When I was nine, my father built a giant sieve to separate stones from the soil. He wanted a lawn back where the yard was still piles of rubble from a construction project. At dinner that night he asked me to help him shovel one of the piles through the sieve.

At nine, my idea of a good time was riding bikes, building forts, exploring the ravine, and swimming in a friend’s pool. No dirt or rocks required. I never got around to Dad’s project, and he eventually took care of it by himself. 

Years later, I have no memories of doing projects with my father. If time machines were real, I would grab my shovel and go help Dad, because work isn’t about toil — it’s relational. It’s honoring and learning from others. It’s gaining strength, wisdom, character, and experience. Work puts footers down into the soil of our personalities that will later support the aspirations and achievements of life.

God, our Heavenly Father, also has things for us to do together. Loving, serving, listening, forgiving, praying for others, blessing rather than cursing, showing kindness, and using our gifts. These projects are relational, and they lead to joy.