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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
What do you do for a living? When someone asks you that question they are usually asking whose name is on the paycheck or where you spend your working hours. What we do in life has a huge effect on how we feel about ourselves. If we love our job, life is good even if the pay we receive isn’t enough. If we hate our job, no amount of money in the world will bring us joy. There are many ‘rich people’ who go to work feeling miserable everyday.
What is the difference? The difference between enjoying your job and despising your job comes from inside you. There are lots of ‘bosses’ out there who feel it is their duty to micro-manage everything. They make you feel like you are a total idiot and, no matter how well you do, they criticize every aspect of your work.
There are other bosses out there who are controlling, manipulative and degrading. It’s as if they use their power to make themselves feel good at your expense. They will make you feel stupid, insignificant or hold the paycheck you receive over your head as some sort of carrot to make you do what he/she wants.
There are good bosses too, of course. Those men and women who see their job as empowering you to excel at what you do. They see you as a partner in business more than a slave to be directed and used.
It’s interesting that when Paul was writing to the Colossians he doesn’t make reference to the type of boss you have. He makes reference to the kind of worker you are. God isn’t as concerned about how your boss treats you as he is how you approach your work. The reason for that is because in God’s eyes, you aren’t working for an earthly boss or earthly rewards. Your daily work is for Him and your reward is eternal.
Remember the earlier question, “What do you do for a living?” Your response to that question defined how you feel about yourself. Whether you are a student, a stay-at-home parent, a teacher, a preacher or anything else, your boss isn’t the person whose signature is on your paycheck. Your boss is whose signature is on your heart. That signature is either Jesus or you. The difference will be seen in your attitude. Don’t let earthly bossed determine your worth. Your worth is wrapped up in who you are in Jesus and what He has done for you and in you.
If God is sovereign as we say He is, then wherever He places you is for a purpose, to help you grow stronger, use your gifts and show your co-workers what Jesus is like. Ultimately, Jesus is the one we answer to. Work everyday with excellence for His name’s sake.
PRAYER: Father God, you know that I go to work some days with dread in my heart. I feel [unappreciated, used, underpaid, unqualified] to do what I do. I get angry, frustrated and stressed. I ask that you would empower me to approach every day and every job with the attitude that I am doing it for you. If I am to dig ditches, let my ditches be deep and straight to show the excellence You have instilled in me. From this day forward, I am working for you. Amen.
The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4-5 (NLT)
Medical science has certainly changed the way we look at childbirth. In years past the due date, sex of the child and its development were basically a mystery until the day of the child’s birth. Today, through the marvels of technology, we can know almost with a certainty, the sex of the baby, when it will be born and how it’s doing developmentally all while still in the womb!
I never tire of hearing first-time moms and dads tell of that first ultra-sound. Incredible. Here is this new life forming, developing, and growing right before our eyes! The parents can know a lot about this new, precious life long before it enters into our world all through the television screen.
The ability we have as humans to watch the formation of life, almost from conception, makes God’s message to Jeremiah even more amazing. To think that the God of the universe, the creator and sustainer of all life ‘knew me before He formed me’ boggles the mind.
The concept of God ‘knowing me’ is more than a casual acquaintance. Today, with the internet and a plethora of social networking possibilities, it’s possible to ‘know’ hundreds, even thousands of people without really even meeting them. We learn about them from blog posts, or home pages and websites, but never really meet them.
Even in our social circles it is becoming increasingly difficult to ‘intimately know’ those we rub shoulders with every day. Social mobility, economic strain, family concerns and other things hinder us from really knowing each other, and even then it’s humanly impossible to fully understand the complex emotions of anyone else, or ourselves for the matter.
But God tells us, here in Jeremiah and elsewhere, that He KNOWS us. God is intimately connected with our deepest desires, dreams, feelings and thoughts. He feels our pain exactly as we do. He fully understands our frustrations, our anger, and our fears like no one else in the world.
