Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, was asked why he was doing the Lord's work (charitable causes as a philanthropist) since he is not a Christian: "Well, the Lord isn't doing it!" This is sarcasm and it is sad we have this state of affairs in our blessed nation deemed to be under God. Nothing done in the Lord is done "in vain," according to Scripture; so we should never give up doing His will for our lives, no matter how mundane or humble the task (remember the poor widow who fed Elijah in Zarephath). "Do your work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men [as people-pleasers or brownnosers] We must realize that our reward is in heaven and the unrighteous receive their portion in this life (Psa. 17:14). Some leave their riches, while others go to theirs. Let's keep our eyes on Jesus and not on men, even if they are so-called "princes".
Work has it's own reward (knowing we are pleasing God: "Work, for I am with you," says Hagga): fulfillment, achievement, goal attainment, and of knowing we're "purpose-driven". The Air Force motto is "Aim High!" and the Army says, "Be all you can be!" We must discourage a lukewarm and apathetic attitude: attitude determines altitude and is everything! Recall King Saul's halfhearted obedience compared with David being a man after God's own heart. Joshua and Caleb "wholly followed the Lord." Pete Rose was known as Charlie Hustle and displayed this kind of character. Sports show that the key to getting something done is to be a team player and not worrying who gets the credit or the glory.
Jesus had a servants heart (cf. Mark 10:45 saying, "I came not to be served, but to serve..."). Yes, complacency is the enemy and we must work as if everything depends on us, though we pray like everything depends on God--we leave the results to God! Solomon says that whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might--get a purpose and be a man or woman on a mission! "For the people had a mind to work..." (Neh. 4:6).
The Lord's second coming should motivate us and stimulate us all the more, as we see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:25). There is intrinsic motivation like knowing God is happy with us and we are doing His will, and there is extrinsic motivation like being rewarded with more pay as an incentive. Feeling called to do something is intrinsic: Zechariah was an expert at this: "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts." Nehemiah felt inspired to work hard and finished his task in 52 days, which was a miracle. We are inspired as lofty as our insight and dreams; so dream big and remember that God is big enough for our dreams. A personal example: I got a job filing and that was my bugaboo, as it were, and my fears and Angst had to be overcome! God did indeed change me and gave me the patience to do it and not ever be overwhelmed (I thought of the promise in Isa. saying, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you..."). A good anecdote you might want to remember: There were three stonecutters who were asked what they were doing. The first said he was laying bricks, the second that he was making 20 pounds an hour, the third said that he was building a cathedral for God. Which one had a real vision ("Without vision the people perish," says Prov. 29:18)?
The Protestant work ethic has a long history. You must have the vision of Nehemiah: "Behold, I am doing a great work." St. Francis of Assisi was asked if he died in 10 minutes what would he do: He was the gardener at the monastery and he said he would finish "this row." Work is part of our image and likeness of God and we are hard-wired for it--incomplete without it. We are compelled to accomplish something and take pride in our achievement done in the Lord. God will someday balance the books and justice will be served as far as reaping what we sow--and I'm not talking about karma or fate, but if we are not rewarded in this life, we will in the afterlife.
A bit of history: During the time of Paul there were 60 million slaves in the world and work was considered a curse and only slaves should do it. Martin Luther brought honor to work by saying that all work can be done to the glory of God. Another exemplar was Brother Lawrence, a dishwasher/cook at a French Carmelite monastery in the seventeenth century. In the formative and desperate years of the Jamestown settlement, started in 1607, Captain John Smith quoted 2 Thess. 3:10 saying, "He that is unwilling to work, shall not eat." That got people motivated! Now we hear of the "idle rich," but the Bible says that those who wear themselves out trying to get rich are just as wrong. Theodore Roosevelt said, "There has never yet been a man who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering." Everyone needs a purpose in life and seeing something higher than himself to attain to. Carl F. H. Henry, a 20th-century theologian, said that we are made for work and not for idleness. We are hard-wired that way, to be blunt. Yes, there will be work, even in heaven.
God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Failure is not a sin! Jeremiah 45:5 says, "Do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not." Selfish ambition is a fruit of the flesh and carnal according to Gal. 5:20. Everyone has a niche and calling from God ("The gifts and calling of God are without repentance," per Rom. 11:22). Some are homemakers, and some are kings or presidents; they are judged according to their faithfulness in the talents God gave them: "To whom much is given, much is required" per Luke 12:48. It is not so much what we accomplish and brag (being a braggart is wrong) about, but our character that matters. Only deeds done to the glory of God in the power of the Spirit will be rewarded. God is not against good deeds; only ones done in the flesh (or without God's Spirit, cf. Rom. 8:8).
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might," says Solomon in Eccl. 9:10. Believe me, I have paid my dues and know what hard work is. There is nothing beneath us, and if we are humble and meek, being willing to do whatever God wants us to do, and be what He wants us to be, we will be willing to do the order of the towel as Jesus did and do the role of a slave or servant: Then God will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." We should be redeeming the time because the days are evil; making the most of the opportunities we are given--there are always lost opportunities that teach us a lesson. Col 1:10 says we should be "bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God [they are correlated]"
We are not saved by good works, but not without them either: "we are saved unto good works [Eph. 2:10]." We need to find our labor of love, that we would do even if we were not compensated. But there is a caveat: Jer. 48:10 says that slackness in the LORD'S work will bring a curse! Slothfulness is one of the seven deadly sins according to the Vatican and they could be right. When we have completed the work that God has given us we "enter into His rest."
Jesus prayed in His priestly prayer in John 17 that had completed the work that God had given Him to do (John 17:4). The only question I want to leave you with is to consider what kingdom you are working for--is it God's kingdom or your own empire and circle of influence. God wants us to leave our comfort zone and venture out to do brave and great things for God! Nehemiah said it well: "Behold, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down."
In summation, let me quote Nehemiah, an expert on motivation in getting the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt, in Neh. 4:6 as follows: "For the people had a mind to work...." Note that it was all about attitude and frame of mind! Soli Deo Gloria!
Work has it's own reward (knowing we are pleasing God: "Work, for I am with you," says Hagga): fulfillment, achievement, goal attainment, and of knowing we're "purpose-driven". The Air Force motto is "Aim High!" and the Army says, "Be all you can be!" We must discourage a lukewarm and apathetic attitude: attitude determines altitude and is everything! Recall King Saul's halfhearted obedience compared with David being a man after God's own heart. Joshua and Caleb "wholly followed the Lord." Pete Rose was known as Charlie Hustle and displayed this kind of character. Sports show that the key to getting something done is to be a team player and not worrying who gets the credit or the glory.
Jesus had a servants heart (cf. Mark 10:45 saying, "I came not to be served, but to serve..."). Yes, complacency is the enemy and we must work as if everything depends on us, though we pray like everything depends on God--we leave the results to God! Solomon says that whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might--get a purpose and be a man or woman on a mission! "For the people had a mind to work..." (Neh. 4:6).
The Lord's second coming should motivate us and stimulate us all the more, as we see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:25). There is intrinsic motivation like knowing God is happy with us and we are doing His will, and there is extrinsic motivation like being rewarded with more pay as an incentive. Feeling called to do something is intrinsic: Zechariah was an expert at this: "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts." Nehemiah felt inspired to work hard and finished his task in 52 days, which was a miracle. We are inspired as lofty as our insight and dreams; so dream big and remember that God is big enough for our dreams. A personal example: I got a job filing and that was my bugaboo, as it were, and my fears and Angst had to be overcome! God did indeed change me and gave me the patience to do it and not ever be overwhelmed (I thought of the promise in Isa. saying, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you..."). A good anecdote you might want to remember: There were three stonecutters who were asked what they were doing. The first said he was laying bricks, the second that he was making 20 pounds an hour, the third said that he was building a cathedral for God. Which one had a real vision ("Without vision the people perish," says Prov. 29:18)?
