The Rev. Beth Jenkins Ernest Vocation Sunday

March 3, 2002 A Sermon on Genesis 3:17-19

17 And to the man he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

It's 5:30 in the morning and the alarm goes off. Time to get up and go to work. You run to the shower, sling back a cup of coffee and race out the door and the thoughts that go through your head are, "Yes! I get to go to work today! Work is great. I can't wait until I get there. I love commuting. I love my colleagues. I feel fulfilled by what I do and the job security goes without saying. I'm happy with my pay. I feel the joy of using my gifts and talents in an environment where I am really appreciated. I know my job serves the kingdom of God. Yep, my work seems just like a continuation of Sunday morning! Wow, it's great to be alive."

Sound familiar? Probably not.

Work is a fact of life. But like marriage, relationships and family, it is often fraught with questions and frustration. What does our faith teach us about work and vocation, or calling. When we look at scripture and at the teachings of the church, we find plenty of commentary on both.

In the beginning there was...work. The very first thing God does in the first chapter and verse of Genesis is start to work, making a universe and a world full of animals and plants for Adam and Eve to live in. Our God is a productive God, creating order out of chaos in just six days by calling forth shape and design and function and beauty.

Scripture tells us that we are created in God's image, that is, we are workers, too. We were given the charge to carry on the work of creation, to continue to make order out of chaos by our work. We were given dominion of the earth and told to care for the garden that sustains us. And so, work is blessed, for it is commissioned and given by an industrious God.

Work is good. Work is blessed. And deep down, people who are working usually realize that they are blessed to have a job, for there are many who do not.

In the best of economies, all who can work, should work. The Bible is specific about this:

From the book of Proverbs (18:9): "One who is slack in work is close kin to a vandal." Or the Apostle Paul writing to his friends: (2 Th 3:10) "Anyone unwilling to work should not eat." One duty of a faithful community is to create opportunity for all to work and be productive. That's how we share this blessing from God.

Apart from the command to work, finding meaning in the venture is something else. How do we find meaning?

Here's where we talk about the word "vocation." It means our calling. It used to be that this word was used only of those in religious orders. The Protestant reformers, particularly Martin Luther and John Calvin helped change the idea that only the clergy were called by God, that only clergy's work mattered. Instead, Luther said that all callings are equal and that work done well is done to the glory of God. (Vocation and Calling, 14). John Calvin went from there to say "that through involvement in the world of work, one can do the work of God in changing the world and shaping its future" (p. 14). Clearly, we have received a high calling, as we continue the act of creation begun in Genesis... through our work.

So you are wondering, how do I find that calling? Maybe you are unemployed, or hate your job, or you're bored, or retired. Or maybe you like your job just fine, but wonder what if any relationship it has to your faith. I'd like to offer some ideas found in a great little book called Vocation and Calling put out by the United Church of Christ’s publishing house, United Church Press.

We hear the call of God first of all, by paying attention to our first calling. That is, our calling to be in Christ. As Christians we are called as ordinary individuals into a community of faith which is the church. Or as it says in the letter to the Ephesians:

Ronald Cole-Turner, who writes about spiritual development, says, "Probably the most important message is that our calling, as Christians, is not found first of all in our job or career. Our calling is to belong to Jesus Christ. Our calling is be part of the community of Christ and to join in its mission." (p. 13)

This first calling transforms our priorities and values. It gives us a wider mission. Cole-Turner continues, "Therefore, any decisions we make as Christians regarding our life, work, relationships, and leisure are made in the light of our transformed values and desires." (p. 12)

Our work then, takes on spiritual meaning because it becomes our way of transforming the world into the kingdom of God. We do that by making order out of chaos, by obeying God's command to be productive and to be good stewards of the earth. We do that by working for a society in which all are fed, clothed, and cared about. By showing co-workers, clients, and customers respect. By acting honestly and ethically because that is what God demands of us. By valuing people and God's creation over money. By working to raise families that honor God and bring honor to God. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the worshiping community that feeds us makes us willing and able to be the kind of workers who do these things. Our work is fundamentally spiritual in nature.

In order to find work that is life-giving for us, we must each assess our God-given gifts and abilities and skills. How we call them forth, how we use them, how we develop them is a fundamental part of our stewardship and our gratitude to God. I remember words spoken in praise of my Old Testament professor on the occasion of his retirement. The preacher said, "Harrell Beck took the gifts God gave him for preaching and teaching, worked on them, honed them, developed them, and laid them on the altar of God." Might it be said of us, that we take the gifts we have for... detail, for words, for music, for working with our hands, for making things run well, for design, for teaching, for parenting, for integrating information... and develop them, hone them, and place them on the altar of God.

