In South Africa a past series of television advertisements for the national lottery depicted working people suddenly behaving rather outrageously, expressing for the first time their frustrations and anger at bosses and jobs. The reason soon became clear – having won a fortune, they no longer need to work, and thus they were free to behave as they wished, and walk away to a life of leisure. This, we were told, is our “license to dream.”
What fascinates me about these commercials is the assumption that work is a necessary evil from which we would all flee if we were just given the opportunity. Many, if not most people seem to endure work as little more than drudgery, finding neither joy nor satisfaction in the tasks that fill the greater part of their waking hours. At a parents’ meeting at my son’s school some years ago, a teacher began her presentation by asking the parents to raise their hands if they were fulfilled and happy in their work. Of roughly one thousand adults in the room, only about a hundred responded. For fully ninety percent, it seemed, work is nothing more than an unavoidable curse. Perhaps it is ironic, then, that in South Africa we have a special day each year dedicated to workers - celebrated just this last Saturday on May 1st.
For followers of Jesus, though, work takes on a whole different meaning - and Jesus himself is our best example. It was both shocking and transforming for the disciples to see their Master strip, and then bow to wash their feet (John 13:1-17). In a culture in which feet were seldom pampered as they are today, in which dusty roads were walked in open sandals, and in which the customary courtesy of washing a guest’s feet was usually performed by slaves, Jesus’ act was extremely radical. In taking up the towel and basin, Jesus called his followers to serve one another, but also removed the temptation to create a ‘pecking order’ of work. He revealed something new about himself and his purpose to his friends, and they encountered him afresh. Conversely, in his parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), Jesus made it clear that he is also encountered when we serve “the least”. In this way all work becomes an opportunity to meet Christ again, a potential for receiving and giving the grace of Christ.
It is not surprising, then, that worship and work are strongly connected. The traditional word for worship - liturgy - literally means “the work of the people”. In worship, we join together to serve God and one another, and in doing so, we learn to build our entire lives around this God-honouring work. For example, as Susan White wrote in her book, ‘The Spirit of Worship’, “In the Lord’s supper, the work of human hands, bread baked and wine made, vessels crafted and textiles woven, the money in the offering plate, all become transparent to the redemptive love of God. This allows us to see our work for what it is, a true participation in the life and mission of God.” (p.53)
What this means, is that as we are changed through the liturgy - the “work” of encounter with God - so the meaning of everything we do is changed as well. Worship teaches us that our work is a place of ministry - a calling. And as we learn this lesson, we discover that whatever tasks we perform are a service to God, and an opportunity to further the purposes of God in our world.
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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.