Doing A Great Work Part III, The Servant Of All...

 "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD pondereth the heart," (Prov. 21:2; cf. 16:2).

"The LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts," (cf. 1 Chron. 28:9).  

To be great in God's kingdom, we must be willing to become the servant of all. But some aren't even willing to work or be servants but think labor is beneath them when Jesus didn't excuse Himself from getting down and dirty with working, ordinary-class men in their daily tasks. We must not strive for the most visible, most rewarding, most important, most prestigious, most self-serving, or most profitable, but the most humbling!  The goal is to have a heart of a servant as Christ did who took up the towel to wash feet (a foot-washing ministry) and gave us the example of the order of the towel or doing what is without any inherent dignity.  All work has dignity!  Our dignity is in serving Christ and doing His will no matter the task.  

We must recognize that in God's economy the way up is down!  As John, the Baptist, said, "He must increase, but I must decrease."  this is the way to be filled with the Spirit, to empty yourself first.  We must remember that we are co-laborers with Christ who was our example and showed the way of humility and doing God's will. God sees the motive why we are doing something and tests the heart, for we must be more righteous than the Pharisees who were out to make a good impression as people-pleasers. We are to be collaborators with the body of Christ to accomplish God's will, not our agenda.

The church must have a mission and a vision ("Where there is no vision, the people perish") in order to be focused on God's will and to do be motivated. We must do God's work God's way.  We all have a gift and must not envy that of another, we are to work together as one body in the same Spirit, though we have diversities of ministries.  This is a way of walking worthy of our calling.  We are doing God's work because God chose to use us as vessels of honor to do it, not because we are worthy or can do anything on our own, for apart from Christ we can do nothing. Paul said that he would venture not to boast of anything but what Christ had accomplished through him.  All our good works and our fruit are from Him who enables us. Our righteousness is not our gift to God, but His gift to us.

We ought not to focus on what others are doing and look to our labors in the LORD without judgments.  We are not the fruit examiners of everyone's fruit! In the end, it's not about us, but all about Jesus as we must first say "No" to ourselves before we can say "Yes" to Jesus. To be good leaders as many aspire to be, we must first be good followers.  It is said, that we must not strive to be a person of success, but a person of value! Knowing this, that our labor in the LORD is never in vain but will be rewarded.

We must acknowledge that God sees the heart and motive of all we do (cf. 2 Chron. 16:9; Prov 21:2).   Knowing this:  Each of us does our part but it is God who appears front and center in directing all events for His glory as the main event, we must remember it's all about Him and forget ourselves.   In the final analysis, it's not what we are doing in or labors for the LORD that defines us but how well we do it (a task well worth doing is worth doing well, as unto the LORD!) it all matters whether we are doing it as unto the LORD and in the name of the LORD,  and to the glory of the LORD.  Soli Deo Gloria! 

Doing A Great Work I

"...' I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?''" (Neh. 6:3, NIV).
"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded" (2 Chron. 15:7, NIV).
It's all in a nutshell by a sermon William Carey preached, titled "Expect Great Things From God, Attempt Great Things for God."

Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that we don't do great things, just little things with great love. It's not our achievements that God is pleased with, but our faithfulness. Mother Teresa also said that God doesn't call us to success, but to faithfulness. Indeed, he who is faithful in little will be faithful in much as Jesus said. We are all to give an account of our stewardship and will be rewarded according to our works--not our faith. Jesus said that He had finished the work God gave Him and was ready to enter His glory in John 17:4. Nehemiah boasted that he was engaged in "a great work" for the Lord and wouldn't be interrupted. Jeremiah warns against doing the Lord's work with slackness (cf. Jer. 48:10)!

Some people are performance-oriented and will say at Judgment Day that they did great works in the Lord's name, even casting out demons; however, their faith was in their works, not the Lord! Misplaced faith, though big, doesn't save--it's the object that matters. All achievements are eventually outdone and eclipsed, all records will be broken, all reputations will fade, all tributes will be forgotten, and trophies will be lost or decayed, but what we do in the Lord's name in His power (that are ordained for us to do per Eph. 2:10) will not go unnoticed nor unrewarded. These good deeds will not be in vain. Isaiah said in Isa. 49:4, NIV, "But I said, 'I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God.'" Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:58, NIV, "...Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

There has been much evil done in the Lord's name (the Catholic Inquisition, the Salem witch hunts, the Crusades, and the Thirty-Years War et al.) but what is done in the Lord means in the right spirit and in the power of the Spirit. I'm not against good works, just those done in the power of the flesh.

In the final analysis, no one will be able to boast of his works that God did through him but will give glory to God for being a vessel of honor, as Paul said in Romans 15:18, KJV, that he would not "dare to speak of any of those things Christ hath not wrought by [him]..." or venture to mention anything but what God accomplished through him." In sum, we're all "doing a great work," if it's done in the Lord, and we ought not to belittle anyone's task or gift for without Christ we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5). Soli Deo Gloria!

Doing A Great Work II...

"LORD,  ... all that we have accomplished, you have done for us," (cf. Isaiah 26:12, NIV).

"... your fruitfulness comes from me," (cf. Hosea 14:8, NIV).

"But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for the finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus--the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God," (cf. Acts 20:24, NLT).

"But none of these things move me, neither do I count my life dear unto myself, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus," (cf. Acts 20:24, KJV).

"I venture not to speak of nothing but what Christ has accomplished through me," (cf. Romans 15:18).  

 Nehemiah was not a prophet, nor a priest, nor a king, and he did no miracles, in fact, he was like any of us (he was only a cupbearer to the king), and did what we can do when the LORD blesses our work and we are called to do His will and we realize and fulfill our mission.  The book has no miracles, prophecies, nor great teaching, revelation, or wisdom, or poetry, but it shows God's quiet hand at work behind the scenes in the everyday work of the LORD.  Things we can do if we have a work ethic like his! 

