JDL - Direction Forty-one - Working for the Lord

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Col. 3:23-24 (ESV))

Too often we hear someone bemoan, “I can’t wait for the weekend.” And then when the weekend rolls around they spend their time as a “weekend warrior” so that on Monday morning when it is time to go back to work, they dread having to meet the day. Too often we hear people bemoan their job as being work, something they do not like to do and really do not even want to do, but they do it because it is a living. Is it really a living? Is working at a job you don’t like to do, always looking forward to the two day weekend and bemoaning Monday morning truly a living?

First, what I tell people who do not like their job is to quit. Do something you like to do. If you can make your hobby your work, then great. If you do not think you can quit your present “dead end” job or just the present job you do not like because you need the money, then think about how much of your life you are losing by suffering through weeks of doing what you do not like to do.

Second, what I tell people is to go back and re-evaluate your work. Is it the job, the work, the boss, a fellow worker, or exactly what is it that you do not like? Then check your attitude. Instead of thinking that you are working for some company, instead of working for a boss, think about the fact that God has put you into a particular station in life, a particular vocation and whatever that station or vocation, whatever that job or work, you are working for Him. You are not working for just a boss or just a company, or with just another employee; you are working for the Lord.

Working for the Lord can be and is quite rewarding. Our Lord calls us to faith. He calls us to vocation. He calls us to work whatever work we are in and wherever we are at, to work for Him, to work in such a way that we bear witness of the hope that we have in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now, please do not allow this working for the Lord to put any more undue stress on your work. Working for the Lord is not tedious and is not hard. His load is light. His yoke is easy. Working for the Lord reminds us that there is a purpose for our lives, a purpose for our work. We are to do all things to the Lord’s glory; thus, we are to work for the Lord in such a way that others notice how we are different because of our Christian faith. We are different; we do not go around repeating gossip; we do not tear others down in order to build ourselves up; we do not steal, even pens and note pads from the company; we do not waste time, instead we take pride in our work, not in a boastful way, but doing what we are to do to the best of our ability. We work to get our own work done and to help others who need help. We work to model the Christian life. We work to model what it means to live a Jesus-directed life, not a perfect life, but a forgiven and an ever-renewing life. We work to give glory to our Lord.

Think About
For whom do you work? or for whom do you think you are working? How would your attitude change if you thought you were working for Jesus?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for calling me into my present vocation. Forgive me when I fail to do all that I do in service to You and to Your glory. Help me to always be ready, willing and able with Your authority to give an answer for the hope that I have in my faith in Jesus, for His sake. Amen.