Will anything we do today in the physical world matter in eternity?  Consider the vision of the eternal kingdom shared by John and Isaiah.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband (Rev. 21:1-2, NIV).

The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it (Rev. 21:24, 26).

And they will reign for ever and ever. (Rev. 22:5)

²¹ They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. ²²….my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. ²³ They will not labor in vain… (Isaiah 65:21-23).

These passages, along with others, describe a future that is much different from what we often imagine when we think of heaven.  John sees heaven coming down to a new earth, one that has been purified by fire (see 2 Peter 3:10). He sees a massive city filled with the glory of the nations. Isaiah sees work and labor as a part of this wonderful future.  What does all of this have to do with our work today?

Our work today enters into eternity.  

John’s vision of a glorious city also includes the kings of the earth bringing their “splendor” into it. So, it appears that some of the splendor of this earth will somehow be carried into eternity! Isaiah, in 60:6-17, mentions camels, gold and incense, flocks, ships and wood that is brought to adorn God’s sanctuary. So, it appears that when our work reflects God’s goodness, justice, creativity, and care for people, something of that work may enter the new earth!

Some leaders work hard to build and create wealth with no thought of how it may impact eternity. But serving leaders work to develop the best art, craftsmanship, creativity and products that reflect God’s goodness. They seek to create “splendor” that will enter into eternity.

Our work today endures in eternity.

Isaiah’s vision of eternity includes people building houses, planting vineyards and working with their hands. The picture Scripture paints is not an eternity without work—but work without the curse! No frustration, no futility, no wasted effort, no sweat. Just the joy of creating, developing, and filling the earth with beauty and goodness.

Some leaders look forward to completing their work and live for the times they are not working. But serving leaders embrace work to glorify God, now and in eternity.

Our work today expands in eternity

John’s vision indicates that those in the new earth “will reign for ever and ever.”  This is the ultimate fulfillment of the original commission from Genesis 1:28 which we examined in a previous issue. While our current work partially fulfills this mandate, it will be fully expanded and realized in eternity. We will exercise authority and power free from sin—to fill the earth with God’s goodness.    

Some leaders sharpen their leadership capacity only for present success. But serving leaders develop their leadership muscles in preparation for eternal impact.  

Your work today matters! From creation to eternity, scripture consistently affirms the value of human work.   

For further reflection and discussion:

• What elements of my current work most fully express God’s beauty, creativity and goodness?  What would it be like to have something of what I have done here on earth brought to Him as a part of the “splendor of the nations”? How does that energize me to do my best in my work?  
• In what way would it be energizing to think of my current work continuing in eternity? Are there things that I have always dreamed of doing that I might be able to accomplish in eternity?
• In what ways am I developing my leadership capacity in my daily work?  How might God use these skills to allow me to rule in eternity? What more can I do to prepare for that time?
• Reflect on the following passages that provide more context to the principles we examined in this issue: Psalm 8:6;  Isaiah 60:6-17, 65:17-25; Daniel 7:27; Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Corinthians 6:1-3; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 5:10, 21:1-21; and 22:1-5. 

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler 

If you would like a single document with all four issues from this series, click here for a PDF copy. 

*Many of the thoughts in this series come from Jordan Raynor’s book “The Sacredness of Secular Work,” which I highly recommend.

What do you call what you do today? If you use words like “work”, “job”, “career” or “profession” you may miss the element of God’s call on your daily activity. But the word “vocation” conveys the idea of a calling and better reflects the biblical perspective. Whether you are a farmer, a plumber, a graphic designer, a computer engineer, a manufacturer, or an office worker, your work today matters because it reflects God’s calling for you. It is a sacred vocation, just as it was for two men called to build the tabernacle during the time of Moses. 

³⁰ Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel…., ³¹ and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— ³² to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, ³³ to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. ³⁴ And he has given both him and Oholiab…, the ability to teach others. ³⁵ He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers (Exodus 35:30-35, NIV).

These two men were called to do the work of building and furnishing the tabernacle.

Our vocation is a response to His call.

God called these two men for the special task of building the tabernacle. “See, The Lord has chosen Bezalel…and has filled him with the Spirit of God…” This calling to work in wood, metal and stones was just as genuine as God’s calling to Moses to lead the people. There are eight distinct skills mentioned in these verses, each reflecting God’s creativity through human work. We could add a long list of the many ways God calls people to fulfill His commission to “fill the earth” introduced in the previous issue.