But he was in a funk because he mourned for the city of David, Zion, the Jewish capital of Jerusalem, that it was in ruins. His depression became known to the king and he had the audacity to ask permission to take a leave of absence to repair his beloved city.  What do you know? His request was granted. The Jews were in exile but soon to return to the Promised Land and Job One was to rebuild the Wall. We see in this book of Nehemiah that he is the greatest motivator in the Bible, for he got results and the people worked for him with godly zeal. When we dedicate our work and effort to the LORD, we also get blessed in the fruit of our labors. 

We can see the hand of God upon him throughout the book even though it is not mentioned in particular. The one time that it does seem to give God the glory is when it says that the wall was rebuilt in only fifty-two days, a miracle in itself. Nehemiah was not a micromanager but he knew that when people believed they were doing God's work that he would get results.  He probably thought that if he didn't do it, that it wouldn't get done  He saw a need and fulfilled it; a key to success!  Thus the value and necessity of the work.  He saw that it was God who opened the doors for him to even get to first base and this was obvious: the LORD was with him from the get-go. He knew to abide in Christ so to speak or to walk with God as they said in the Old Testament. Though he was obedient to the heavenly vision, he knew he would get and did get opposition. He had enemies!  

When they tried to interrupt him while at work, he said, "I cannot come down [from the wall] for I am doing a great work."  He saw the LORD's work as a great and grand one and that it brought Him glory. The point is that he was obedient for faith and obedience are linked: Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes."  And he was like Habakkuk, who said, "The righteous shall live by faith [their faithfulness]."  (cf. Heb. 10:28; Romans 1:17).  We must see that faith and faithfulness are the same Hebrew word and they cannot be separated, only distinguished; they go hand in hand!   

This great motivator and leader of men knew how to inspire as well; to give the men a work ethic! "The people had a mind to work!"  That's what you call having the mindset for the LORD's work.  When the people faced opposition and enemies on the wall, even as they worked, he told them: "Fight for your families..."  People have to be able to put things into perspective and have a reason to fight. Remember the words of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem Charge of the Light Brigade that goes:  "Ours is not to reason why is our to do and die." That kind of attitude seems glum and depressing but that is often the only motivation the world will give you. 

We must see that God's work is our privilege and we can take part in accomplishing His will to bring Him glory.  The Westminster Shorter Catechism says, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever."  We are to "trust in the LORD with all our heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths."  (cf. Prov. 3:5-6).  We must understand that all that we accomplish is by God's working in us and He did it through us as His instruments of glory or honor; as Paul said, in Romans 15:18, "I venture not to speak of nothing but what the Lord has accomplished through me." 

In sum, nothing can give you the doldrums faster and more seriously than knowing the will of God and not being able to do it, and nothing can bounce you out of it faster than getting to work doing His will and making yourself useful in the kingdom work and God's will or completing the calling and mission God gave you; therefore, if your calling is to climb rocks, hope for rocks and even that you will die doing God's will and what you enjoy, just like they asked Saint Francis what he would do if only he had one hour to live while he was doing his gardening at the convent, and he said that he would finish his gardening!  Soli Deo Gloria! 

Finishing Our Work

"I hope to see my Pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar."  (Alfred, Lord Tennyson).  
Note to the reader: Not to be morbid, but preparing for one's passing involves more than taking care of one's final expenses!  
OUR DAYS ARE DETERMINED AND PLANNED BEFOREHAND!  (CF.  PSALM 119:16).  
"In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:  the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness" (Eccl. 7:15, NIV).  [The godly can perish before their time.]
"So He will do to me whatever He has planned.  He controls my destiny" (Job 23:14, NLT).

Paul thanked God and prayed he would complete his mission, which would be his greatest joy.  King David passed away, but having fulfilled God's purpose and having done all God's will (cf. Acts 20:24, 10:36).  It is true in a sense that we don't pass away till God is finished with us, which should be an incentive to do God's will and be ready.  We ought always to be ready to meet our Lord, for we know not when we will (cf. Amos 4:12).  Now Hezekiah was told directly from God to get his house in order because his time was short!  However, he objected and told the Lord that he was only in the prime of his life (it would be a shame!). Note that Matthew Henry said we ought to live every day as if it's our last.  Only God knows what we are here for and when our time is completed; we only see through a glass darkly--of which we will understand on the other side. (One mystery, or paradox that Scripture mentions, is that people who want to live often die, and those who would die, go on living. )

Now, the great question one must ask is whether the godly die before their time.  Yes, they can!  Isaiah 57:1, NLT, says so:  "Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time."  Some think that when no one needs them they will die, but God can always use a committed believer who is conformed to the pattern of His will.  We have no luxury of judging someone's life by its length.  It is good to live to be old, which is a luxury, but not all become wise.

We must acknowledge the wise wording of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1ff that there is a time for every matter under heaven--including a time to die. Actually, the Bible declares the day of one's death better than the day of his birth!  "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants" (Psalm 116:15, NIV).  Christians have the hope of eternal life due to Christ's resurrection that gave us reason to believe and this should be all the more motive and inspiration to live a life pleasing to Him, and not for the day only, but one day at a time in light of the Word and of eternity.

Therefore, let's all be looking forward to "crossing" (not passing) our bar and meeting the Lord in glory.  In the meantime, we are to live as if it's "one step between [us] and death!"  CAVEAT: WE MUST BEWARE LEST WE SIN UNTO DEATH (CF. 1 JOHN 5:16) AND GOD DECREE TO TAKE US BEFORE OUR TIME AS DIVINE DISPLEASURE!    Soli Deo Gloria! 

