What is the purpose of work?

Jeffrey Salkin in the Wall Street Journal said this, “Americans work so hard that we often put work at the emotional and spiritual center of our lives.” And then Sigmund Freud who, in all that I’ve read about him, lived a miserable life – he said, “Work is the most powerful deflector to keep us from having to face the unhappiness of our existence.”

Last week we looked at the problem of making pleasure the highest goal in our lives. This week, we’re looking at a second very natural diversion – our work. Our labor, as Solomon calls it.

Work is good. Work is ordained by God. In fact, II Thessalonians 3:10, Paul says this, “If a man is not willing to work, don’t let him eat!” Your work has the great potential to give your life a certain sense of meaning. The problem with it, just like pleasure, it doesn’t last. It’s just temporary. Join me as we look for wisdom in the book of Ecclesiastes!