I’m in the middle of a two-part message series that I’ve titled Wow@Work. The thought of work that wows our employers isn’t new. Paul brought it up in his letter to the church at Colosse when he said:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 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. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Colossians 3:22-25
Our work should win the favor of two masters: your boss and God. Our earthly masters and our heavenly master. We should gain the approval of both by the way we do what we do. How we work should result in a “Wow!” from our employers. For the work we do to wow the ones we work for, we need to keep in mind four instructions from Paul.
1. Do What You’re Told
If you’re a slave, this goes without saying. But the fact is, every employee needs to work with the same mindset. Do what your boss tells you to do. Without moaning and complaining. Without back talk. Without the boss having to ask you to do something a second, third, or fourth time.
And why should we do this? “So that God’s name and teaching may not be slandered.” (1 Tim 6:1b) Who hasn’t heard a boss lament the work ethic of a professing Christian. May that never be said of you.
2. Do Your Very Best
We need to do our work with all of our heart. Half-hearted efforts fall short of God’s plan for our lives and the possible impact we could have on our bosses and others.
I love the story about the Pastor that was invited to the large estate of a prince. During his visit, the prince pointed to one of his workers who was a Christian and said, “See that young man? He is the best worker on my estate. It’s due to him that I have invited you here today… I am favorably disposed to a religion that could so affect a man’s life.”
Related Video: Does Your Work Matter to God? How One Woman Integrates Her Faith Into Work
3. Work for The Lord
Don’t just work for your boss. Work for the Lord. Do your work as if you were doing it for the Lord. That one thought will impact our effort, attitude, use of time, quality of work, and perseverance.
A while back I stopped at a red light next to a pickup truck that had this sign on its door.
We need to do the same. In WHATEVER we do.
4. Work for Bonus Pay
Your employer may not give you bonus pay, but God will – if you deserve it. Our salvation is a gift that’s not based on our work, but Christ’s. But God wants to give you more than just salvation. There will be rewards for those who earn them. And you can as an employee by doing what you’re told, doing your very best, and doing your work as if it were for God Himself.
By Dave Gudgel