My Doctrine Of Work Ethic

"The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me"  (Acts 20:24, NCV).
"I have finished the work You have given me to do"  (cf. John 17:4).
"Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness" (cf. Jer 48:10).
"The Lord assigns each man's work" (John 3:27, NLT).
"[E]ach one's work will become manifest.," (1 Cor. 3:13, ESV).
"Rejoice in your labor; it's the gift of God" (cf. Eccl. 5:19).  
"A day of no work is a day of no eating."  --Zen monastic slogan  (No work is considered beneath the dignity and the "sanctity of manual work" is guarded in Zen and considered vital to life.)  

We are made to work, not for idleness, which can be debilitating and dehumanizing--even depressing.   Some wish they could live a life of leisure, play games forever, have all the entertainment their heart's desire, and amuse themselves to boredom, and thinking this is real R & R.  Life isn't made to be just fun and games (though they say girls just want to have fun) we are meant to find purpose and meaning and to set realistic, accountable, measurable, doable, achievable, responsible goals.  We only can recoup or rehabilitate our senses and we only need a recreational activity to restore us after work--no work means we don't need it, but everyone deserves a respite from his task or work--we're not beasts of burden!

We need a certain amount of rest, therefore the Sabbath commandment.  We can't be like the idle rich leading a life of nonproductive leisure.    We are not to indulge in leisure but earn it as a time to recoup!  Children are naturals at play and this is their calling or job description; however, God expects more maturity and responsibility from adults.

Whatever you find meaning and fulfillment in can be your calling. But remember that idle hands are the devil's workshop.  Whatever we find to do, we ought to do it with all our might and be gung-ho, having gusto and enthusiasm (which means putting God into it!). We all need to apply ourselves to whatever gifts and talents we are blessed with.

Once we've learned to work we will love work and not see it as a curse--even Jesus worked and Adam and Eve were given the task of horticulture in the Garden of Eden.  We are hard-wired for work and designed for it, only to be fulfilled doing it and accomplishing our mission. We are uniquely designed by God for His will and work.   Being ambitious for God or God's work is good but not for fame, power, or wearing ourselves out to get rich quick.  God blesses everyone in some ways, some in all ways; however, some even receive their reward or portion in this life--the evil do prosper sometimes our heavenly calling or job description doesn't define us but how we do it and the attitude we have does.

Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth-century monk in a monastery, practiced the presence of God even while doing the servile task of dishwashing for the Lord!  If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well!  We all need to feel we have contributed to society and are not just takers.  Everyone should be productive in what they are called to do; however, we never retire from the Lord's work and will.

We may not get to do what we love, but that doesn't mean we cannot learn to love our work.  What some may need is a little motivation and this can be extrinsic like money, or intrinsic like awards or recognition and validation.  We all need to feel we make a difference and are there for a purpose besides making a living.  When we die we should be able to say, "Mission accomplished!" like Jesus said He had finished the work the Father had given Him.  We should always aim to do our best, not just the good-enough-for-government-work attitude.

Jesus raised the bar and set the highest ethical standard, but also gives us the highest incentive.   Perfection is the standard, direction the test--always room for improvement.  When the work culture is not improving it's dead and going nowhere we are not to become stagnant like the Dead Sea with no life because there's no growth or opportunity and space for it!

We should feel we are not just leaving our riches to our progeny but a legacy to society--what are we here for?  True holiness consists in doing God's work with the right attitude and we don't ever accomplish great tasks alone but only with God's help and with great love and the right attitude--if so, God will bless it and be in it.  God rewards His work and it's never in vain, so it pays to see yourself as doing it as unto the Lord as your motive.   No task is beneath us because Jesus took the towel to wash the feet of the disciple and when done in the name of God there is no menial task, only menial people.  We are not to feel we need to be a success, for God measures obedience and faithfulness.

Our achievements don't matter and are eventually surpassed, records broken, and tributes are forgotten, but God wants us and our obedience and He will surely give us a permanent reward for our labors in the Spirit--that's why it says in Scripture:  "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit." Attitude matters and counts with God! We are not to become performance-oriented and be like the condemned servants that prophesied in Jesus' name but He never knew them (cf. Matt. 7:21).

Our job is really a dress rehearsal for our future in heaven and preparation for eternity as to what kind of person we become.   We ought to show gusto, be gung-ho, and learn enthusiasm, which means putting God into it.  The trouble with most workers is they have taken God out of the equation and forgotten God the source of true attitude and Spirit.  What can happen is the reduction to the lowest common denominator when there's no supervision or discipline at the workplace.

In the final analysis, see work as therapeutic and we all need it, it's real therapy!  Without it, we become less human and don't fulfill our purpose as being in the image of God.  We are creatures not made for idleness or leisure but work!  Many people find this out when they retire and have too much time on their hands, becoming bored with themselves and end up unproductive and good for nothing.

We ought not to base our performance on our feelings but our faith and attitude, which need to get regular check-ups and examinations.  God is interested in the person we are becoming more than what we are achieving!  When we are called to something, it's a labor of love and we are completed in it.  In the final analysis, work is the expression of the glory of God and how we express His image as is inherent in our nature.  God works and there will be fulfilling, meaningful work in heaven.

Work can be enjoyable and fulfilling, not just have meaning and purpose.  We need to have an identity and realize it in finding God in our work and fulfilling our mission, for all ought to be people on a mission and champions for a cause.  Everyone ought to be in the movement to improve the culture at the workplace, called to a noble crusade:  Christians are held to a higher calling and standard and are to be the salt and light of the earth.

As an attitude check, who has the right one here?
"What are you doing?"   "I'm laying bricks!"  "I'm building a wall."  "I'm building a cathedral!"  Are you the best worker, part of the team, or on God's team?    The more idealistic our attitude and goals, the better our performance!  It's not just for the elite of society to become champions of causes and to be on a mission--we all can find recognition and reward from our labors of love.  ("For the people had a mind to work" --Nehemiah 4:6; "I am doing a great work so that I can not come down" --Neh.. 6:3) 

NB: WE MUST BE TEAM MEMBERS ON GOD'S TEAM AND TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE TOGETHER WE MUST NOT WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS THE CREDIT OR ATTENTION, BUT BE WILLING TO JUST PLAY OUR PART IN THE PLAY!    Soli Deo Gloria!

