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Dr. Andrew Spencer, a Senior Research Fellow for the Institute of Faith, Work and Economics, acknowledges a worker’s dilemma when they fail to grasp the meaning behind their efforts…
When one’s work is atomized to small components of an overall process, it can be difficult to grasp its significance. The worker on the production line making high-quality bolts may not see that she is responsible for ensuring millions of people depend on her craftsmanship as they cross a bridge.
While tiny contributions can make a huge difference, a narrowed perspective, bounded by the repetitive kerchunk of a machine, a carefully regulated production quota, and periodic paychecks can contribute to a loss of hope.
By contrast, the Christian should be a source of hope for those with whom we work. Our hope is a gift from God, a privilege we possess, resulting from our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3-5). Yet, its scope goes well beyond our personal salvation to the renewal of all of creation (Revelation 21). Our daily work participates in God’s great renewal story. The hope we derive from our vocational efforts is found in trusting that the tasks at hand, faithfully completed, will be used by God for His purposes.
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