After briefly outlining the theological context (creation, fall, redemption and restoration), Tim?Keller discusses 5 ways that your faith can influence and shape your work in this video from the 2013 Gospel Coalition Conference (27:42).
In summary:
- Faith gives you an inner ballast without which work could destroy you – in an individualistic western culture, work becomes an end in itself and creates our identity. ?”If you are successful it goes to your head; if you are a failure it goes to your heart.” ?Your identity needs to be based on something ?other than your performance.
- Faith gives you a concept of the dignity and worth of all work, even simple work, without which work will bore you – God is loving you through the work of all people and all work. ?In our culture, we value only certain forms of work and must be careful of sneering attitudes to more menial tasks. The way to do work as a Christian is to do it well whatever the task God has called us to. Work is God’s way of caring for his creation.?
- Faith gives you a moral compass without which work can corrupt you – in a climate of moral relativism, a moral compass is required to guide behaviour and decisions. ?
- Faith gives you a world and life view that shapes the character of your work without which work could master and use you – how your faith affects and shapes your work is critical particularly in professions where a concept of what it means to be human and how humans can flourish is central. ?
- Faith ?gives you hope in your work – in a broken and fallen world, we need to have a hope and a vision of the new creation.
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