COLOSSIANS 3:22-4:1
GOD IS MY BOSS: I ULTIMATELY ANSWER TO HIM
Colossians 3:22-23 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
Ephesians 6:5-6 (BSB)
SUSAN: Christians should not do mediocre, half-hearted work . . .
SUSIE . . . or do their best only when the boss is watching.
SUSAN: If an employee does their best work only when the boss is watching, he/she cannot be given more responsibility because the boss cannot baby-sit the employee all the time.
SUSIE: As believers, we need to remember that our ultimate boss is the Lord Jesus who IS always watching us. We should work in such a way as to please Him.
SUSAN: He deserves our best at all times, and tells us here, through the pen of Paul, to do our earthly work to honor Him. Whatever position you hold—CEO or Janitor or homemaker or even student—do your work whole-heartedly, doing your best. This is what brings glory to God.
Colossians 3:24 because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
Ephesians 6:7-8 (BSB)
SUSIE: Our earthly supervisors may never acknowledge our faithful work in tangible ways, but we know our Father sees everything and will reward us both now and eternally. If we understand that Jesus is our Master, how should that affect not only our work but our attitude?
SUSAN: My attitude should be that whatever service I am performing is actually done for Jesus. If I am cleaning the restrooms, I want them to so sparkle that I would not be ashamed for the King of kings to inspect them.
SUSIE: Can we have an attitude of joy even in humble jobs?
SUSAN: Since I know that I am working, not for my immediate supervisors, but for the One who died to set me free, I can be a beacon of light and joy and liberty while performing any kind of work. I can do my assignments with love because I am working for my Heavenly Father. I cannot do that in my flesh. It can only be done by the Holy Spirit living in me through faith.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 (BSB)
Colossians 3:25 Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Don’t worry — whoever is doing wrong will be paid in kind for his wrong, and there is no favoritism shown.
Colossians 3:25 (CJB)
SUSIE: God does reward us for the good that we do, but He also disciplines those who do wrong. He does not play favorites or have “teacher’s pets.” If we are obedient, we will be rewarded. If we are not, we will reap the consequences.
Galatians 6:7 (BSB) Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
SUSAN: I call this the boomerang effect. Whatever we do comes back to us.
QUESTION: What does it look like to work at something “with your whole being?” Can that be an achievable, sustainable goal? Where can we derive the strength to work this way?
Colossians 4:1 Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
SUSIE: Servants, workers are supposed to work as if God is their Employer. What about the masters, the supervisors or even the CEO’s?
SUSAN: The master’s (supervisor’s) responsibility is to set the servant (employee) up for success, to enable them to serve well. The employee should be given reasonable compensation to give them incentive to do quality work.
For the worker is worthy of his wages.
Luke 10:7b (BSB)
SUSIE: Those in authority should be fair to those who serve under them. What did Paul remind the masters as incentive to do this?
SUSAN: Even if one is the president, the CEO, or the king, he/she still answers to Someone. One day we will all have to give account to Jesus, our Savior and Lord (Master).
PONDER THIS: How often do we really do a task as if Almighty God were our boss? Would having that mindset make us better employees? Better students?
ASSIGNMENT: Try having this mindset and living it out for one week. Ask the Lord to help you make a daily effort to do everything as if He is your Boss. He is! That’s what LORD means.