The Protestant Work Ethic

Jesus said, "I have ... [completed] the work you gave me to do ..." (Cf. John 17:4).
"For the people had a mind to work" (cf. Nehemiah 4:6, ESV, NKJV).  
"The Lord assigns each man's work" (cf. John 3:27, NLT).
"...[R]ejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God"  (Eccl. 5:19, NKJV).
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might" (Eccl. 9:10, NKJV).
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God's glory" (1 Cor. 10:31, HCSB).

I once accepted a job as a file clerk for the VA.  Filing was always my bugaboo, so this was a challenge!  My pet peeve around the office was when I was assigned the task of filing.  How God has changed my work ethic to realize you can do anything or any task to the glory of God.  Of course, there is extrinsic motivation like more pay and there are intrinsic motivations like feeling called to do a work for God and His plan and purposes.  Like Nehemiah felt "inspired" to say, "I am doing great work and I can not come down..." (off the wall of Jerusalem which he led to rebuilding in a record 52 days).  Zechariah was also an expert on intrinsic motivation, "not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty."  You are only inspired as lofty as your insight is.  You probably heard of the three stonecutters at the quarry asked about what they were doing:  The first one said he was cutting stones, the second was merely earning so and so pounds an hour, and the third said he was building a cathedral.  Obviously, the last one had his eyes on the Lord and was considered for promotion and the good role model.  Paul urges us to do our work "heartily as unto the Lord."

The Protestant work ethic has a long history.  St. Francis of Assisi was asked, "If you had only ten minutes left to live, what would you do?"  He was the gardener at the monastery and said that he would "finish this row."  Work is part of our makeup and is an expression of our image and likeness of God.  We show God's nature in our daily tasks and occupations.  We feel compelled to accomplish something and feel pride in what we do.  During the time of Paul's writing, there were 60 million slaves in the world and work was considered a curse and only slaves should do it.  However, Martin Luther brought honor and dignity to work (even mundane tasks) by saying that all work can be done to the glory of God.  Paul stated that anything can be done to the glory of God (cf. Col. 3:17, 23).    During the formative years of Jamestown in 1607, Captain John Smith quoted Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says that if you will not work, neither shall you eat.  You've heard of the "idle rich," but those who wear themselves out to get rich are just as wrong.  Theodore Roosevelt said, "There has never been a man who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering." Everyone needs a purpose in life higher than himself.  Carl F. H. Henry said we are creatures made for work and not for idleness.  And we can be assured of work in heaven, even Adam was assigned the task of horticulture in the Garden of Eden.  This is because we are hard-wired for work and express the image of God doing it.

God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother (Saint) Teresa.  Jer. 45:5, ESV, says:  "And do you seek great things for yourself?  Seek them not...."  The Bible condemns "selfish ambition" in Gal. 5:20.  Everyone has a niche and a calling from God whether homemaker or President and we are judged only by our faithfulness in our calling, not its success.  It is not what we accomplish as much as what we are.  Only deeds done to the glory of God in the Spirit are to be rewarded.  God isn't against good deeds but only those done in the flesh apart from God's guidance and will.

Whatever our hands find to do we should do with "all [our] might" (cf. Eccl. 9:10).  We should be "redeeming the time because the days are evil" or "making the best use of our time" (cf. Eph. 5:16).  We are a people created to be "zealous of good works" (cf. Titus 2:14).  But Paul says it is wrong to have zeal without knowledge in Rom. 10:2.   Note Col. 1:19, NKJV, says "...being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" (note the correlation!)  We are saved "unto good works" (cf. Eph. 2:10).  We are not saved by them but so we can do them.   I hope you too can find a "labor of love" to complete God's will for you and your mission and calling (cf. Acts 20:27).  Note that Haggai, another motivational prophet to rebuild the temple,  said "... and work for I am with you" (cf. Haggai 2:4).

An anecdote is told of the work ethic being put into practice by St. Theresa commencing to build a convent.  Upon being asked of her resources, she had and telling them she only had the sum of twelve pence; they said not even St. Theresa can accomplish much with a mere twelve pence;  her comeback was that "St. Theresa and God and do anything!"  Just like Nehemiah finished the wall in 52 days and the people gave the glory to God, we can bring praise to God and glorify Him by doing it His way, with His means, and giving Him the credit and glory!   It is noteworthy that Jesus is the highest standard of work ethic, but also the highest incentive!  It has been said that to work is to worship!  We can realize our full potential in serving God with our work, for "to work is to pray," according to Saint Augustine, bishop of Hippo.  NB: We can move mountains and glorify God only when we trust Him and are willing to do it His way and give Him the glory!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Doing A Great Work I

"...'I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.   Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?''"  (Neh. 6:3, NIV). 
"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded" (2 Chron. 15:7, NIV).  
It's all in a nutshell by a sermon William Carey preached, titled "Expect Great Things From God, Attempt Great Things for God."  

Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that we don't do great things, just little things with great love.  It's not our achievements that God is pleased with, but our faithfulness.  Mother Teresa also said that God doesn't call us to success, but to faithfulness.  Indeed, he who is faithful in little will be faithful in much as Jesus said.  We are all to give an account of our stewardship and will be rewarded according to our works--not our faith.  Jesus said that He had finished the work God gave Him and was ready to enter His glory in John 17:4.  Nehemiah boasted that he was engaged in "a great work" for the Lord and wouldn't be interrupted.  Jeremiah warns against doing the Lord's work with slackness (cf. Jer. 48:10)!

