Every Good Endeavor (Tim Keller)

How we work—in the context of our particular culture, time in history, vocation, and organization—is something we all need to be thinking through in our own communities. But the answers will all hang on this essential theology: the knowledge of who God is, his relation to man, his plan for the world, and how the good news (or gospel) of Christ turns our lives and the way we work upside down. - Tim Keller

In Every Good Endeavor, Tim Keller looks at this concept of work through a Biblical lens. ("There is no better starting point for a meaningful work life than a firm grasp of this balanced work and rest theology.") He breaks it down into three parts: 

• God's Plan for Work
• The design of work, its dignity, work as cultivation, and work as service
• Our Problems with Work
• work can become fruitless, pointless, selfish, and reveal our idols
• The Gospel and Work
• The Gospel gives us a new story, conception, compass, and power for work 

Work matters. It is good. "According to the Bible, we don’t merely need the money from work to survive; we need the work itself to survive and live fully human lives." "God gives us talents and gifts so we can do for one another what he wants to do for us and through us."

Work is impacted by the fall like everything else. In a fallen world, work can be pointless or fruitless. It can be selfish and reveal our idols. We can make it the main thing to the detriment of ourselves and families. "Work is not all there is to life. You will not have a meaningful life without work, but you cannot say that your work is the meaning of your life." 

The Gospel changes everything, enabling us to view work rightly. "Since we already have in Christ the things other people work for—salvation, self-worth, a good conscience, and peace—now we may work simply to love God and our neighbors." We can ask the question “How, with my existing abilities and opportunities, can I be of greatest service to other people, knowing what I do of God’s will and of human need?”

Keller talks about other (related) topics, too, like culture, worldview, and much more. Including common grace—it's important to remember that "Just as God equips Christians for building up the Body of Christ, so he also equips all people with talents and gifts for various kinds of work, for the purpose of building up the human community." So we shouldn't look down on the work of non-Christians; a sovereign God can (and does) use all people for His purposes.
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Ultimately, this book is a call to reflect on and wrestle with "who God is and how to relate to him," including in your work. In so doing, "our church will grow in humility, love, truth, grace, and justice; and that our neighbors in the city will flourish because we were here."

This is an amazing book; highly recommended. Don't go through your life working to live (or living to work). Having a right view will transform your attitude toward, and performance in, every endeavor.

Rating: A