The Weekly Word: Working for the Lord

By Tim Purcell, Superintendent, Iowa/Minnesota District of The Wesleyan Church

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…

— Colossians 3:23 (NIV) 

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 

— 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) 

When you read the word, “worship,” what do you think of? Singing hymns or choruses? Listening to a sermon? Going to church?

I guarantee that most of you didn’t think of the word, “work.”

Most of us spend at least eight hours a day working at something. It could be in an office, a factory, on a construction site or taking care of the needs of your family at home. Did you ever think of work as worship, as a way to glorify God?

I once knew a young man who was very outspoken about his faith in Jesus Christ. He would talk to anyone anywhere about Jesus. While I admired his boldness, his talk was undermined by his walk, especially when he was at work. You see, he kept getting fired because he didn’t work hard at his job.

He was constantly talking about God, but his careless work habits discredited his witness.

Martin Luther said, “The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” Good words. Work can be and should be done as an act of worship.

A few years ago I read the story of how Buck knives came to be. I have known for a long time that Buck knives are the industry standard, but when I read their story, I gained new appreciation for these knives and all that they stand for.

Buck Knives is headquartered in Post Falls, Idaho, has 300 employees and makes five million knives annually. What is impressive is that the core values of the company have not changed since the first knife was forged in 1902. In fact, those unchanging core values are why the company continues to be so successful.

Hoyt Buck was only 13 years old when he made his first knife. Even at that young age he believed deeply that his Christian faith demanded that he approach his work with excellence. When Hoyt grew up, he became a pastor, but continued tinkering with knife-making on the side.

When America entered World War II in 1941, there was a call for weapon donations for American soldiers. In that moment, he made a decision to become bi-vocational and Buck Knives was born. Hoyt bought an anvil, a grinder and a forge and made over 2,000 knives out of the basement of his church to donate to American soldiers.

The fame of Hoyt Buck’s knives grew dramatically during World War II. And, after consistent prodding from close friends, Hoyt and his son, Al, purchased more equipment and began commercially producing knives.

Because the Buck family holds such confidence in the quality of their craftsmanship, they personally guarantee every Buck knife for life. Accompanying the lifetime guarantee in the box is a simple message to the new knife owner from the Buck family:

If this is your first Buck knife, “Welcome aboard.” You are now part of a very large family. We think of each one of our users as a member of the Buck Knives family. Now that you are family, you might want to know a little more about us. The fantastic growth of Buck Knives, Inc. was no accident. From the beginning, we determined to make God the Senior Partner. In a crisis, the problem was turned over to Him, and He hasn’t failed to help us with the answer. Each knife must reflect the integrity of management. If sometimes we fail on our end, because we are human, we find it imperative to do our utmost to make it right. If any of you are troubled or perplexed and looking for answers, may we invite you to look to Him, for God loves you. 

— Chuck Buck, Chairman/Owner of Buck Knives 

“For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son; so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16 

Customers buying Buck knives come from all corners of the world. Tens of millions of people own Buck knives and have read that simple Gospel message. The Bucks believe that the quality of their craftsmanship is crucial to validate this message. A substandard knife would undermine the message they include in the box.

Catch that last phrase. “A substandard knife would undermine the message they include in the box.”

Let that principle grip your heart. No matter what your work is, when you work with excellence it is act of worship and you bring glory to God.

May God give you success as you work for Him with all of your heart.