Set Apart in the Ordinary

In my earlier article, Being Set Apart, I wrote about the responsibility college athletes have to live differently—not only to pursue excellence on the court, but in character. Being Set Apart was centered on Romans 12:2, where I emphasized that disciples of Christ are called to think, live, and measure success differently than the common culture around us. That calling applies whether an athlete is on the court, in the classroom, or traveling with a team. Being set apart is not about perfection; rather, alignment—living in accordance with Christ’s example rather than society’s shifting norms.

That principle goes beyond athletics and into the broader reality of work itself.

Exodus 31 lays out one of the clearest biblical depictions of how God views “ordinary labor.” In this chapter, God appoints Bezalel and Oholiab to construct the Tabernacle (don’t ask me to pronounce those names). Scripture tells us that God filled them with His Spirit, endowing them with the skills, intelligence, knowledge, and craftsmanship to design and execute the meticulous construction project. The Spirit of God was not poured out just for prophecy or preaching in this moment; He was given for craftsmanship.

These verses stood out to me because they reveal that God commissions people for both visible spiritual roles and for detailed, disciplined, practical work. The construction of the Tabernacle required precision, patience, excellence, and focus. Every stitch, carving, overlay, and measurement mattered because it was done for the glory of God.

When God commissions work, it’s never ordinary.

The tasks themselves may look simple. They may involve tools, fabric, wood, spreadsheets, lesson plans, practice schedules, customer service calls, or administrative details. But when commissioned work is performed under God’s authority, it becomes an act of obedience and worship.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve often compartmentalized life into sanctified and secular categories. But nothing shows me that Scripture supports that distinction. If the Spirit of God enabled artisans to carve wood and weave fabric, then we can deduce that excellence in our everyday work clearly carries spiritual weight. When we work with integrity and humility, we reflect the character of the One who commissioned us, and that changes how we see small tasks.

Most workplace frustration doesn’t come from the work itself but from how we view it. If something feels beneath us, unseen, or repetitive, it’s easy to disengage. However, Exodus 31 reminds us that small details matter when the Lord is the assigner. “Be the task great or small, do it well or not at all.” Because if God values handiwork, then diligence isn’t just professional—it is theological.

The Spirit-filled life doesn’t remove the need for effort, instead it reshapes our attitude toward it. Obedience is consistently connected to joy in Scripture, and that joy is not dependent on visibility (Psalm 119: 97-104). When we view our work as rendered to God, even repetitive work can be carried out with consideration and purpose. Stewardship values more than status.

This paradigm also shapes how we treat people in our work. If our assignments come from God, then the people within them are not coincidental. Coworkers, supervisors, clients, and even competitors shouldn’t be seen as interruptions. They are brothers and sisters entrusted to us. The tone we use, the patience we extend, and the fairness we demonstrate become part of our witness.

In Being Set Apart, I wrote about living such good lives that our character points to Christ. That doesn’t apply only to public expressions of faith. It applies when we’re stressed, when we receive criticism, when we admit mistakes, and when we serve without recognition (Matthew 6:3-4).

The Great Commission does not pause during work hours.

Most people will never hear us deliver a sermon, but they will see how we conduct business, handle conflict, and treat responsibility. Evangelism doesn’t normally start with a formal gospel conversation. It begins with credibility formed through consistency. When excellence, integrity, and humility stamp our work, we create spiritual curiosity. When proclamation and practice align, our witness becomes trustworthy.

When the Spirit of God commissions work, He gives us what we need to complete it well. Whether in athletics, business, ministry, or home, ordinary tasks become extraordinary when they are offered back to Him. To be set apart is to recognize that no assignment is small when given by God, and no interaction is insignificant when it reflects His character. When we think about it that way, work becomes worship, and the Great Commission is fulfilled in steady everyday faithfulness.