Christian Work & Creativity
By: Pastor Bailey Miller
Excellence in the Shadow of the Cross
There’s a common misunderstanding about Christian work and what exactly makes work “christian.” Such a misunderstanding is that the work becomes Christian when it dawns that label or symbol of spirituality. Add a cross or maybe a verse mixed in with christianese then, somehow, the work itself is baptized.
However, the older Christian tradition cuts against this instinct and modern understanding of diligence or definition of excellence. Christian work is not holy because a cross is painted on it or because it borrows from reverence. It is holy because it is done well, in faith, before God and the good of neighbor. It is excellent work because of the eternal grace that fuels it.
Vocation and the Holiness of Ordinary Things
Christian diligence in their individual vocations and professions are one of the primary means through which God, in His general grace, blesses the world and the communities that He has rooted His children in. God does not only work through pastors and missionaries; He works through farmers, builders, parents, artists, and clerks. He uses ordinary people doing ordinary work faithfully. While such a work may be as ordinary as making a bed or teaching a classroom, it can be done with such excellence and with such joy that it points to something more than a paycheck earned or a resume fulfilled.
Scripture affirms this vision repeatedly. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). The instruction is not to make our work seem religious, but to make it more faithful as a means of worship.
Beauty as Love for thy Neighbor
As much as good work is a God-honoring act of worship, it is also a form of love for neighbor. Intentionally beautiful and well done work reflects a sovereignly intentional and perfect Creator. Sloppiness communicates indifference while excellence says: you were worth my time.
This applies across the spectrum of human labor and creativity: writing, design, business, teaching, cooking, coding, cleaning. When work is done with care, it reflects a concern for the people who will receive it. That concern is deeply Christian and can transcend the temporal need being met and speak to the eternal need of the soul– a need that goes far beyond what the world or human hands can offer.
Paul frames this outward orientation clearly: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). Excellence is one way we look to the interests of others and practically serve while actively worshipping.
The Cross and the Freedom to Work Well
Let us be very clear while on the topic of work: Christian excellence is not perfectionism. The culture of christian work is not that of a gym grind, boss babe, or any other earthly model. And it is certainly not a way of earning God’s approval.
The cross frees us from all of that; Christ’s perfect work and sacrifice frees us from the sufficiency of self and the approval of others.
Because Christ has already borne our failure and secured our standing before God, our work no longer has to save us or justify our worthiness. We are liberated from the need for applause, recognition, or self-justification. We can work well because of the work God accomplishes in our salvation, in giving us a new heart that can offer work as a sweet aroma of praise unto the Lord rather than to clothe ourselves in filthy rags.
This is the strange paradox of Christian excellence: we strive with great diligence because our worth is no longer at stake. “By grace you have been saved through faith… not a result of works” (Ephesians 2:8–9). And yet, immediately after, Paul adds that we were created “for good works” (Ephesians 2:10).
Why Symbols Can’t Replace Substance
To be frank, there is nothing wrong with Christian symbols. They are beautiful in their own right and can reflect a level of reverence about the eternity behind this temporal veil. But when they are used to compensate for careless work, they end up obscuring rather than revealing the faith and Father they intend to represent.
The world does not need more Christian versions of mediocre things. What it needs is work that is true, durable, thoughtful, and humane. Jesus himself gestures toward this logic: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The light is not the label; it is the work. The beauty is not in the finished product, it is in the Divine Creator.
Quiet Faith, Lasting Beauty
Much of the most faithful Christian work will never announce itself as Christian, and yet it will never be shy about its core. It will simply be good in a Heavenly sense—clear where clarity is needed, beautiful where beauty is fitting, honest where truth matters most.
In the shadow of the cross, excellence becomes an act of worship and not a performance or a brand. Christian work is active faith expressing itself through love (Galatians 5:6). In a noisy and pseudo-shiny world, that kind of work still shines a light not from here, but forthcoming.