DO!

DO!

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. Colossians 3:23‭-‬24 NIV

The Context and Focus:

The WHY is actually very key to WHAT I do. The world emphasises labour and effort, whilst conveniently ignoring the motive, but with God, both are actually important. Actions and reactions are the means by which motives and intentions are revealed; there is no way you can separate your actions from your intentions. Men see the actions; God sees the motives. God rewards according to the actual intentions behind the actions. Men judge based on what their physical senses can decipher. A good example will be Samuel the prophet, and Eliab, the son of Jesse, and the older brother of David. He must have been well-built, because he was in Saul's army, but his heart must not have been right, because God told Samuel he had rejected him. Do not take decisions based solely on what you see, eat, feel or think, but submit your heart unto God and allow Him work in and through you that which lines up with His perfect will. This is the foundation to the verses above, taken from the letter that Paul wrote to the church in Colosse. The letter addresses different groups, and we will do well to see how the message impacts us, and the actions we need to take going forward.

The Message:

Paul addressed all the groups that form the bedrock of society. The family is the single most powerful element in how a society evolves, and what its priorities are. If the family is at peace, it will impact the way it pursues power, position, possessions and prestige. If the family life is not stable, then it becomes a tool in the hands of the devil to commit atrocities. Wives are asked to submit to their husbands, as unto the Lord. Husbands are asked to love their wives. Children too are given a mandate to obey their parents, and fathers are asked to watch their conversation and conduct, so their children do not become bitter. Then slaves/servants are mentioned, and these are asked to work as unto the Lord. The equivalent today could be employees, even employers, or anyone involved in the provision of services to anyone else. There is a charge to work at it as if God is standing next to you, supervising and approving what you are doing. The knowledge of who I work for, why I work, and the end of all the work I do will help me focus on the things that really matter. Getting people to like me is not the reason why I work. Getting God's backing and approval, which lead to promotion, should be the real reason why I do my best. 

The Conclusion:

The heart is mentioned here again. Though hidden, its output cannot be faked. If my heart is not in a thing, it will show in my pursuits and priorities. If my heart is in it, I will not handle work with levity. I will give my best at all times, even if the work is unpalatable. There will be times when the work is very monotonous, yet, in the midst of these situations, He wants to be able to trust my heart to keep doing the right thing at all times. Equally important is the knowledge of the reward that lies at the end of the work I have been commissioned to do. The verses above point to an inheritance from the Lord. These verses make it clear that it is the Lord we are actually working for, because he is the One who commissions all labour, determines the wages and also the retirement plan. Human masters come and go, and the venue of work may change from time to time, but the demand on the heart never changes. God does not take a break from His work, and I must never forget that God is counting on me to represent Him properly before men, so they can see my good 'works' and glorify Him in heaven. May the Lord help us to work worthy of the calling we have received, and give our best at all times. God's time of favour is here.