Some people are performance-oriented and will say at Judgment Day that they did great works in the Lord's name, even casting out demons; however, their faith was in their works, not the Lord!  Misplaced faith, though big, doesn't save--it's the object that matters.  All achievements are eventually outdone and eclipsed, all records will be broken, all reputations will fade, all tributes will be forgotten, and trophies will be lost or decayed, but what we do in the Lord's name in His power (that are ordained for us to do per Eph. 2:10) will not go unnoticed nor unrewarded.  These good deeds will not be in vain.  Isaiah said in Isa. 49:4, NIV, "But I said, 'I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all.  Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God.'"  Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:58, NIV, "...Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

There has been much evil done in the Lord's name (the Catholic Inquisition, the Salem witch hunts, the Crusades, and the Thirty-Years War et al.) but what is done in the Lord means in the right spirit and in the power of the Spirit.   I'm not against good works, just those done in the power of the flesh.   

In the final analysis, no one will be able to boast of his works that God did through him but will give glory to God for being a vessel of honor, as Paul said in Romans 15:18, KJV,  that he would not "dare to speak of any of those things Christ hath not wrought by [him]..." or venture to mention anything but what God accomplished through him."  In sum, we're all "doing a great work," if it's done in the Lord, and we ought not to belittle anyone's task or gift for without Christ we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5).          Soli Deo Gloria!

A Work Ethic

"Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness" (cf. Jer. 48:10).
".. 'I am engaged in a great work [project] so I can't come [down right now!].  Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?'" (Cf. Neh. 6:3, NLT). 
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." (Eccl. 9:10, ESV).
"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need" (Eph. 4:28, ESV).  
"In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty" (Prv. 14:23, ESV).

Work ethic has been called the Protestant work ethic for centuries.  In 1607 Captain John Smith of Jamestown announced that he who wouldn't work will not eat after the admonition in 2 Thess. 3:10.  It was Martin Luther who first brought dignity to work, for it had been considered a curse and fit for slaves by the classic philosophers.  All that mattered was whether one did it to the glory of God--it didn't matter the kind or manner of a work project.

During the Holocaust in a concentration camp at Dachau, the Nazis tried to entice the Jews to work by telling them "Arbeit Macht Frei" or that work makes one free--it was a sham to motivate.  The Germans had a number of wise proverbs including "Arbeit Ehrt" or work dignify; "Arbeit Macht das Leben Suss," or work makes life sweet.  Work is meant to be a blessing just like food and drink according to Eccl. 3:13.

By way of illustration:  There is one well-known anecdote of a man who asks three men at a stone quarry and asks them what they are doing:  one says, "Can't you see?  I'm cutting stones!" another says, "I'm earning 100 lbs a week!" and the last one has a divine viewpoint and says, "I'm building a cathedral!"  Our perspective on our tasks makes all the difference and take on a new light as a witness to the world!

Jesus said, "I have ... [completed] the work you gave me to do..." (cf. John 17:4)--what a sigh of relief!  Nehemiah said, "For the people had a mind to work." (Cf. Neh. 4:6)--God can give intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation and incentive to work, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty" (Cf. Zech. 4:6).   We are as inspired as our dreams and goals--aim high, not low--if you aim for nothing you will get nowhere.

We must all be willing to do humble work, in the so-called "order of the towel," as when Jesus took one to do the foot-washing in the Upper Room.  There is no caste system or class consciousness in Christ, as He leveled the playing field and made us all one in Christ, whether slave or free.

We must learn to do whatever we do with all our heart as unto the Lord, and to His glory, learning to love what we do, thus being a light to the world.  King George III said that we should aim not to do what we love but love what we do!   It's not wrong to take pride in one's vocation or work, for we will do our best and have extra motivation.  When we work, we are expressing God's image in us--work is no curse but part of God's plan and there will be work in heaven. 

It has been said that man is meant and "hard-wired for work" (according to Dr. Carl F. H. Henry), and cannot live without meaningful work or tasks to complete--we're not meant for idleness.  We must be wise to redeem the time for God, not wasting it (cf. Eph. 5:16).  Augustine of Hippo said, "to work is to pray!"  We all must learn to stay out of trouble, for idleness can be the devil's tool and workshop!  We are happiest when we are busy doing the Lord's work! Lack of stimulating work is debilitating--sloth (acedia) or idleness is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, recipient of the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize and now canonized.  The Bible condemns selfish ambition, but not godly pursuits.   Jer. 45:5 says, "Do you seek great things for yourself?  Seek them not."  Everyone has a niche and a calling with one or more talents to use for God.   We should never compare ourselves with others but seek faithfulness in our God-given chores, tasks, duties, and errands.   "Whatever our hand finds to do, do it with all our might," says Ecclesiastes 9:10.  

And Col. 1:10 equates work with faith and says to "bear fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God."  We all should hope to find a "labor of love" to complete God's will.  We may retire from our jobs, but not God's service!  In a sense, our job is our workbench of worship and a dress rehearsal for heaven.  Teddy Roosevelt said that there's never been a man who led a life of ease whose name was worth remembering.

One anecdote from St. Francis of Assisi is in order:  He was busy doing his gardening at the monastery and was asked what he'd do if he only had thirty minutes to live.  He said, "I'd finish this row!" O, that we all could die doing what we love--doing God's will and busy at the Lord's work!   He had a handle on his purpose and was ready to meet the Lord at any time.   In conclusion, ask yourself:  "Who are you working for?  The man, the union, or the Lord?  Are you a team player?  Do you seek excellence in the Lord's work? Do you go to work to worship and pray as well as work?    Soli Deo Gloria!

When No Man Can Work

"But I said, 'I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all.  Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God'" (Isa. 49:4, NIV).  "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me..." (Psalm 138:8, ESV).  "I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4, ESV).

