Wednesday, May 26

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. - Ephesians 6:7-8

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. – Colossians 3:23

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul repeatedly tells us that we (all Christians) should be working for God and not for men. But what does this mean exactly? Is Paul only talking about “church work”, i.e. serving in the church or ministry, or is he talking about all of our work? How can we “work for God” if we are employed by a corporation, or a school district, or a construction company? How can we serve God when we also have earthly bosses to worry about?

I recall a conversation I once had with a friend who told me that he was envious of my occupation as pastor. He said that he wished he could be more involved in the church, but he was frustrated because his job kept him so busy that he had no time for ministry. He had completely separated his work life from his spiritual life.

Paul cuts right across those assumptions with his instructions to slaves in Ephesians 6. Work done in the name of Christ is ministry. The way you do your job is important to the Kingdom. Ideally there is no tension between work and ministry because they are one and the same when done as slaves of Christ.

But what relevance do instructions to slaves have for modern day employees? To put things into perspective, it is important to note that in 100 AD slaves in the Greek and Roman world were not all like slaves from Africa in the modern era. Not only menial tasks, but virtually all work - skilled, unskilled and professional - was done by slaves.

There were an estimated 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire, and clearly Paul would have been addressing many in the churches. It was such a widely accepted fact of normal economic life that it was virtually unchallenged in the ancient world. Paul’s concern then is not the abolition of slavery, but how to deal with the tension between living as a slave while being free spiritually in Christ. Paul’s instructions to slaves of the Roman Empire have parallel relevance to all Christians today who have no choice but to work for someone else to earn a living.

Here are a few reflections to help you determine who you are really working for…

Do you work hard only when the boss is watching or only when you know those who could advance your career will notice it?
Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. – Ephesians 6:6

Do you entangle yourself in office politics or water-cooler gossip about your co-workers?

Do you ever cheat your company or employer of an honest day’s work?

(re-read the verses at the beginning of this devotion)

What if you saw God as your “boss”??

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You have redeemed our lives from the slavery of sin & death. Help us to live and work as if we were Your slaves alone, with joyful obedience, faithful service and genuine integrity. - Amen

Jeff Frazier