*a re-run for Labor Day!
Then,
there’s Monday! How do you feel about it? Depressed about getting back to
work? Eager to reconnect with friends? Dreading that first long meeting?
Thankful that you have a job? Most of us feel mixed emotions about work.
We’re glad to be employed, but wish we found more fulfillment in what we do.
Christian, the Bible says
that our work matters to God! How we work is of concern to Him.
That’s not just true about those of us who are ‘church workers.’ God
cares about how you drive a truck, lead a project, string wire, manage an
office, or care for your family. "Servants, do what you’re told
by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do
your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that
you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind
always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant
who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus
doesn’t cover up bad work." (Colossians 3:22-25, The Message) That
word was not written to people pursuing their passion in the arts or those
receiving high wages in fair working conditions! The Holy Spirit spoke it
originally to household servants who had come to Christ. Yes, it was
written to people who had no rights, who worked long hours, who did hard,
menial, manual labor.
Think about what it would
mean to work for Jesus. He would not overlook your best efforts or
be fooled by attempts to appear more diligent than you actually are. He would
not play politics, favoring someone who does less but who has a pretty
face! He would be fair in both compensation and advancement, basing them
on real effort, not seniority or connections. He would protect you from
the one who tries to marginalize your value to the team and He would see
the petty digs you plant about your rivals.
Christian, you are working for Jesus! "Whatever you do, work
at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know
that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord
Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)
No matter where we work, no
matter what we do, our attitude and effort reflects on Christ Jesus, our
Lord. So, let’s choose to honor Him by doing well!
There are two misconceptions
that poison our ability to work well and for Christ.
First is that work
is part of sin’s curse. Some mistakenly read the opening chapters of
Genesis and think that work onl entered the human experience after Adam’s
Fall. Eden’s paradise was work-free, or so some think. God sent
Adam to work from the moment of his creation. “Tend the Garden, name the
animals, manage the earth,” was the directive. The entry of sin into the
world did not bring the idea of work, it caused work to become toil!
Where once work had produced results, now it was frustrated by weeds, sweat,
and difficulty! Our work will include frustration, but work itself is not
a curse, it is a means of being productive.
Second, some divide life (and work) into
that which is sacred (part of God’s realm) and that which is secular (part of
this present world only). This artificial divide causes them to think
that what they do to ‘earn a living,’ is less important. For the
Christian, every part of life is sacred. Our lives, in totality, belong
to God!
Change up Monday mornings.
Take Jesus to work with you. He will make a difference – in you, in your
workplace.
No comments:
Post a Comment