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. (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)
There are perhaps a dozen very good reasons to go to work.
Personal satisfaction, career advancement, a healthy purpose, creative expression, invigorating teamwork, salary—all and more give us happy motivation to get up and go get it done today.
Rarely, though, would we expect to hear a worker say, “You know, I just love to work because of my boss.”
Bosses, even the very good ones, find themselves to be symbols of regulation and diligence. “Nose to the grindstone,” “sweat of your brow,” “working lunch”—these are the taglines of the Big Kahuna. No one has ever said, “While the cat’s here today, the mice will play.” In fact, in the spirit of an old television commercial for one particular TaylorMade driver, we might ask, “Fun, freedom, relaxation, boss—which of these things doesn’t belong here?”
The flow of Scripture does not allow us to split the person of Jesus. He is indeed Savior and Lord.
As usual, however, we might expect that the kingdom of God is upside-down, the reverse of the way of the world. In God’s kingdom, the greatest motivation of all is the Lord himself.
Paul wrote of this relationship between us and our work when he sent his letter to the Colossians. “It is the Lord Christ you are serving,” he concluded.
Theologically, there is quite a tangle going on there. Jesus is simultaneously the Christ (or Messiah, the Promised Savior) and the Lord. He is the one who has both given all and demands all. We may argue with Paul that grace and works are certainly to be kept separate; salvation only comes as the gift of God. But the flow of Scripture does not allow us to split the person of Jesus. He is indeed Savior and Lord.
But that is great news for us. The very one who loves us leads us. Our souls, if they are indeed captivated by Jesus, thirst for no other master.
Paul knew this full well. It is why he called himself a doulos, a bond-servant of Christ—that is, one who remained with his master by delighted choice even after the terms of slavery had expired. May we experience this same degree of motivation, this same deep desire to work with all our heart in all we do, as unto our Lord.
—
Jeff Hopper
Originally published March 31, 2011
Copyright 2011 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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