How can I find satisfaction in my work? (Part 2)
Who are we really working for? (2)
Ultimately, we are working for the Lord. He is the boss's Boss, the employer's Employer.
How will this change my attitude toward the people I work with each day? if we are praying for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is heaven (Mat.6:10), then we will be allowing Him to use us as His instruments in carrying out His purposes. Instead of considering ourselves to be victims of our circumstances, pawns of our employers, God wants us to be people of action who positively affect our environment instead of being controlled by it.
When Jesus summarized the commands of God, He said this: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind". This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself''. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets". (Mat.22:37-40)
How does what Jesus said apply to work? Love is the giving of ourselves. It seeks the highest good of another person. To love God with all your heart, soul and mind involves giving to Him everything we have. to loves others as ourselves requires that we care as much about the well-being of other people as we do about ourselves. If we apply that to the work situation, it means that our work should be done primarily for God's glory and that we work with the interests of other people in mind.
Who deserves service "as to the Lord?"
The Bible mentions several types of people who deserve our best efforts because we want to please the Lord. These people include our employer, our family, the poor and society.
" Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men". Col. 3:23
1. Our employer.
As you know all too well, this can be tough to do. According to a story that appeared in Executives Digest, "The instructor at a company-sponsor first-aid course asked one of the workers, "What's the first thing you would do if you found you had rabies?" The worker immediately answered, 'Bite my supervisor'" That humourous response a disturbing fact: People often view their boss as an enemy. Developing a good attitude isn't always easy.
In Ephesians 6:5-8, Paul told slaves to respect their masters. Paul wasn't condoing slavery, but those people who found themselves in that situation were serving Christ Himself. Paul was addresing slaves, remember, not employees who work somewhere by choice. Yet Paul told them to serve with "fear and trembling", in sincerity of heart, as to Christ" (v.5)
then Paul added some motivation when he said they should do so, "knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is slave or free" (v.8). The ultimate paycheck will come from God. (See also Collossians 3:22-24).
2. Our family.
The Bible also speaks directly to those of us who have a family depending on us for food, depending on us for food, clothing, shelter and much more. In 1 Timothy 5:8 we read, "If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than unbleiver". Those are strong words. We have the responsibility to supply the financial needs of our family. That includes our spouse, our children, any dependents and elderly parents who need special care. If we carelessly or deliberately fail to provide for them, we contradict our faith in Christ.
3. The Poor.
The Apostle Paul gave these instructions: "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need" (Eph.4:28 NIV). And Proverbs 19:17 states, "he who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord." Just as we are to see ourselves as serving the Lord when we serve our boss and provide for the needs of our family, so too we are to see ourselves as giving to the Lord when we give to the poor.
" The goal of work is not to gain wealth and possesions, but to serve the common good and bring glory to God". (R. Foster)
Another proverb tells us, "The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare"(21:25-26). Again the contrast is sharp-the lazy man wants more and more for himself, but the godly person is looking for ways that he can give to the poor. (See also Psalm 37:25-26, Acts 20:35, Gal. 2:10, John 3:17-18)
4.Society
In addition to what we saw above about supplying the material needs of the poor and our family, we need to work for the spiritual well -being of our boss and co-workers. In Thess. 4:11-12, the author says, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody"(NIV). The goal is to win the respect of unbelievers. They need to see that your faith in Christ makes a positive difference in the practical, everyday aspects of your life.
When paul wrote to Titus, he told him that part of the motive workers should have is to "make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive" (2:10 NIV). An honest day's work backs up our profession of faith and points to the truth of the Gospel.
Daniel is an example in the Old Testament as person whose work reflected well on his faith in the Lord. When Israel was overrun by Babylon and taken into exile. Daniel was forced to serve King Nebuchadnezzar. By the way he devoted himself to his work, his life was a bright light for God in that pagan kingdom.
What more can we do? Recognizing that we are really working for the Lord is the all-important first step to finding satisfaction on the job. But there's more that God wants us to do. The sections that follow will expand on what we can do to make our work more closely fit the job description that God has written out for our lives. As we do that, our lives will become more purposeful, more meaningful, and more satisfying.
Think about it. Why does God want you to work? What do you give to God and others when you work?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment