WORKING WILLINGLY

Paul, an apostle, wrote:
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 3:23) Another version says, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.”

This is a tough verse to deal with when you have a goofy boss, a goofier job and make less than goofy money for what you do.

As Dallas Willard commented, “But, once again, the specific work to be done—whether it is making ax handles or tacos, selling automobiles or teaching kindergarten, investment banking or political office, evangelizing or running a Christian education program, performing in the arts or teaching English as a second language—is of central interest to God. He wants it well done. It is work that should be done, and it should be done as Jesus himself would do it. Nothing can substitute for that. In my opinion, at least, as long as one is on the job, all peculiarly religious activities should take second place to doing “the job” in sweat, intelligence, and the power of God. That is our devotion to God. (I am assuming, of course, that the job is one that serves good human purposes.)”

I think where this whole thing gets tough is the continuation in Colossians 3: “knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism (3:24-25). In our ‘instant gratification’ world ‘a later reward’ is a fuzzy and unattractive idea as we look to next Friday, not the end of time for our reward.

“My Father is still working, and I am working also.”
Jesus