The Protestant work ethic has a long history. You must have the vision of Nehemiah: "Behold, I am doing a great work." St. Francis of Assisi was asked if he died in 10 minutes what would he do: He was the gardener at the monastery and he said he would finish "this row." Work is part of our image and likeness of God and we are hard-wired for it--incomplete without it. We are compelled to accomplish something and take pride in our achievement done in the Lord. God will someday balance the books and justice will be served as far as reaping what we sow--and I'm not talking about karma or fate, but if we are not rewarded in this life, we will in the afterlife.
A bit of history: During the time of Paul there were 60 million slaves in the world and work was considered a curse and only slaves should do it. Martin Luther brought honor to work by saying that all work can be done to the glory of God. Another exemplar was Brother Lawrence, a dishwasher/cook at a French Carmelite monastery in the seventeenth century. In the formative and desperate years of the Jamestown settlement, started in 1607, Captain John Smith quoted 2 Thess. 3:10 saying, "He that is unwilling to work, shall not eat." That got people motivated! Now we hear of the "idle rich," but the Bible says that those who wear themselves out trying to get rich are just as wrong. Theodore Roosevelt said, "There has never yet been a man who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering." Everyone needs a purpose in life and seeing something higher than himself to attain to. Carl F. H. Henry, a 20th-century theologian, said that we are made for work and not for idleness. We are hard-wired that way, to be blunt. Yes, there will be work, even in heaven.
God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Failure is not a sin! Jeremiah 45:5 says, "Do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not." Selfish ambition is a fruit of the flesh and carnal according to Gal. 5:20. Everyone has a niche and calling from God ("The gifts and calling of God are without repentance," per Rom. 11:22). Some are homemakers, and some are kings or presidents; they are judged according to their faithfulness in the talents God gave them: "To whom much is given, much is required" per Luke 12:48. It is not so much what we accomplish and brag (being a braggart is wrong) about, but our character that matters. Only deeds done to the glory of God in the power of the Spirit will be rewarded. God is not against good deeds; only ones done in the flesh (or without God's Spirit, cf. Rom. 8:8).
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might," says Solomon in Eccl. 9:10. Believe me, I have paid my dues and know what hard work is. There is nothing beneath us, and if we are humble and meek, being willing to do whatever God wants us to do, and be what He wants us to be, we will be willing to do the order of the towel as Jesus did and do the role of a slave or servant: Then God will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." We should be redeeming the time because the days are evil; making the most of the opportunities we are given--there are always lost opportunities that teach us a lesson. Col 1:10 says we should be "bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God [they are correlated]"
We are not saved by good works, but not without them either: "we are saved unto good works [Eph. 2:10]." We need to find our labor of love, that we would do even if we were not compensated. But there is a caveat: Jer. 48:10 says that slackness in the LORD'S work will bring a curse! Slothfulness is one of the seven deadly sins according to the Vatican and they could be right. When we have completed the work that God has given us we "enter into His rest."
Jesus prayed in His priestly prayer in John 17 that had completed the work that God had given Him to do (John 17:4). The only question I want to leave you with is to consider what kingdom you are working for--is it God's kingdom or your own empire and circle of influence. God wants us to leave our comfort zone and venture out to do brave and great things for God! Nehemiah said it well: "Behold, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down."
In summation, let me quote Nehemiah, an expert on motivation in getting the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt, in Neh. 4:6 as follows: "For the people had a mind to work...." Note that it was all about attitude and frame of mind! Soli Deo Gloria!
"Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him" (Mal. 3:18). We can have a reputation as a great "do-gooder" and get no reward from God if we have not love according to Paul in 1 Cor. chapter 13, the love chapter. We are rewarded according to our works and not our faith.
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