How Should I Regard Career?

1. Work as unto God: Having chosen a profession, scripture encourages you: Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. ~Col 3:23. Notice the two key dimensions to your work: (i) as to the Lord, (ii) not unto men.
If you were to genuinely work as to the Lord and not unto men, you would work whole-heartedly and with all your might, irrespective of whether you are paid fairly or not, whether your bosses recognize your work or not, whether you get promoted or not. While you are at liberty to search for better paying jobs, you would not get frustrated if someone else steals the credit for the hard work you do, because you do your work as to the Lord (Psa 37:1). If there is injustice meted out, you would neither deceive nor slacken because you do not work unto men (1 Pet 2:18-19). Wise as serpents; harmless as doves is your motto. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ. ~Col 3:23. Isnt it only logical that when you do your work as to the Lord, you will receive your reward also from the Lord? The quality and integrity of your work is a direct evidence of your love toward God. It can also be a powerful springboard to share the gospel concerning Jesus Christ. Unto employer: Many times we find our employee as rude, bossy, enemy and arrogant. But Paul said to employee that serve with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Chrsit ~Eph 6:5-8. The motiviation factor in serving them is ~Knowing that whatever good any one does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free~(v8). The ultimate paycheck will come from the Lord ~Colossians 3:22-24. Unto family:if anyone doesnot provide for his own, and especially for those of his own household. He has denied the faith and is worse than unbeleiver ~1 Timothy 5:8. First we need to take care of the financial needs of the family.This includes, spouse, children, parents in old age and any dependants and or adopted needy people. Unto the needy: He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord ~Proverbs 19:17. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands that he may have something to share with those in need ~eph 4:28.The righteous gives and does not spare ~Proverbs 21:25-26. The lazy man wants more and godly person is looking for ways that he can give to the poor ~Psalm 37:25-26;A cts 20:35;Galatians 2:10 and 1 John 3:17-18. Unto all: We need to work such that our work should become a spirtual well-being unto all including our co-workers. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet time, to mind your own business and to work with your hans, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependant on anybody(1 Thess 4:11-12). The goal is to win the respect among the beleivers and esp the respect of unbeleivers.

2. Work hard: You have already seen that whatever your hand finds to do, you should do it with all your might. Hard work is not complicated. Slackness, slothfulness, and laziness are admonished in the scriptures. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. ~ Prov 12:24. The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. ~Prov 13:4. See thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. ~Prov 22:29.
The Bible also teaches that becoming rich can be the natural consequence of diligent work: He becomes poor that deals with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent makes rich. ~Prov 10:4; however, it also

teaches that becoming rich is not the motive for hard work. Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. ~Prov 23:4.

3. Work culture: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. ~Col 3:1-3. Your heavenly orientation must be evident in the discipline of your time, attire, vocabulary and financial integrity. The corporate culture with its cruel competitive spirit and merciless demands on increased productivity pressurizes you to compromise on standards or engage in unethical practices to avoid failure or achieve targets.
What you learn at work is not simply acquiring information and learning skills. You discover how to avoid self-destructive behaviour. You learn to manage tensions, cope with pressures, and avoid burning up energy in anxiety. You also recognize self-pity and resentment as the most toxic of drugs. It can take a decade to build a reputation but only an hour to lose it. Sadly, you also learn that the world loves character, but rewards talent. This is the real world.

4. Career ambitions: If you recognise that your work is a heavenly calling, any kind of earthly career ambition or secular goal would amount to vanity. Consider three classic examples from the Bible: Joseph (a slave in Egypt), Daniel (a captive in Babylon), and Mordecai (a refugee in Persia). All three were strangers in foreign countries. In Josephs time, Egypt was the superpower; in Daniels time, Babylon was the superpower; and in Mordecais time, Persia enjoyed the privilege. You know that all three ultimately became very high ranking ministers of those countries; in fact, they enjoyed the greatest of secular success leaps, straight from refugee to prime-minister!
Please note none of these three men had either the professional go-getting achiever attitude, or the ambition to make it big. They simply set their affections on things above, and not on things of the earth. Their ambitions were not earthly ones; rather they were aligned with their greater heavenly calling. Josephs watchword was, How can I ever sin against God? (Gen 39:9). Daniels motto was, How can I ever defile myself against God? (Dan 1:8). Mordecais guiding principle was, How can I ever bow in worship to anyone other than God? (Esth 3:2). However, it is also possible that despite maintaining immaculate, flawless, moral and ethical professional records, you may not achieve what you hoped to in your career. Be encouraged, many of Gods people too did not! (Heb 11:39) Take heart, God is not unrighteous to forget your work ~Heb 6:10.