Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. – Colossians 3:23 NLT
When I was 17 years old, I got my first job. I was part of the maintenance team at my church. I spent much of my time in that role setting up and tearing down for services and events, ensuring supplies were ready for our weekend and mid-week programs, picking up trash, and cleaning up our campus inside and out. You’d be surprised by the mess people will leave behind at a church!
I learned a lot from that first job, like how important it is to do even the smallest tasks with excellence, how every role is important to the team, even the jobs that no one else wants to do, and how God sees the work we do even when no one else does. He rewards our work in ways we don’t always expect. My first job wasn’t the most glamorous, but it showed me the importance of hard work and how faithfulness in small things can pave the way to bigger things.
Work is a big part of many of our lives. The average person will spend almost one-third of their adult lives working in some capacity. Since work is such a big part of our lives, it’s important to learn how to thrive in our workplace roles.
In Colossians 3:23-24, the apostle Paul instructs how believers should approach their work. Paul writes that we should serve those we work for as if we’re serving Christ. When we choose to give our best in our work in this way, whether at home, in the workplace, or anywhere else, the Lord will give us an inheritance as our reward because the One we’re really working for is Him.
The key to succeeding in our work is to serve at work like we were serving Jesus directly.
What does it look like for us to work for the Lord rather than for people?
It means we come to work each day with a good attitude, thankful for the blessings in our current job, even if it’s not our dream job. We work hard and give our best work, not our leftovers. We jump energetically into work rather than avoiding it or holding back. We use everything we’ve been given, even when it’s different from what has been given to others. We don’t compare ourselves to our co-workers; instead, we strive to be faithful with what we’ve been given and find ways to help others in our team succeed in their roles.
Taking this approach at work won’t be easy. Also, aligning your focus this way won’t guarantee you’ll get promoted by the end of the week, or at all, but choosing to approach your work in this way will give glory to God, and eventually, others will notice an excellent job well done. Committing to honoring Christ, even in the little tasks that no one else sees, paves the way for more satisfaction in your current career situation, and greater honor to the Lord.
Dig Deeper
1. What challenges are you experiencing at work that make it difficult to work for the Lord rather than for people?
2. Who is someone you know who is serving God in the way Paul talks about in Colossians 3:23-24? What qualities about them do you admire? What is one way you can follow their example this week?