To find the vocation to which God calls us, we look for the gifts we have, but we also look for what gives us joy. What is deeply satisfying to you? Or as another vocational guide asks, "What is your bliss?" (Working from the Heart, p. 14) What gives you joy? And what gives your life meaning? These might be seen in your work as a product or byproduct or easily identified in a hobby or interest. Then again, your real calling may not be what you get paid for or what job is listed on your income tax return. Your calling might be a volunteer position, or unpaid work, such as parenting or caring for others. A famous priest, teacher and speaker about spirituality, I believe it was Thomas Merton, considered that his real calling was as a writer. He happened to write about God.

What do you love doing?

For example, I have become aware that my love of cooking is related to my ministry. In both, I find great joy in feeding people. I love preparing physical food and spiritual food, seeing it eaten and the effect is has, hopefully for good. What is your bliss? What gives your life meaning? Can you incorporate that into what you do for a living?

It is no news that many of us have some unhealthy attitudes toward work. Namely, we take work too seriously. We work too much. We are unrealistically responsible and bent on doing it all. Work becomes a form of idolatry and we serve this idol from morning to dusk. Some such idol worshippers are convinced that they alone are worthy—no one else can produce, sell, design, earn or do what they can. Work is not shared, but hoarded in an attitude of distrust. The sufferers here are family, friends, and often churches, who wonder why the workplace is so much more attractive than the home, the spouse, the children, the social encounter, the sanctuary.

We must admit that we cannot do it all. Neither should we do it all.

I once read a story about Mother Theresa. She and the sisters of her order were helping people in Africa. It was one of these disasters where millions had been displaced, disease and starvation were rampant. A media person asked her, "Mother Theresa, surely you see that you cannot help everyone or make these problems go away. Why do you do this?" Her reply, "God does not call us to be successful. God calls us to be faithful."

Do you have a realistic look at the limits to the responsibilities God has given you? Can you let God and others be responsible for the rest? Our work will never be fully rewarding, fully joy-giving, or fully successful. Why? Our scripture reading today makes clear that while work is blessed, the field in which we labor is not. Sin abounds, and so the field will bring forth thorns and thistles. We work to transform the world and cut down as many thorns as we can, but the final transformation is up to God. Faithfulness to the task is up to us.

We are called to be faithful in our work... and in our resting. Even God knew when to quit. In six days, God created the heavens and the earth. But on the seventh day, God rested.

Not only must we rest from our labors, but we are called to let others rest too. If we are in a position over others, we must give them a break. That is what faithful folk do. We do not enslave others, nor will we act as slaves ourselves. The story of the Exodus was about getting out of slavery in Egypt. God doesn't want us to go back to Egypt! If our lives are set up to work sixty, seventy, eighty or more hours a week, and perhaps even demand the same of others, then we need to take another look at how our lives reflect the image of God who knew how to take five!

On our sabbath break today we reflect upon the other six days of the week and ask God to bless them. It is right for us to do that as did the ancient Israelites of old. I close with the words of the psalmist:

"Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands-- O prosper the work of our hands!" (Psalm 90:17)

Let us pray to dedicate our work to God.

Creator God, in your laboring, you called forth creation and us your people. Be in our creating as we call our minds and our hands to bring forth what we need for our living. Call forth in us the gifts you planted there. Water and grow them. Give us discipline to develop the skills of which we are capable. And give us a sense that what we does matters in this world. Give us patience to do our work well, speaking with respect and honor to those over us, and those under us. Keep us mindful of the opportunities we have on a daily basis to create the kingdom of God wherever we are and in whatever we do.

For those who are looking for work, we pray that you will bless their effort in finding meaningful employment. We know that many dread their jobs because of unrealistic expectations or colleagues who are mean, gossipy, or inept. These realities exist and others pay for it. God, teach us what to do. Support your children and give courage and guidance.

God, finally, thank you for work. For it gives us discipline, a sense of accomplishment, and the means to build your kingdom for good. May we all have enough work to share, be it work for which we are paid, or work for which we receive no pay. Let us be supportive of one another as we deal with this fact of life. In the name of your Son, the carpenter, Amen.

Cole-Turner, Ronald. Vocation and Calling: Hearing God's Call, (NYC: United Church Press, 1985)

Dyer, Sonja and McMakin, Jacquelin. Working From the Heart, (San Diego: Lura Media, 1989)