Six days shall you labour …… Ex 20.9
Rest is important, but the greater part of our time is given over to work. This is not always paid work either. The mother who is a home builder works. The countless volunteers in numerous charities work. Every day we meet people who work.
Jesus said, “My Father has been working until now and I have been working”, John 5.17.
He went on to say, “I must work the works of Him that sent Me ….”, John 9.4
Both the Father and the Son work! They work according to a purpose, a goal. They have an aim in view. That is how it should be for us too. We are yoked to Jesus in order to do His works and that is not just the stuff we do on Sunday! Every day is an opportunity to do His will right where you work. Jesus delighted to do the work of the Father, every day of His life.
Creation itself is a reflection of God’s handiwork. He works. He creates. He expresses something of His own glory through creation. As the scripture says in Psalm 19.1-4 NIV,
The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
Creation speaks to us. Its language is universal. Every culture has the capacity to understand that it points to a creator of infinite power, Rom 1.20. God’s creation points back to Him.
In the same way what we do points back to us. It’s not difficult to recognise a painting by Van Gogh or to recognise an impressionist work of art. For years the unique and distinctive designs of Frank Lloyd Wright dominated architecture in America. With each of these men their work pointed back to them. This is why Jesus could say: “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves”, John 14.11.
To believe in the work of the Saviour is to believe in the Saviour. So what we do is important. It is not distant from who we are as people. It is, in part, a reflection of who we are!
Take a look at Col 3.22-24 NIV:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favour, 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 human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Let’s unpack this a little. First some background. Slaves were prolific throughout the Roman Empire. The Emperor had 250,000 slaves. Every household wanted slaves. They were productive and the more you had the more it became a social status within the community. Slaves were treated well on the whole, after all they were a financial investment. If you buy a new car you make sure it is serviced! Slaves were given food and board and some money. Over a lifetime, if they excelled, it was possible for them to buy their own freedom.
Imagine being a slave and coming to faith in Jesus. Now you have dignity in Christ. You hear Paul teach that there is no longer Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free. Wow! The old distinctions have gone – in Christ. And yet Rome doesn’t recognise this great truth. What do you do?
Paul begins by reframing the life and work of a slave. He lifts it from the ordinary and mundane to the spiritual and significant. Now this is important for us because many people feel trapped in jobs they don't like. The obligation of family and a mortgage keep them there. Let’s hear what Paul has to say and take his points in reverse order.
1. You serve the Lord Christ. Imagine that. Not Rome. Not your master/employer. Not Caesar, but Jesus – the Lord Christ. If that was true then for slaves how much more is it true for us as believers in the 21 Century. Think about the change in attitude such a perspective could bring both to the worker and the organisation they work for. And that is the point. Paul wants to change their inner world by changing their view of reality. He wants them and us to see things from a divine perspective.
Imagine the change that could happen to our world if instead of waking up on a Monday morning and heading off to work at Ford’s or the bank or the university or MacDonald’s or the hospital, instead you saw yourself going to work for Jesus! He is not just our Saviour. We learn from scripture that all things were made by Him and for Him. His creativity is boundless. And as you serve Him, he has the power to help you be creative right where you are.
2. At the end of the week you receive a payment, money, thanks appreciation of some kind. But Paul says Jesus has reserved for us an inheritance. That’s a lot more than a wage. If we work with a good attitude of heart, as if we were doing it for Jesus, then He will reward us. He is not unjust. We serve a higher master. Our boss in Heaven notices everything and He will repay us for our labour.
3. The danger with serving any person is that we can make judgements about what we consider fair or reasonable. By seeing ourselves as serving Jesus Paul raises the stakes. Now it’s not just a question of working hard when we are being observed but working hard all the time. We are there to give it our best because even though our human boss may not be worth it, Jesus is.
God doesn’t want you to develop into a man-pleaser. He is looking for a deeper commitment through a deeper understanding of who we truly are in Christ and whom we truly serve. The opposite of eye-service is heart service. Our work is to be from the heart, heartily. This means that we do something without restraint. We are vigorous. We give our best. In time this produces excellence. Excellence begins with an attitude. That is how Olympic champions are made. They commit to a process where they give everything and in time they become the best. Excellence is the consequence of doing things with all your heart.
Listen to Proverbs 22.29 in the Message version: "Observe people who are good at their work - skilled workers are always in demand and admired they don’t take a back seat to anyone".
A Skill is competent excellence in performance. It is always noticed. It is seldom passed over. The reason is that bosses love hard workers. They are productive and help organisations to succeed and grow. Even unbelievers recognise the value of such a person. Think of how Joseph was promoted by Potiphar. He ruled over his entire estate. When thrown into prison he was again promoted so that all were under his care and management.
Even Jesus learned a trade. He was a skilled carpenter. All those years of obscurity were part of His preparation for ministry. They were significant and they counted. Before David became a King he kept sheep. His commitment to care for them is what qualified him to care for God’s people. He risked his life to protect them from the lion and the bear! This was the mark of a true shepherd according to Jesus – he gives his life for the sheep.
Working heartily is also about working joyfully. Psalm 100.2 says; “Serve the Lord with gladness”. If we are serving the Lord at work then we should be able to bring an attitude of joy into the work place. This isn’t difficult. Smile at people when you meet them. Smile when you talk on the phone – it makes a difference. We can’t always change our circumstances or our job but we can always change our attitude.
The fruit of the Spirit is Joy. You can bring joy even into the workplace when you serve from your heart. Remember joy is rooted in inner contentment. It is not affected by the circumstance of life.
4. Finally Paul says, “Whatever you do…” That sounds very comprehensive to me – whatever you do! No area of life is meant to be outside of the blessing of God. Our work life demands many things of us. Some things may go beyond the remit of what you feel able to do. Some may seem too menial for the level of training and qualifications you have. Knowing that you are doing this for Jesus can change the value of what you do. This is not done for men, it’s done for Him.
Jesus was not afraid to wash feet. In the first century this was the most menial task given to the newest slave. Nobody wanted to do it. But Jesus did it because He placed a different value on the men He was serving. I have found in life that there are things I like to do and things I have to do. I naturally gravitate to the things I like. But self-discipline has helped me to do the things I have to. In time I saw these as having value too. Embracing humble tasks can send a powerful message.
Proverbs 18.9 in the Message version says: Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism. That has bite to it. Vandalism is the wanton destruction of property or goods. None of us appreciate it. It is costly to any community. But the wisdom of Solomon tells us that slack habits and sloppy work are just as bad. At root there is a similar attitude – “It doesn’t matter”, and ‘Who cares!”
Paul is helping us see that God cares and it does matter. In Rom 12.11 KJV he writes: “Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord”. Notice the contrast; slothful or fervent. The word fervent comes form a Greek word meaning to apply heat. It was used when water was boiled. This is what we are to bring to our tasks at work, fervency.
And it’s worth remembering that someone who works in this way creates an environment that is infectious. Happy, hard working people impact the attitude of others. You actually have the power to change your work environment. It may take time but you do reap what you sow.
Proverbs 10.4 tells us; “The hand of the diligent makes rich”. And Proverbs 12.24 says; “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule”. In other words prosperity, productivity and promotion go to those who are diligent. To be diligent is to be hardworking and conscientious in what you do. The dictionary says it is to be attentive and persistent in doing anything.
Think about your life and what you will be doing this week. What tasks lie ahead for you? Can you see yourself performing these tasks for the Lord? What attitude do you need to change to feel good about doing this job? What skills do you need to take to a new level to be better at what you do? At the end of the day who are you working for? My prayer is that you will find a new freedom and joy in what you do as you pursue excellence in serving the Lord.
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