Some leaders see their daily work as a reflection of the choices they have made about their careers. But serving leaders see their work as a response to God’s call on their lives. 

Our vocation is a reflection of His excellence.

God “filled them with skill” to do the work He called them to do. The tabernacle was to be a beautiful expression of God’s glory and He expected them to complete the work with excellence. When we view our daily work as a calling from God, we will want to do the best we can to reflect His excellence. Paul echoes this when he urges us to “work with your hands…so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders…” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).

Some leaders view their work as simply a way to earn an income and are not concerned about the quality of their efforts. But serving leaders seek to work with excellence because they see their work as a calling from God.

Our vocation is a response of worship to His glory

These craftsmen were “filled with the Spirit” to build a place of worship for God. Their skill and excellent work was also an act of worship! They were not just cutting wood and shaping stones, they were worshipping God through their work. When God calls us to a specific work and we do it for His glory, the work itself is an act of worship. The most mundane tasks become meaningful when they are offered as worship. Paul affirms this when he says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Some leaders work for themselves and focus on what they will gain from their efforts. But serving leaders see their work as an act of worship to God. 

For further reflection and discussion:

How clearly do I see my work as a calling from God?  Do I sense that God called me to my profession? How would it impact me to refer to my work as my “vocation”?

Is there any way that I see church leadership as more spiritual than other professions? In what way is my own work a “full time ministry” for God?

Do I consistently do the best work I can to bring honor to God? What would I change if He showed up tomorrow where I am working?

In what way is my daily work an act of worship? What could I do to be more aware of how my work is an offering of worship to God?

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how your work reveals God’s Kingdom.

Do you ever wonder if what you do today really matters? In this series we’ll explore why our daily work carries deep and lasting significance*. Our daily work occupies most of our time and energy—whether teaching students, building kitchens, plumbing homes, farming fields, writing software, or working in an office.  

Most Christians are familiar with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19–20: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” This is central to the mission of the church, and we tend to focus on it. But the first chapter of the Bible introduces an earlier commission:

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:28, NIV). 

This verse provides God’s plan for mankind from the beginning.  His call was for people to partner with Him to develop the world and extend the goodness, order and beauty He placed within it. This was His first commission and it directly relates to the work you do every day in several ways. 

Your work helps fill the earth.  

“Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth…”  God created a beautiful garden that occupied a small area, but there were vast areas untouched by His goodness, beauty and order. God didn’t do that work; He gave humans the mandate to increase and fill the earth with people, homes, farms, cities and gardens. The work you do today is in some way a response to His call to fill the earth with His purposes.  

Some leaders focus on creating a product or service that will produce income. But serving leaders see their work as participating in God’s plan to fill the earth with His goodness, beauty and order.

Your work helps subdue the earth.  

“and subdue it…” God’s call to Adam and Eve to subdue the earth was a call to make it useful. This was a call to create civilization and culture—to develop art, education and culture. It was a call to explore the earth, discover the minerals hidden in the soil and the vast reserves of oil underground. It was an invitation to discover better ways to grow crops and build structures. It was a call to find ways to organize people in societies that allow them to flourish and thrive. It was a mandate to find ways to communicate and share thoughts and ideas with others. Your work today does something to make the world more useful.

Some leaders use their work to exploit the earth, seeking to maximize personal gain at the expense of others. But serving leaders see their work as a means to make the world more useful for others.

Your work helps rule over the earth.  

In the final part of this commission God tells the first couple to “rule over” the world around them, particularly the animal world. This has the idea of partnering with God to take the world somewhere. God could have done this on His own, without any help from us. But He invited man to participate in His work.

Adam was called to cultivate creation, developing its potential and bringing increasing order and beauty. He had at his disposal “gold, resin/pearls, and onyx.” (Gen. 2:10-12). Scripture later describes the New Jerusalem using similar materials—gold, onyx, and precious stones (Revelation 21:18–21)—suggesting that human work ultimately contributes to God’s unfolding purposes.

Some leaders seek power and authority to benefit themselves. But serving leaders see their work as partnership with God to bring His good rule upon the earth.

For further reflection and discussion:

• How do I tend to see my work, as a necessary evil or as an integral part of God’s plan for the world? What difference does it make in my leadership?
• Do I see my daily work as having equal significance traditionally recognized “Great Commission work”? How could my daily work also contribute to the work of the Great Commission?
• In what specific ways does my work make the world a more useful place?
• In what ways does my work help bring a bit more of God’s order, beauty, and goodness into the world?            

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at how our daily work is an act of worship.

*Many of the thoughts in this series come from Jordan Raynor’s book “The Sacredness of Secular Work,” which I highly recommend.

God created a flourishing world abounding with life and beauty. He created abundant plants and all kinds of animals and then added humans made in His own image. God assigned specific roles to the man and woman.

 ²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”  ¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 1:28, 2:15, NIV)

God assigned Adam and Eve work that was purposeful. He told them to “fill the earth,” to “subdue” and “rule over” the creation, to “work it” and “take care of it.” God designed work with meaning and purpose as an ingredient for a flourishing world. The fall recorded in Genesis 3 distorted this design and added sweat and struggle to Adam’s work. Serving leaders work to restore God’s original design in the places they lead by helping those they lead find purpose in their work.

Purposeful work accelerates flourishing by acknowledging the intent.

God’s intent was for Adam and Eve to develop and shape the world He had created. They were to bring forth food from the earth. But they were also to imagine and dream of ways that the creation could be shaped to bring forth more beauty and productivity. God gave man the responsibility to investigate, invent, plan and develop the world. There was gold and minerals in the earth that needed to be discovered and shaped into useful products. And they were to do all this as God’s representatives. Their work was an extension of His work!

Serving leaders recognize that God put a desire for meaningful work deep in the DNA of every person. No one enjoys work simply to pay bills and survive. Every business idea, every invention, every discovery made by man is intended to add value to God’s world and to help people flourish. And because of this, the work of each individual should be filled with purpose.

 Purposeful work accelerates flourishing by anticipating the impact.

Many people see work as a necessary evil or just a means to make money but God’s design was far higher than this. People are not just money-making machines. They are created to contribute their gifts and passions to help create a world that flourishes.

Serving leaders imagine companies, communities and homes in which every person contributes their part to a meaningful whole. They imagine a workplace where people bring their whole selves to the task at hand, where people contribute ideas for improvements and where their opinions matter. They envision a company where even the person doing the lowest job understands that their work is making a difference in the world. In this flourishing world creativity is released, imaginations are inspired, and great value is added to the world.  

Purposeful work accelerates flourishing by accepting the implications.

Serving leaders acknowledge that purposeful work is not the norm. They realize that they will need to work hard to make their world flourish. They begin by clearly defining the great purpose for which their organization exists. They shift the focus from the production of a product or service to the change they will bring to the world. Then, they work hard to communicate this purpose to everyone in the organization until each person understands how their work contributes to the purpose. They share stories of the impact the business or organization is making in the world. Serving leaders create a flourishing world around them by filling work with purpose.

For further reflection and discussion:

How has the intent of purposeful work been distorted in your context? Reflect specifically about the thinking in this area in your culture, your family, and in the organization where you lead. What impact has this thinking had on you as a leader? In what ways do you need to adjust your thinking to align with God’s intent?

Reflect on what the impact would be if everyone in your organization would fully grasp and live out what it means for work to be purposeful. Write at least three reflections.

Think about the organization you lead. What is its purpose? Do you have a clearly defined statement of why you exist? Do the people you lead understand why their work matters in the world? Do you talk as much about the purpose as you talk about finances?

What action steps will you take as a leader to bring purpose to the work in your home, organization or community? Choose which of these areas you will focus on and then list 2 or 3 specific steps you will take and dates for when you will take the actions.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine another ingredient of a flourishing world: Standards are Defined

Serving leaders long for those who follow to not only learn what to do, but how to think for themselves. So, they ask powerful questions of those who follow and use this one to help develop their leadership capacity.  Serving leaders look at the question God asked Moses, “What is in your hand?” They first apply it to themselves by asking “What is in my hand?” Then, they reflect on what this question means for those who follow them and they also ask it of them.

 ² Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. ³ The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. ⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ⁵ “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you” (Exodus 4:2–5, NIV).

Serving leaders ask this question of their followers with three objectives.

Serving leaders ask “What is in your hand?“ to reveal potential.

In this story God saw the potential Moses had, but Moses did not! God does not give Moses a list of things He saw, but instead asks the question. He wants Moses to see the staff differently than before. Serving leaders ask the same question so that their followers will discover gifts that they have within themselves. They might need to ask several times or to add “What else do you have?” after some answers have been provided. Serving leaders desire for their followers to see that they are not simply “ordinary” persons, but individuals that have been created in a unique way for a specific purpose.

