When I hear the term, working woman, my mind flashes to Dolly Parton singing “9 to 5.” I imagine a woman dressed in a suit hurrying out the door with a cup of coffee and a briefcase in hand. I know this profile doesn’t reflect all working women, but I also know that women are workers. God created us to be (Eph. 2:10).
I work several jobs. Some are done inside my home, and others are not. Some of my work is for a wage and some isn’t. Work comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Simply put, work is the investment of our energy for a purpose.
While our labors describe what we do, they don’t define who we are. God defines our identity as his adopted children and fellow heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). The moment we became his, our allegiance transferred. Our citizenship changed (Phil. 3:20). And this irreversible identity shift transforms the purpose for which we invest all our energy.
A woman’s work is important, and as the saying goes, unending. It’s also one of our greatest tools to declare and display God’s unchallenged reign over our desires, ambitions, skills, and interests. Scripture shows us three ways women can work as kingdom citizens and heralds of the good news that invites others into this kingdom.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23–24).
Kingdom Citizens Work Hard
The Apostle Paul teaches that no matter what work we’re involved in, we do it heartily. We work enthusiastically. When you’re passionate about what you do, it’s easy to do it with zeal. But the Bible says we work hard in “whatever” we do. We work diligently even in the tasks that don’t inspire our zeal, that doesn’t put our names in lights. We reflect our allegiance to our king and his ethics by our steadfastness to the work set before us. We do more than what is required (Matt. 5:41). His kingdom is where he reigns, and we demonstrate his reign in how we work. His kingdom comes to our work.
Kingdom Citizens Work for the Lord
We are all under the authority of another, but we ultimately work for our king, Jesus Christ, who worked out the way for our salvation so he could bring us to God (1 Pet. 3:18). He came to earth to live the life we could not live and die the death we should have died. He rose up and defeated death. And he invites us, former rebels to his rule, to share in his glory for all eternity. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). We owe him everything, and when we work for his glory, we bear witness to the world that our God reigns. His kingdom comes to our work.
Kingdom Citizens Work for a Greater Reward
Many of us receive monetary compensation for our labor. Many others receive the reward of the worthy work or raising the next generation of kingdom citizens. Whatever earthly rewards we accrue, kingdom citizens anticipate a better reward—Christ himself. We long for his return. We aim our energy “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). Our prize is the fullness of our promised reward—perfect fellowship with Christ forever. We will share in his glory and reign with him for all eternity! When we work for a better reward, we declare his reign over our motivations. His kingdom comes to our work.
Kingdom Work
We live in the tension of a kingdom that has not yet fully come to earth. And we work, we invest our energy, for our highest purpose of making much of our king. God places and purposes us to bear witness to his saving grace in our lives. To teach others of the better way that has been shown to us. This is the kingdom work God commissioned us for (Matt. 28:18–20).
The scope of kingdom work is not limited to pulpits and platforms. Our playrooms, classrooms, workrooms, and boardrooms are all mission fields. God sends us into these spaces with his power and presence to advance his kingdom on earth. God has given us good work to do, both inside and outside of our homes. And we image him in how we work. Our labors testify to a watching world that we serve the king who wants them to flourish in his kingdom.
Working women, you’re investing your energy into something. Make it something that matters for eternity. Let’s invest our energy into giving others a foretaste of our Father’s kingdom. Let’s work heartily with him and for him and to his glory as we long for a better reward. Through our work, let us say to the world, “Behold, our King!”
