Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men. —Colossians 3:23

Many people presume the Christian life can be compartmentalized. Church is church and work is work.

Such a philosophy is a dichotomy that leaves room for the Christian to compromise his values in the workplace. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The Bible has much to say about committing all of our work to the Lord. Solomon peppered the book of Ecclesiastes with many truths about toil: that God’s gift is man’s satisfaction in his toil (Eccl. 3:13), and that work is man’s lot and should be enjoyed (Eccl. 9:9).

Since Ecclesiastes was Solomon’s last written Bible book, he had much to say about man’s labor being drudgery when it is performed without godly focus and grace (Eccl. 2:17). When we work as unto God, we receive the satisfaction of knowing that God sees and appreciates what we do regardless of the opinions of others.

Some of God’s best work is done “behind the scenes.” To work heartily is effort from the “psuche,” the breath, the soul of man. Such endeavors are satisfying when we are responding to the will and call of God upon our lives.