The night will come when labor ceases and no man can work (cf. John 9:4), and evaluation or judgment takes place, the reward according to our deeds.  Some people of great faith made good on it and produced labors worthy of their God-given faith, which was God's gift to them, not their gift to God, just like our righteousness is by grace.  We are all here for a purpose to fulfill and if the bugle doesn't give a distinct call, no one will be ready for battle (cf. 1 Cor. 14:8). The psalmist said that the LORD will fulfill His purpose for him (cf. Pss. 138:8; 57:2).  We are all here for a reason and we must find our calling to be fulfilled persons in the will of God.

The only happy people, according to Albert Schweitzer, are those who've learned to serve.  It is in serving that we find our mission; only those who've never ventured out of their comfort zones and tried to serve don't know of any spiritual gift or grace from God.  We must even serve if we don't think it's our gift and make ourselves available, for availability is the greatest ability.  God does indeed call us to faithfulness in what He does bestow and not to success, which is up to Him to make the seed grow and provide life.

Paul was aware that he must suffer many things for the sake of the cross.  The more God blesses us, the more is expected from us, for to whom much is given, much is required (cf. Luke 12:48).  Paul said, "The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me" (Acts 20:24, NCV).  It may seem that our work is in vain, but Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:58 that no work done in the name of the Lord is in vain.

Sometimes we don't comprehend the purpose of our efforts or the seeming fruitlessness, and it all seems in vain, as Isaiah said in Isa. 49:4 that his work seemed "useless."  This is merely a test of faith to see what our true motives and intentions are, just as God withdrew from Hezekiah to see what was on his heart (cf. 2 Chron. 32:21).  It has been proven that a person can endure nearly any trial if he sees purpose in it; Job was put on trial for no fault of his own and shows us the ultimate in patience in testing and the lesson that God is always just in the end and will reward us for the year the locust has eaten (cf. Joel 2:25) or make it up to us for the bad years with good ones (cf. Psalm 90:15.  We are never in a no-win situation with God and it always pays to trust in the Lord and lean not unto our own understanding (cf. Prov. 3:5).

The most rewarding epitaph we can have is "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!"  To know that the Lord will be pleased with our labors and that we will be deemed good and faithful servants of what He entrusted us with is an intrinsic reward in itself.  True holiness, according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, is doing the will of God with a smile!  We are formed to serve God and can only find fulfillment in doing that; a "non-serving Christian is a contradiction in terms," according to Rick Warren.  When we leave to our reward let us be like Jesus, who said, "I have finished the work You have given me to do" (cf. John 17:4).

We were created to be servants and will only find fulfillment in finding service!  Even Jesus came not to be served, but to serve (cf. Mark 10:45).  We don't serve to be noticed or to make a name for ourselves, but to bring glory to God and to do it in His name!   Many people are willing to serve, but for the wrong motive--we must be pure before God and do it by the power of the Spirit, as Zechariah 4:6 says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit."

We must be willing to keep a low profile and not draw attention to ourselves when the real glory belongs to God.  Some people are merely people-pleasers or work with eye service to gain the approbation of man, like to curry favoritism, but we must focus on the eternal goal and serve in light of eternity, where we will be rewarded--for some, their reward and portion is in this life (cf. Psa. 17:14).   See yourself as a special agent of God on special assignment or in the secret service!  Remember we are created unto good works and are expected to fulfill the mission assigned us faithfully, which was even foreordained for us and planned out by God (cf. Eph. 2:10).

The right mental attitude is one of excellence and of doing our best for the Lord, for there is a curse on one who does the Lord's work with slackness (cf. Jer. 48:10).   We ought to have the frame of mind to do our utmost for His Highest.  It's all right to have godly ambition, but "selfish ambition" is forbidden and worldly, not spiritual (cf. Jer. 45:5; Phil. 2:3).  In other words, do not "seek great things" for yourself, but look out for the Lord's interests and expect big things from Him as you attempt big things [plans or projects] for Him, as William Carey said.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Work Ethic

 "[T]hat the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work"  (2 Tim. 3:17, ESV).
"[E]ach one's work will become manifest..." (1 Cor. 3:13, ESV).
"For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do"  (Heb. 6:10, ESV).
"...bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God"  (Col. 1:10, ESV).
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"  (Matt. 11:28, ESV).

Jesus said that He had "accomplished the work that [God] gave [him] to do" (cf. John 17:4, ESV). We are all here for a purpose, we are not to just take up space without purpose, but part of our dignity from being in the image of God is to find meaning in work. This begs the question:  Are we living or merely existing?  We don't work for work's sake, as if we are workaholics, but to glorify God--Augustine said that to work is to worship!  Martin Luther first brought dignity to manual labor when he said it could be done to the glory of God--previously it had been held in contempt.  When we fulfill the purpose God has for us we are headed to glory as David had fulfilled all the will of God and when he had fulfilled God's purpose he was laid to rest in peace (cf. Acts 13:36).

 Man is hard-wired for work and is not meant for idleness, which can destroy his soul (cf. Neh. 6:3, NLT:  "...'I am engaged in a great work...'").  We have a need for meaningful work, and also to glorify God in it.  Jesus knew what hard work was and how to get down and dirty with the men.  When he took off his cloak and got a towel to wash the disciples' feet, this was a chore only fit for non-Jewish slaves.  But the true message is that we should never think some task or chore is beneath our dignity, honor, or status.  We need to be ambitious, but not in a selfish manner.  Cursed is the one who is slack in the Lord's work (cf. Ezekiel 48:10).  The work ethic is largely the result of Protestantism and it can be clearly seen in Scripture.

Note the Jews in Nehemiah, who "had a mind to work!" (Cf. Nehemiah 4:6).  In other words, they worked with enthusiasm or spunk!  Actually, enthusiasm means to put God into something--how fitting a word!  Just like our spiritual gifts, in that we should not get elitist and think we have a superior gift, but stay humble and faithful to our God-given assignment in the Lord, so we are not to look down on any laborer whose work is done in the name of the Lord.  Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 that if we are unwilling to work or don't have time for it, we shouldn't eat either.  This verse was quoted by Captain John Smith in Jamestown, our first permanent settlement in America by the British.

