Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
Colossians 3:23 (NLT)
Have you ever had a job that you absolutely hated? Maybe you teens can’t yet relate, but I’m sure that many of the adults can. Here are the criteria for a miserable experience at work: 1) You dread going in to work every day; 2) Your coworkers drive you nuts; 3) You get no recognition for your hard work; 4) The pay stinks (Though this is not often the case); 5) Your boss is a dictator-type; 6) basically anything else that irritates you day in and day out.
I’ve had a couple of those. The last of which (many moons ago) met most of these criteria. I worked in a gray cubicle with no windows. There was never any privacy. My boss gave instructions which were always confusing at best – I had to make my best guess at what she actually wanted. When I did do something correctly, my boss usually just gave me a monotone “thanks,” and walked off. In other words, my days at that job were filled with irritation.
It’s jobs like that one that make Paul’s verse today hard to swallow, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” No, Paul wasn’t saying that you will always enjoy your work. But, he was reminding us that work always serves a purpose. Our work life is a witness to our Christian faith. Therefore, we must work with integrity – ensuring that we never short-change what we’re hired to do.
I was laid off after working there for a couple of years. When my boss delivered the news, I wasn’t shattered. My faith in God gave me peace to know that He had other plans for my life. My boss inquired why I was so calm at the news. God provided a window to share the Gospel. She cried. I cried. Though she didn’t leap up and proclaim her newfound faith in God, she definitely got a full dose of what the Kingdom of God looks like.
Here’s the deal. I didn’t like the job, but I worked hard at it, with integrity. I always did my best for the company. It was because of this, I believe, that God was able to use me to reach out to my boss. Rather than a quick meeting which gave me two weeks to find a new place to work, I was able to share Jesus with her for about an hour.
Work hard for the Kingdom, my friends, no matter where you may find yourself.
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