What Is It That You Do?

The Challenge of Explaining One’s Work and the Biblical Importance of Contribution

I often run into interesting and useful applications, like this one app I tested just today. And then out of curiosity I visit the developer’s website. But their website doesn’t really explain very well what they do.

This is a persistent issue across many fields. So many people struggle to explain their work clearly. It has to be one of life’s most frustrating things—not being able to tell others what you do, and why it matters.

Imagine a dad, the breadwinner of the family, unable to explain his job to his children. Imagine growing up and having people ask what your dad does, but you can’t explain it. “I don’t know,” the kid says, wondering, “What is it that my dad does anyway?”

I remember when I was deeply involved in ministry how hard it was to explain my role. People have preconceived ideas about what a pastor or minister does. If the research and polling hold true, most ministers’ time goes to administration more than anything else. But folks assume they spend most of their days studying God’s Word and praying. That’s not usually the case.

The truth is, people hold preconceived notions about others’ jobs, no matter the field. Anything beyond a simple function like “I’m a baker and I bake bread” gets complicated quickly.

How does a data scientist explain to their kids that they study data—and what that really means? Even adults struggle to grasp it. The same goes for a surgeon or many other roles in medicine.

Yet it’s on us to describe our work in the simplest terms, easily understood by most people, so we can communicate its value. After all, likability stems from personality, but our value to others often comes from our contributions to their lives—or simply put, what we can do for them.

Over the years, I’ve seen a trend in Christian circles that pulls people from this truth, suggesting our value is only in our relationship with God and His love for us, not in what we do or contribute to others.

This isn’t sound biblical teaching. While it’s true—and vital—to root ourselves in God’s love, which is based on who we are, not what we do (as in Ephesians 2:8-9), it’s equally important to recognize that in this life, real satisfaction often flows from our actions and usefulness, as Proverbs 14:23 reminds us: “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

Take a child’s natural development as an example. In formative years, a child should receive unconditional love, with approval and affirmation based mainly on their relational value to parents and family.

As they enter adolescence, young adulthood, and full maturity, it’s natural to build a productive life, finding satisfaction in being useful to others through skills and abilities. There’s deep blessing in this, echoing 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

There’s no blessing in becoming someone who’s unproductive and always on the receiving end. Sadly, such folks often drift through life without knowing their potential, one of the saddest parts of our fallen human condition.

Parents who truly know God and grasp biblical teachings will raise productive, happy children who grow into prosperous, independent adults. These kids will contribute value to others’ lives and, in turn, experience true satisfaction and prosperity.

So, how might you simplify explaining your own work today? It could make all the difference in sharing its true value.