Sometimes it seems there is nothing to do, but there is always the Lord's work and Ecclesiastes says it bluntly:  "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might..." (Eccl. 9:10, ESV). In doing your work, it's paramount that you have the right mindset, that you're doing it to the glory of God.  Three workers were asked what they were doing:  The first said he was laying bricks; the second that he was earning so much an hour; the third said he was building a cathedral!  Now, don't you see that if you see things clearly with God's viewpoint you can find purpose and meaning in any task? Also note:  Brother Lawrence, known for his book, The Practice of the Presence of God, writes that he can communicate with God no matter what his chore is, even while washing dishes he multi-tasked and kept his communication channel or dialogue with God going and open.

Even in mental health facilities, they have "work therapy" to give purpose, meaning, and fulfillment to patients and to gauge their progress towards therapeutic mental hygiene.  Note:  We never really retire from the Lord's work and should always be ready to do His bidding and will; the reason so many feel bored after retirement is that they never equated the two (God's will and work for us that is bigger than our lives).  In other words, we should invest our life in something that will outlast it and set our goals so that we can serve God no matter what happens.

To sum up, all work can be done to glorify God (cf. Col. 3:17,23) and we can enter into God's labor and enjoy His food or find fulfillment, i.e., to do the will of God as we accomplish His work (cf. John 4:34), as nothing we do for the Lord will be in vain, but be rewarded. God gave the work order to Adam and Eve to till the garden; therefore work is no curse.  We reflect God's glory in our work, and so Haggai 2:4 exhorts us to "work" for God is with us!   Soli Deo Gloria! 

Getting Down And Dirty

"God in heaven appoints each man's work" (cf. John 3:27, NLT).

Some of us aren't willing to do the dirty work that we see is beneath us, and this was so in Jesus' day when He draped a towel and washed the disciples' feet, a task fit only for non-Jewish slaves.  Peter objected and didn't think the Lord should stoop so low, but that's what grace is:  " Donald Grey Barnhouse said, "Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace."  We must learn to relate to God's agape or unconditional love.

There are many dirty jobs few people are willing to do, and that's probably why they pay a lot:  for example, the proctologist.  I wouldn't do certain jobs for all the money in the world, like being a male nurse, because I don't have it in me to be that gracious and willing to work with people's physical problems.  This is why we all need each other:  we are all suited to different work and have different talents and we need to be willing to go where no one is willing to go.  God hasn't given up on them because no one is too bad to be saved; we're all totally depraved and as far from redemption as can be without the grace of God.  

I like to call this humble work "the order of the towel" like when Jesus did the foot-washing of the disciples.   We need to be like Mother Teresa of Calcutta, now canonized, who went among the untouchables caste of India, who had been written off as beyond redemption.  The right attitude is that of George Whitefield, who saw a man go to the gallows and remarked:  "There but for the grace of God, go I." Again, I call this the order of the towel when we stoop to do God's work and don't think anything is beneath us.

A mother who changes diapers knows what love is: it's not necessarily a feeling but an act as we demonstrate it by our deeds.  This is what discipleship is about:  going where God calls us and doing what God calls us to do.  Just like dung has fertilizing power, so Christians who get down and dirty have fertilizing power in the world, as they show Christ's love to the world.  Just like there are dirty jobs that no one wants to do, but need to get done, so believers need to realize that they must be willing to get down and dirty with mankind.  Whenever God gives you the challenge to humble yourself or eat your humble pie, rise to the occasion!

The world owes Christianity for the rise of hospitals, leprosariums, orphanages, relief organizations, and schools because the other religions failed to see the mission to reach out to the needy as Christians did.  We must see ourselves as servants:  "For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life--a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45, HCSB).   We may have to be willing to stoop to save others:  "save others by snatching them from the fire; on others have mercy in fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh."

We must be aware that "bad company corrupts good morals" (cf. 1 Cor. 15:33) and pick our friends wisely, but that doesn't mean we have to be afraid of any social contact as if we could be contaminated by fellowship--we'd have to go out of the world to avoid sinners altogether.
Soli Deo Gloria!

Finding Our Calling

The following verses are pertinent to finding God's will for your life:

"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much..."  (Luke 16:10, ESV).

"... Well done, thou good and faithful servant..."  (cf. Luke 19:17, KJV).

"Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is"  (Eph. 5:17, ESV). 

"For I know the plans I have for you, ' declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"  (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). 

"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.  Long before we first heard of Christ, ... he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone"  (Ephesians 1:11, The Message).

"For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, ... everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him" (Colossians 1:16, The Message). 

"Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established" (Proverbs 16:3, ESV).

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death"  (Proverbs 16:18, ESV).

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand"  (Proverbs 19:21, ESV).  

"Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless."  (Bertrand Russell, mathematician, philosopher, atheist, author of the famed book, Why I Am Not A Christian).


God has uniquely gifted everyone for the ability to know His will, but it isn't an automatic given to know it, though Acts 22:14 says it has been granted Paul to know His will.  We must search for it and be willing to do it or we will never know it.  "If any man wills to do His will..." (cf. John 7:17).   Obedience and willingness are provisos to finding out God's plan.  If we are not obedient in what He has revealed, we will not be given more light.  Most people blindly go through life, the blind leading the blind, and never find their true calling--they exist, but don't live. We are meant to live for something bigger than ourselves and for something that will outlast our lives--every chord we play strikes some note that will vibrate throughout eternity, but some of us march to the beat of a different drum than the light of Scripture.  "When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD" (Proverbs 19:3).  Man ruins his life, then blames God, or he is a success and congratulates himself!

