Willy Wonka and a biblical worldview of work

“We meet God the Creator as a worker in Genesis 1:1 – 2:2. The image of God in man means man is to be a worker. The way we work will reveal how much we have allowed the image of God to develop in us.” R. Kent Hughes

The world grieved this past week when it was reported Jerome Silberman passed away after a three year bout with Alzheimer’s. He was 83 and a 1951 graduate of Washington High in Milwaukee. Always, a great admirer of Thornton Wilder, he first became interested in acting at age 8. His mother had been diagnosed with rheumatic fever. Her doctor told him to “try and make her laugh.” It’s when he began to realize how much he enjoyed making others laugh and knew he “was successful when I made her run to the bathroom.” Ultimately, he played 37 different roles but it was his mother’s illness that first got him into acting. He may be most famous for his role in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. While he may not have known it, Gene Wilder, lived out God’s Creative Mandate: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 2:28). He “subdued” the earth, living out the abilities God created him with.

  Work is not part of the Curse, yet many Christians have a pagan worldview of work. Since it’s the Labor Day weekend, can we have a brief chat about a biblical worldview of work? I’m not suggesting I have all the answers, yet many commonly ones accepted by believers are unbiblical.

  Livin’ for the weekend is not a biblical mentality. We’ve been fed a lie that pleasure and fulfillment come from non-work time. It can quickly devolve into a repulsive narcissism of, “Me Time.” For the believer, work is as much worship as Sunday morning church. The polar opposite is just as wrong. One can make an idol out of their career and it becomes their number one priority. Their relationship with God takes a back seat along with marriage and family. Relationships become secondary to work. Life is filtered through: “What impact will this have on my career?”

  It’s helpful to envision that behind every company and employer stands the Lord Jesus. He sees everything we do. He appreciates it and will reward us, regardless of the type of work we do. We need to see the most menial job as a labor of love for Jesus. He notices it even if no one else does. In other words, work for an audience of One. As believers, we’re to view work as God’s good gift to us! He gave Adam and Eve the responsibility of cultivating the Garden, exercising dominion over the world before sin entered it. We’re created to work and to work for His glory (Eph. 6:5-8).  

  For the child of God, there is no “this world” retirement plan. Should Christians keep working until they unwrap their fingers from the keyboard? Absolutely not! Yet, read Scripture from Genesis to Revelation and you’ll never find “retirement” as most picture it. Work venues may change. The pace may slow. This outlook though I’m going to travel, golf each day, play cards, etc. and enjoy life for ME is selfish and sinful. While we may retire from our vocations, we never retire from serving the Lord, though the way we serve Him may change. Scripture overflows with accounts of elderly saints who had their greatest ministries after they were supposedly put out to pasture. Then, Titus 2 commands godly older men and women to teach, by example, younger men and women how to live for Jesus. It’s a biblically proactive choice instead of grumbling about younger people.  

  Scripture minces no words that an elderly person who lives for pleasure is dead while alive (1 Timothy 5:6). This is not to say retirees can’t enjoy pleasurable pursuits, but it’s wrong when it’s the primary focus of one’s life at any age. Many retirees miss their last best opportunity to invest in the spiritual welfare of their children, grandchildren, even great-grandchildren because they’re self-absorbed. Most plan an inheritance. Yet, the greatest thing to “save up” for is one's spiritual heritage, to be passed on generationally. Future generations can be impacted by the godly example and faithful prayers of an elderly patriarch or matriarch.

  Labor unions are not evil…they’re a response to evil. (Jeremiah 17:9) I’m not suggesting Unions don’t sometimes go out of control. Personally, I’d be a bigger advocate of Unions if they’d self-monitor members, rather than having management go through hoops to terminate someone who’s slothful and irresponsible. Years ago I worked for UPS for a brief time. I remember thinking, “I’m glad we’re Teamsters. If we didn’t have a union, they’d kill us.” Unions are often a needed tool to protect workers from evil employers. I’ve worked for a few. Some sadly called themselves “Christians.” Our first loyalty must always be to King Jesus, not the Union.

  Government mandated increases of minimum wages is a political ploy with marginal results. Scripture states, “The laborer deserves his wages” (1 Timothy 5:18). When the government becomes involved, it usually complicates things. Recently, I attended a conference where the barista only cost Starbucks electricity. It was a computer. Raising the minimum wage primarily hurts small companies. Even $15 an hour isn’t a livable wage for most, particularly someone living in an urban area or a married couple with a family. Unskilled labor is worthy of an unskilled wage. Raising the minimum wage will limit job opportunities for young people.

  If government wants to make a true societal difference, eliminate marriage penalties, increasing benefits to those who marry. Study after study corroborates that children raised in married, two parent homes do much better than those raised by a single parent or a cohabitation situation.  

