The Richland Church of Christ

“Working hard or hardly working?” Our culture struggles with its identity when it comes to work. For some, work is all-consuming—it dominates their thoughts and becomes the core of who they are. Their other roles—spouse, parent, child—fade into the background as they define themselves by their job title: manager, supervisor, painter, nurse. Their sense of worth becomes tied solely to what they accomplish from 9 to 5 each day.

Others, in contrast, abhor work. They seize every opportunity to avoid responsibility, or at best, they work merely to fund a life they believe begins after the workday ends. For them, every job is a necessary evil—just a means to survive, not something to value.

Yet both extremes are ultimately flawed. We must first recognize that God made us to work: “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15 ESV). Humanity was created to be active and purposeful in their endeavors. Even after the fall, work continued—only now, it became more difficult because of the thorns and thistles (Genesis 3:18). Numerous biblical proverbs warn against laziness (Proverbs 6:6, 9; 10:26; 13:4; 15:19).

Work is good, but it should not consume us.

Exodus 20:8-11-  “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

This passage is not a prohibition on work; rather, it provides a framework for healthy living. The fourth commandment serves a dual purpose. First, it places God in His rightful position as Creator and Provider. When I rest in God, I acknowledge that what I have is not the result of my own effort alone, but a gift from Him. Second, the commandment highlights the importance of separation and holiness. By instituting the Sabbath, God required Israel to center their lives around Him—not around work or worldly pursuits.

Every first Monday in September, Americans pause to rest and honor those whose labor supplies our daily needs. It is an opportunity to step back from the busyness of life and reflect on what truly matters. For Christians, though, the answer is not simply balancing work and rest; it is rethinking how we view both altogether.

For those in Christ, the Sabbath finds its fulfillment in Jesus (Hebrews 4). Our identity should not be defined by our work—whether we idolize it or avoid it—but by the work and person of Jesus. It is not about how much you do or don’t do, but about where you find your true safety and security. Is your hope in your own abilities or others’ approval, or is it in the One who grants peace beyond understanding? Only when we stop viewing this world as a prize to be won can we discover genuine rest.