Not only does God fully understand your deepest thoughts and emotions. He made you the way you are. Sometimes people have ‘surprise babies’. Children that weren’t planned or expected. But in God’s eyes there are no ‘surprise babies’. All life is planned carefully and lovingly by His gracious hand. No mistakes. No second thoughts. No regrets. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, where you’ve come from, who you have hurt or who has hurt you. YOU are His special creation.
As you journey through life there will be plenty of people out there that will point out your weaknesses, remind you of past failures, criticize your current situation and/or offer all sorts of advice about how you should be, what you should change, how you should dress or act. Evaluate everything they say by reminding yourself that you are God’s special creation. He made you with the feelings, emotional make-up, desires and physical traits you have. He loves you just the way you are. There may be areas that need some ‘polishing up’, some changes that need to be made. But YOU are just the person He hoped you would be.
PRAYER: Father God, I’m in awe when I think of what it means that you, the creator/sustainer of the universe knew me intimately before I was even conceived in my mother’s womb. I thank you and praise you for who I am regardless of the flaws others seem to see in me. Empower me by your Spirit to live free of the condemnation of others. Help me to remember that I am your special creation. Forgive me for the times I’ve been unfaithful to myself and to you in how I act or think. Thank you most of all for loving me when I’m not very easy to love. Amen.
Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” 2 Samuel 9:8
For years David ran from King Saul, fearing for his life and waiting for God to make good on His promise to place David on the throne as Israel’s king. Finally, God’s promise came true and David was made King. Scripture gives accounts of David’s great victories over all of Israel’s enemies until there was peace throughout the land.
One day David sat with his advisors. Life was good. God was good. He no doubt was looking back over the years and thinking of how he’d finally gotten to where he was. Then a thought came to David. He missed his very best friend in the world, Jonathan, the son of Saul. Jonathan had been the bright spot in David’s years of running. He’d protected David, advised David and become his most trusted friend. But Jonathan had been killed in battle alongside his father, Saul.
David asked if there was anyone left from the house of Saul that he could show kindness to for the sake of his dear friend Jonathan. This wasn’t an odd question. Traditionally, when someone became King, the previous king’s family was wiped out to prevent any dissention. David was told of a son of Jonathan’s named Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth had been tragically hurt when Saul’s family fled after Saul’s death. As a result of his injuries, he was crippled for life. He lived for years in hiding from David in an obscure town.
You can imagine the fear that came over Mephibosheth when he saw David’s entourage coming down the road! All his hiding was for naught. Most likely, death was imminent. Hoping for mercy, he bowed down before David, referring to himself as a dead dog. He was, in his eyes, just a worthless cripple and of no value to anyone.
But David wasn’t there for revenge. He was there to show grace. He took Mephibosheth to the palace where he lived in luxury for the rest of his life!
Mephibosheth wasn’t taken to the palace because of anything he had done. He didn’t live in luxury because he deserved anything. David certainly wasn’t obligated, but societies standards, to show any kindness at all. It was only because of David’s friendship and covenant with Jonathan that Mephibosheth was shown any kindness at all.
There are times in each of our lives when we may feel like Mephibosheth. We see how we look in the mirror and see fat and ugly. We reflect on our past and see failure as a result of one poor decision after another. We doubt we are of any use of any value to anyone. But God sees us differently.
Because of Jesus we are welcomed into God’s family. We have the right, because of His forgiveness to live as kings. It doesn’t matter what physical or emotional deformities we have. Our past is of no concern to Him because He washed all those failures away at the cross.
Don’t look at yourself as a dead dog; as one that is of no value or worth to anyone. Because of Jesus you are a child of the King.
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for the story of Mephibosheth and for the reminder that in your eyes I am not a failure but a beloved son. There are so many times when I find myself wishing I was better at this thing or that; so many times when my past mistakes come back to haunt me. Empower me by your Spirit to see myself the way you do and to live with the assurance of your love and acceptance even when others see me as a failure. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 