5 lessons on work, play, and worship from LEGO’s founder

[The angel] measured the [New Jerusalem] with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia [roughly 1,400 miles] in length, and as wide and high as it is long…The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. (Revelation 21:15-16, 19)

In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Similarly, we’d be wise to follow the examples of believers throughout history who followed Christ well in their seemingly secular but deeply sacred work. That’s exactly what this new series is designed to help you do, with LEGO’s founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen, as our guide.

Over the next five weeks, Christiansen will help us see five ways to glorify God in our own work today. Here’s the first: We glorify God by accepting his gift to play within our work.

It’s no coincidence that the creator of the world’s most popular plaything was himself playful. As a poor child in early 20th century Denmark, Christiansen tied a hollow rock to a string and pretended it was a cow. As an adult, he was known for knocking on neighbors’ doors to invite families to come out and play with his.

But Christiansen didn’t just play personally. Play in his professional life led to the breakthrough of the LEGO brick. Christiansen spent the first 15 years of his career as a traditional carpenter making doors, furniture, cabinets, etc. But in his free time in his workshop, he crafted wooden toys for his kids. When carpentry work dried up during the Great Depression, toy sales took off. And that pivot paved the way for LEGO.

Christiansen’s story is a great reminder that play is productive for our goals. But it is also productive for our souls. Play doesn’t just fuel creativity that can lead to breakthroughs in our work; it also nourishes our souls by allowing us to reflect the image of God who delights in delight itself.

In Revelation, we’re told that God has covered each side of the New Jerusalem with 1,400 miles of emeralds, rubies, and other “precious stones.” These jewels don’t appear to serve a utilitarian purpose. Their purpose is sheer delight—and that is precisely the point. Because as theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez says, “Utility is not the primary reason for God’s action.” Sometimes God does things for the pure joy and play of it. So we as his image-bearers can too.

If you’re convinced that play is good for your goals and your soul, here’s one practice for today: Revisit your play history. Think back to your childhood and ask, “What was so fun that I lost track of time doing it?” Then commit to spending 30 minutes this week doing one of those things. As you do, you’ll reflect the God who delights in delight. And who knows? Like LEGO’s founder, your play may lead to a breakthrough in your work.