Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
I am the fourth child of the Higginite clan from Twain Harte, California. Where I grew up, that meant something. The Higgins were hard workers. People saw us kids, at a young age, setting up for events and breaking down afterward. We ran the harvest parties and the carnivals. My mom organized things and we were her labor corp. Sunday school. Children’s Church. I ran the soundboard. I acted in plays. VBS? We were automatically signed up. Whatever she had in mind to do, the Higginites got it done.
When it came to my first job, my three older sisters blazed a trail for me. I applied to wash dishes at Silver Spur and all I had to say was my last name. “You’re a Higgins? You’re hired. I know Higgins work hard.” And I did work hard! Reputation is a funny thing. It opens doors, but it also lights a fire under you. You have to live up to it.
The Bible gives plenty of instruction about work. If we ascribe authority to the scriptures in general, then we must also embrace its view on work. Whatever we are doing, whether it is a task of honor or mundane labor, we should treat it as “for the Lord.” This idea flips the dynamic on work. We are not doing it well for ourselves. We are working hard because it pleases God and honors Him. You see, followers of God have a reputation to uphold. Are we going to live up to the Bible’s high standard?
The world is watching. They take great joy in our failures, flaws, and hypocrisy. They will amplify every example of it. “See! They pretend to be good, but they are no better than us.” They delight when we soil the reputation of God, through our mistakes. In reality, it is no wonder that we make mistakes. It is a miracle that anyone can elevate their choices above the culture. That’s what is noteworthy, not when we fail to be perfect. Nonetheless, because we strive to live by a higher standard, they will ridicule us. We should not be concerned with their chatter, but we should be cognizant of God’s reputation. We work hard to honor Him. Period.
Teach your kids to work hard without complaining, to be punctual as a matter of respect for the other party, and to provide more value in all they do than is expected for their age and stage. If you set this standard, they will be well-prepared to tackle the challenges of work and life.
The Pareto principle says that 80% of the outcomes come from 20% of the causes. When applied to the work environment, this translates to “20% of the employees pull 80% of the load.” We want our kids to be amongst the most effective people in whatever field they work in. As a matter of honoring God and as a practical matter of competing for the best positions and having the greatest opportunity. We want our kids to be essential elements of their organizations. Reliable. Leaders. Creative. Hard-working. Honoring God.
To accomplish this, start young. Make them active contributors to the family. Work is a skill set like anything else. If they don’t practice from childhood, how can we expect them to do it well at age eighteen?