Serving leaders ask “What is in your hand?“ to release creativity.  

God was calling Moses to use his staff in a new way and his thinking needed to change. Serving leaders decide that instead of providing solutions to problems, they can serve better by asking someone, “What could you do to solve this problem?” or “How could you improve this process?” They develop people by asking the question until the creativity within begins to be revealed.

Serving leaders ask “What is in your hand?“ to resist dependency.  

All leaders are tempted to be the one with the answers. God certainly had answers for Moses! But God asked Moses the question to make him think. He wanted Moses to stretch his own thinking and not always depend on someone to tell him what to do. God chose to use what was in Moses’ hand instead of giving him something new. Serving leaders learn from Moses to ask “What is in your hand?” in ways that help followers become less dependent on the leader. This is a process of discipleship which may take a significant amount of time but gradually the serving leader helps the follower to be able to think on their own, to make decisions and take action. They serve by asking the question that forces the follower to see themselves as someone with answers. Serving leaders have answers but they often serve by asking questions instead of dispensing information.    

For further reflection and discussion:

• When I see potential in others do I tend to ignore it? Point it out? Or do I ask a question that allows them to discover it in themselves? Who can I ask this week, “What is in your hand?”
• How do I encourage creativity among those who follow me? Am I able to hold my ideas and answers in order to encourage others to think first and plan?
• Do I find my identity in providing answers to people’s questions? In what way does that impact my leadership?
• Over time, are people becoming more dependent or less dependent on my presence? What does this say about my heart to serve others?                 

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at another question serving leaders ask themselves, “How am I growing?”.

Leaders with a vision are always conscious of their need for resources to accomplish the vision. These resources may be finances, people, skills, or knowledge or other things. Leaders often begin the search for these resources outside themselves and begin to look around to meet the needs at hand. But serving leaders learn from the question God asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?”

² Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. ³ The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. ⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ⁵ “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you” (Exodus 4:2–5, NIV).

This exchange between God and Moses holds many insights for serving leaders and they do well to ask themselves the question, “What is in my hand?”

Serving leaders ask “What is in my hand?“ to discover resources.

Moses had a staff in his hand. It was an ordinary object that Moses walked with every day, but he did not even notice what it was. He may have assumed that everyone had a similar staff. But God asked him to notice what he had.

Serving leaders learn to ask themselves what they have at hand when they face a challenge or have a need. What experience do I bring to this situation? What resources do I have? Who do I know that could help? All of these questions allow resources to be discovered that might have been unnoticed. God took what Moses offered and used it to perform miracles.  Before looking beyond themselves for resources, serving leaders take a new look at what they already have. And as they offer these ordinary resources to God they find that they have enough!

Serving leaders ask “What is in my hand?“ to develop competence.

When the staff turned into a snake, Moses’ immediate response was to run away. But God asked him to pick the snake up, something Moses never dreamed he would be able to do. God wanted him to develop a new level of confidence and conquer his fear. Serving leaders ask “What is in my hand?” to stretch themselves to take on new tasks or responsibilities that they felt unprepared to do.

Serving leaders ask “What is in my hand?“ to diminish dependance.

Moses did not feel adequate for the task he was called to do. He felt that he was just a shepherd in the dessert with little to offer. He could have imagined that he needed much more than what was in his hand to lead. He saw himself as a person in need of a handout instead of having something to hand out. This sense of dependency cripples many leaders. But serving leaders look inward first. Before they ask “What do I need from you?” they ask “What’s in my hand that I can offer you?”  

For further reflection and discussion:

• Take 30 minutes to reflect on what is in your hand and write down your observations. What training, life experiences, financial resources, education, professional opportunities, etc. do you carry in your hand? What surprises you on your list that you did not previously see as a resource?
• What current situation seems challenging to me in my leadership? Reflect on what you have learned from Moses to apply to your own challenge. Are there things I have in my hand that could be used creatively to meet this challenge? Are there things I have previously experienced that can help me navigate this situation? Are there ways that God is inviting me to face my fears and develop competence in new areas?
• Do I tend to see myself as a person in need or a person who can help those in need? What impact does this have on my leadership?         

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at the same question serving leaders ask others, “What’s in Your Hand?”