This episode is one of a series of conversations that have to do with living all of life within the bigger story of the Gospel. We're calling the Gospel the “Beyond Me Story.” This bigger story sits in contrast to the “Me Story," the highly individualistic story of the culture within which we live.
The Me Story is characterized by a set of questions that everyone living within it asks. We ask these questions almost instinctively, having been thoroughly conditioned by our culture and society to do so, and we place these as an overlay on every aspect of life. When we ask the Me Story questions of work, they sound something like:
"Does my work allow me to express my true self?"
"Is this job helping me grow and develop as a person?"
"Will this job lead to a successful career path?"
"Do I find my work satisfying or fulfilling?"
These questions, while not bad, are limited. Many of us experience frustration with work when it doesn't provide the answers to these questions as we'd hoped.
Ephesians 6 broadens our view of work outside of the bounds of the limited Me Story by revealing that, regardless of our work environment or the status or value ascribed to our work culturally, we can choose how we work. Paul encouraged both bondservants and their masters to see their work as a call to mutual, reciprocal service to each other and to Christ. Christians are called to see their work as service - whether they are designing a building or washing its windows.