  Personally, I believe it’s wrong when CEOs are paid exorbitantly while their employees are paid minimally. Yet, it seems hypocritical to complain about corporate CEOs, while those in the arts or sports are given a pass. Jennifer Lawrence may be a good actress but $205 million in one year is over the top. Is LeBron James really worth $100 million annually? And that doesn’t include his off court deals. Add to that, taxpayers are frequently asked to fund business remodeling for these millionaires, i.e. Miller Park. Yet, those same taxpayers often can’t afford to attend events their hard earned money is being extracted for by government edict. 

  Work isn’t part of the Curse. It’s God program for Kingdom advancement. For us to embrace this, we must take time to study Scripture, educating ourselves in a biblical worldview of godly labor practices. 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

You're so rich, it's going to take forever to count it all

“This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed.”

Patrick Henry

  Legendary basketball coach, Dean Smith, grew up in a small Kansas town, the son of Baptist school teachers. He only wanted to be a basketball coach. When he was a bench-warmer for Kansas, he’d closely watch Jayhawks’ legendary coach, Phog Allen, a man who learned the game from James Naismith himself. In the end, a man who grew up hoping to coach basketball ended up doing so much more.

  Dean Smith died at his home on Feb. 7, 2015. He was 83. Yet, though he was gone, he wasn’t done giving to the players that he’d coached during his 36-year career as the University of North Carolina men's basketball coach. His will designated that each of the lettered players who’d played for him during his long career be sent a $200 check after his death to “enjoy a dinner out.” In total, Dean Smith gifted $36,000 by giving each one of his 180 former lettered players $200 each.

  The Bible says that giving is better than receiving. Former University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith made sure this was the case for his former players, even after he was gone. And his final act of generosity moved his former players. Former center, Serge Zwikker, said that he teared up when he opened the letter and he’ll never cash the check. “Even after he passed, he was still all about his players,” Zwikker said.

  Because Jesus died on the cross, those who have trusted Him as their Savior, also have an inheritance. Unlike most inheritances, the One who gave us ours isn’t dead – He’s alive and will be forevermore! Today and every Sunday (not just on Easter), we celebrate that our Lord is alive. Yet, sadly, too many Christians eek out an impoverished spiritual existence, never claiming the inheritance that they have in Christ.

  Imagine for a moment that a distant relative has included you in his will. As part of the execution of that will, money is placed into a bank account for you and you’re notified of that fact. But somehow you foolishly reason, “It can't be true!” Or, you never get the notification…or worse, you forget all about it. So you never bother to write a check against that account. Although you have the inheritance, you don’t benefit from it because you lack the faith and willingness to claim it. How tragic! 

  Because Jesus died for us, we’re heirs of God the Father. As children of God, we must be aware of our spiritual inheritance and claim it by faith. As we do, we begin to experience the abundant spiritual riches God has for us as His children.

  This inheritance is both present and future. Periodically, a wealthy person will divide his inheritance into two parts for his children. He gives them some of their inheritance now and some later. For example, he may help his son start a business or help his daughter purchase a home. They will receive additional money from time to time as they demonstrate that they can handle it well. But the bulk of their estate will come later. 

  In the same way, increasing spiritual maturity and faith release increasing measures of our spiritual riches. The riches begin the moment we become Christians, yet the full riches of our relationship with God will be revealed when we’re finally Home in heaven.

  Christianity though isn’t just about heaven or after this life is over. The child of God has an inheritance that’s beyond words now, today!

  Some years ago, Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder and first president of Dallas Theological Seminary, wrote a wonderful article entitled, “The Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus – God’s 33 Precious Promises.” And even that doesn’t scratch the surface of our riches in Christ. Let me just touch on three blessings that the believer has now, in this life.

  1. We have God’s help for day to day living. Loneliness is a terrible malady of our world, yet the believer is never alone and never without God’s help. God has given us Himself to us in the person of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Admittedly, we all need help at various times. We humans are often quite helpless. We need the Lord’s comfort, peace and rest in life. We also need His grace and wisdom with raising our children, in our marriages, with our work and all of our relationships. God will help us with all of these and much more if we’ll seek Him and His guidance in His Word. We’re empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches us how to really live. His name is “Counselor” and our counselor isn’t guessing. God’s Word is always true and right. God knows what He’s talking about in His Word. The Bible is a trustworthy instruction manual and our heavenly Father is all-powerful and all-wise. Whatever it is that we must do or face in life, the Lord is willing to help us and guide us. He’s always just a prayer away.

  2. We have God’s provision for our needs. God has promised to take care of His children. David said, “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25). Our Father has promised to take care of us, to remember us and provide for us. Of course, He only promises to provide for our needs, not necessarily our wants. The truth is that He over-abundantly blesses us and wonderfully, He even gives us the grace to learn to be content.

  3. We have confidence even facing death. One of this life’s greatest fears is death, but the Lord Jesus conquered death. Because Christ paid the penalty for our sin, for the believer, death is a shadow (Psalms 23), just an entry into the real world, heaven and eternal life. That’s why the Apostle Paul said, “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at HOME with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

  Are you afraid to face death? To face God in death? You don’t have to be, you can be part of God’s Forever Family today and an heir. Put your trust in the only One who has conquered death, Jesus Christ. Make this your best Easter ever. Trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today!