The Puritan's were famous for their "work ethic" that encouraged each other to stay busy so that their minds wouldn't have time to think about stuff like sinning. In other words, stay busy, stay out of trouble. Of course we all know that though in the short-term there may be some success with such a philosophy, in the long run even keeping busy cannot overcome the sinful nature in all of us.
That got me thinking about jobs in general. Are our jobs simply work? Are they "occupations"? Or are they "professions?" If what we do is simply our "occupation," doesn't that imply that we do it merely to "occupy" our time? If it is merely "work" isn't it just doing something other than "resting"? I personally like to think of my jobs as "professions." In fact, in my part-time evening job, I am an adjunct "Professor," so "profession" is right on the money. Profession implies more than mere occupying time and even more than simply working. It implies belief. It implies passion. At the start of the each semester I often tell my students that a professor is more than just a teacher, a teacher teaches while a professor professes knowledge. A math teacher might teach you one plus one equals two but a math professor will profess to you that he believes that one plus one equals two.
As members of the body of Christ, I think we all need to be "professional" church workers. We all need to go beyond being mere fellow workers in the kingdom and start being fellow professionals in the kingdom where our our passion and zeal go hand in hand with the tasks laid before us. I am not occupied with the Lord's work, I profess my faith through service to my God and my neighbors. I pray that the Lord will strengthen me for all my professions each day so that I might walk in His way and carry out His will.
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