False Teachers
Kenneth Copeland often teaches that diligent workers who trust God will experience financial breakthroughs and supernatural provision.
What is Serious?
(Using God as a means for prosperity and wealth is foolish.)
Elon Musk is on a non-stop race to the top, he reportedly has worked 100+ hour weeks, and believes that success never comes if you stop working.
What is Serious?
(Success comes from strategic work, not endless work.)
A basic value of work is competency! Competent work is a form of love and ultimately an act of worship to the God who called and equipped you to do it.
pg. 70-71
What is Serious?
(God leads us to be further equipped in our calling.)
In many Eastern cultures, they highly value education as the foundation of personal and professional growth, which leads to long-term success and contributing to society.
What is Serious?
(Education isn't everything, but by building competency with education it will lead to a better outcome.)
Brigham Young would be proud! Work isn't just about money, it's about proving you can build a thriving city in the middle of the desert with nothing but a wagon and sheer willpower.
What is Satire?
(Many people can have more determination for the wrong goal.)
Carl Lentz promotes that work is for building a platform, calling, and cultural relevance rather than work as a means of sanctification and service to others.
What is Serious?
(Work is for the service of others and God, not to glorify ourselves.)
Success is built from personal perseverance! Oprah Winfrey came from poverty and became a multi-billionaire through the power of perseverance.
What is Serious?
(Perseverance grows when you depend on God's stability / But you probably won't be a billionaire.)
Work being depicted as connected with divine, orderly creation, and human purpose is distinct amongst the great faiths of belief systems of the world!
pg. 19-20
What is Serious?
(Our value of work is distinct from all other belief systems.)
In South American cultures, work-life balance is taken to new heights—why bother with a 9-to-5 when you can work just enough to justify a 2-hour lunch break, a daily siesta, and spontaneous weekend fiestas?
What is Satire?
(I value their lack of urgency and allowing themselves to not be consumed with their work.)
Why work for just a paycheck when you can also be guilt-tripped into helping move your neighbor's furniture, bake a casserole, and teach Sunday school all before 9am!
What is Satire?
(Creating boundaries for your labor will create honor for yourself and your neighbor.)
Joel Osteen’s theology of work boils down to this: skip the hard work, forget perseverance, and just declare your six-figure salary into existence—because in the gospel of good vibes, God is less concerned with your diligence and more like a cosmic vending machine dispensing promotions to those who smile enough and say the right magic words.
What is Satire?
(Just do the opposite of what Joel teaches!)
Miley Cyrus is known for her "work hard, play hard" lifestyle, she went from country sweetheart to twerking icon, showing the world that staying true to yourself means constantly reinventing yourself for attention.
What is Satire?
(Rest in who God has made you to be and be cautious of what others tell you who you need to be.)
The Bible sees all work as distinguishing human beings from animals and elevating them to a place of dignity. Work has dignity because it is something God does and because we do it in God's place, as his representatives.
pg. 36
What is Serious?
(God works and so do you.)
A common value amongst Black Americans is an emphasis of cooperation, mutual support, and uplifting both their family and the broader community in the workplace.
What is Serious?
(We should all strive for our work to not just benefit our family, but to benefit everyone as much as we can.)
In this culture, a well-stocked pantry isn't just for hurricanes, it's a lifestyle! Because you never know when you're going to need 50lbs of wheat and a generator.
What is Satire?
(Being prepared is a good thing! As long as you're not a pre-millennial.)
Thanks to sin, work is now endless toil because your parents and grandparents always hated their work and told you to "suck it up and stop being lazy" because it is insufferable! Thanks Adam!
What is Satire?
(Though work is a God given purpose, sin has made work privy to idolatry, frustration, and being arduous.)