or only to specific tasks?" My answer is that under optimal conditions people can learn and commit themselves to any type of work. The Bible says, If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done. (Eccles. 11:4) If you plant, you'll harvest, even if you were not a farmer in your heart. But the fullest commitment, with corresponding creativity and productivity, is best obtained if the work resonates with your soul. There is no doubt that temperament, innate talent, and even brain structure predispose people toward certain occupations. But these are only predispositions. Like bees that can make honey from every flower, you can be a success in every job. Honey made from different flowers will have variations in color, taste, and smell, but all are very similar in nutritional value. Similarly the results of your work will vary, but you will have the same feeling of internal satisfaction, provided you work like a bee-relentlessly, determinedly, enthusiastically, steadily, and with singular attention, day after day, year after year.
If you define success by external criteria, you remain chronically anxious because life circumstances are utterly unpredictable. External goals demand enormous effort, and because the focus on them changes as you near achieving them, they always remain distant. But if success is defined by internal criteria-full commitment to the love of work-you'll be at peace. Such success doesn't depend on factors you cannot control: your attitude toward work. The internal goal is effortless; once achieved, the focus remains fixed, and therefore, the goal is always near. To be successful in your work, learn to identify with it. Then the work becomes not something you do but another manifestation of who you are. The Bible says, You can tell what they are by what they do. (Matt. 7:16) The work itself becomes the point of reference for success or failure, which no longer depends on the promise of reward or threat of punishment. The love you extend to your work returns as self-confidence, self-appreciation, self-recognition, and self-worth-the ultimate success.
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T. Byram Karasu, M.D. is the author of The Spirit of Happiness
