Work Hard
Annie Jones
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 (NKJV)
Today’s verse is such a great reminder! Work hard. In everything and anything we do, we are serving Jesus, so let’s work as if that’s actually the case.
Sometimes, it can be easy to get discouraged or frustrated with a situation at work or school, so much so that we just want to throw our hands in the air and say, “ENOUGH!” But we have to constantly be reminded that at the end of the day, what we do is not for our own personal glory. Everything we do should point people back to Jesus. Everything should be a reflection of Jesus on the inside of us!
“Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Ephesians 6:7
When it comes to work, work with enthusiasm and go the extra mile. Pick up the slack that your teammate or co-worker left and don’t make a big scene about it. Go above and beyond what your boss asked for. Work as if Jesus is signing the paycheck. And when you get frustrated or irritated, remind yourself - you work for the Lord and not man, so knock it off with the bad attitude! Even when you get all of the credit and especially when you get no credit, work as unto the Lord.
The beautiful thing is that when we do this, we will actually get a great reward! I love the way the Message puts Colossians 3:23-25, “Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.”
I love the encouragement that Proverbs 22:29 brings, “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.” Working hard, being competent, and thinking ahead will open doors for you to work for kings or perhaps to BE a king! Think about it - CEO’s, business men and women, pro athletes, the people “at the top” didn’t get there haphazardly... they were competent, hard workers and because of that they are reaping the benefits of “working for kings” and in some cases, “being the king.”
Want some more motivation? Proverbs 12:24 puts it so clearly, “Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.” I know I want to be a leader. What about you? Working as unto the Lord is one of those commands that has a great promise attached to it!
Today, be encouraged, if you’ve been working hard - you’re doing it right! Great reward will come. And if you need to get a little pep in your step, today’s the day to start working for Jesus!
Say It: “Father, thank You for the reminder to work hard, with diligence, with wisdom and with competence. Forgive me for the times that I’ve not given it my all, and for the times when I’ve had a bad attitude. My desire is to work for You in everything I do, and always bring the glory back to You. Thank you for the gentle reminder and the encouragement to work for You! In Jesus Name, Amen!”