Are Some Jobs More Important?

DOES a hierarchy of gifts (1 Corinthians 12:28-31) mean God values some jobs more than others? Judging by popular opinion, one might conclude that He does. In fact, for centuries Christians have subscribed to a subtle yet powerful hierarchy of vocations.

In our culture, that hierarchy tends to position clergy (missionaries and evangelists, pastors and priests) at the top, members of the helping professions (doctors and nurses, teachers and educators, social workers) next, and secular workers (business executives, salespeople, factory laborers, and farmers) at the bottom.

So what determines the spiritual value of a job? How does God assign significance? The hierarchy assumes sacred and secular distinctions, and assigns priority to the sacred. But does God view vocations that way? No.

All legitimate work matters to God. God Himself is a worker. In fact, human occupations find their origin in His work to create the world (Psalm 8:6-8). Work is a gift from Him to meet the needs of people and the creation.

God creates people to carry out specific kinds of work. God uniquely designs each of us, fitting us for certain kinds of tasks. He distributes skills, abilities, interests, and personalities among us so that we can carry out His work in the world. That work includes “spiritual” tasks, but also extends to health, education, agriculture, business, law, communication, the arts, and so on.

God cares more about character and conduct than occupational status. Paul’s teaching in this passage is about gifts, not vocations. At the time Paul wrote it, there were few if any “professional” clergy in the church. Paul himself was a tentmaker by occupation, along with his friends, Aquila and Priscilla (Romans 16:3-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19). Other church leaders practiced a wide variety of professions and trades. God may assign rank among the spiritual gifts, but there’s no indication that He looks at vocations that way.

Furthermore, Scripture says there is something “more excellent” than exercising certain gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31). Chapter 13 reveals that to be the way of Christlike love and character. Implication: If we want status in God’s economy, we should excel at love, no matter what we do for work. Love has the greatest value to God (1 Corinthians 13:13; Matthew 22:35-40).

Courtesy of Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.