This life is but a dress rehearsal and a tryout for the real thing in heaven, or a stage set for eternity, and we are meant to find out what we are here for. People who don't know their purpose attempt too much! Attempt great things for God, and expect greater things from God!  The Bible is our Owner's Manual and has everything we need to know for fulfillment in life!   Many people live as if they will never die, and die as if they never lived, and don't find purpose until their later years!  What a pity that the common man sees nothing more to live for than the Epicurean philosophy of "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die" (cf. Isaiah 22:13) school of thought.  We are not to live just in the "here and now," but in "light of eternity," and "it ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our final day," according to commentator Matthew Henry.  We have the ability to see and expect the future, but with that comes the downside or drawback of being capable of worry.  We should never live in the past of regret, nor in the future of worry (paying dividends on bills we don't owe): These are the two thieves of our time and when we don't live life to the fullest it is usually this to blame.

Now, most people never even find out what they are good at, much less, their true calling in life: "God in heaven appoints each man's work" (John 3:27, NLT).  It is often said: "You missed your calling" with tongue-in-cheek.  The best we can hope for in life is to find out His will and plan for our lives, and it is never too late for God's best--He is in the business of changing lives and transforming them into the image of Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17, ESV). Christ is still in the resurrection business and can change our lives from the inside out--we don't just turn over a new leaf, but start afresh with Jesus in charge--we are changed from the inside out.

There is no greater joy, than in doing the Lord's work, but there is a curse on anyone who is slack in doing it (cf. Jeremiah 48:10).  The happiest people, it has been put, are those who are too busy trying to meet other's needs and make them happy, that they don't have time to worry about their own.  The sure recipe of a wasted life is to live it for yourself--get your eyes off yourself and live for God's will, whatever the calling--there are many callings, but the same Spirit (and that's what counts!).

Many people experience a dramatic conversion and their whole life turns around or heads in a new direction after finding Christ:  Look at how prison radicalized the life of Chuck Colson (dirty-tricks and hatchet man for Pres. Nixon, turned philosophical apologist for the faith), for instance! God puts us through the fires of adversity to make us better people, and no one is exempt, not even Christ exempted Himself. Our crosses pale in comparison to His and we should be aware that adversity, trials, sufferings, discipline, and misfortune happen to all of us and are meant for our good, and Christ can turn even the most diabolical atrocity into something good:  "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (cf. Gen. 50:20). God orchestrates all events, even historically, and never loses control of His Plan. (Romans 8:28, ESV says:  "And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good....")  We can do nothing to thwart His intentions and make God resort to a Plan B.

The most important link to finding God's will is seizing the day (going for it!), or carpe diem, or seeking God's will and recognizing it when you see it in the light of Scripture.  God will open doors, we just have to be ready to step into His will (cf. Isaiah 22:22).  When God opens a door, the impossible can become possible, because all things are possible with God (cf. Luke 1:37).  When I first became a believer, I didn't understand why my brothers in the Lord were so concerned about what God's will was:  "What would Jesus do?"  As we mature we have a greater desire to please God and live for Him and His glory: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever" (cf. The Westminster Shorter Catechism, ca. 1646).  "[E]veryone] who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made"  (Isaiah 43:7, ESV).  We must learn to live for Christ and not ourselves, to please others, not ourselves!

How do you know that you were not "born for such a time as this?" (Cf. Esther 4:14).  Living on purpose is the only way to live, says Rick Warren, and life makes no sense without purpose.  Life is an intricate plan of God and we are to fit into God's plans, not ask Him to fit into our plans! This is the origin of the Protestant work ethic.  When we are engaged and engrossed in God's work everything else is put into the right perspective:  "... I am doing great work, so I cannot come down..." (Nehemiah 6:3, KJV).  Motivation is primed by the right orientation:  "... [F]or the people had a mind to work" (Nehemiah 4:6, NKJV).  We want to be like Jesus at the end of our lives and be able to confess:  "... I have finished the work which You have given Me to do"  (John 17:4, NKJV).  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Introduction to Work Ethics

Jesus said, "I have... [completed] the work you gave me to do..." (cf. John 17:4)--what a sigh of relief that must've been!

Nehemiah said, "For the people had a mind to work." (cf. Neh. 4:6) What is meant by that?

I accepted a job as a file clerk for the VA. Filing used to be my bugaboo! My pet peeve around the office was that I had to do the filing, because I was the low man on the totem pole, as they say!

How God has changed me! Of course, there is extrinsic motivation like more pay and intrinsic motivations like feeling called to do a work for God for His glory. Like Nehemiah felt "inspired" to say, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down." (When on the wall of Jerusalem which was built in only 52 days.) Zechariah was also an expert on intrinsic motivation, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty."

You are only inspired as lofty as your insight, e.g., there was the story of the three stone cutters who were working and someone asked them what they were doing. The first one said that he was cutting stones, the second said he was earning 20 pounds an hour, and the third said he was building a cathedral! Obviously the last one had his eyes on the Lord.

Paul urges us to do our work likewise "heartily as unto the Lord." There is no work that is beneath us (remember Christ took up the "order of the towel"), because God is no respecter of persons; and there is no hierarchy in Christianity or class system--we are all brethren in Christ (God has leveled the playing field saying we are all "one in Christ").   Soli Deo Gloria!

Ethics Conclusion

Conclusion:

The Germans have a phrase: "Arbeit Ehrt." That means work brings honor. They also say, "Arbeit Macht das Leben Suss." (Work makes life sweet.) The so-called Protestant work ethic is part of their culture, and even when a strike takes place it is a scandal. Charles Swindoll mentions a sign outside a concentration camp (Dachau) that read "Arbeit Macht Frei" (work makes you free). That was, of course, a lie; meant to make them work all the more.

Brother Lawrence, the famous Catholic, was a cook in a 17th-century French monastery for the Lord, and he sensed God with him in all his daily activity, no matter what he did. The Practice of the Presence of God is a classic on the subject. It isn't so much what we do, but how we do it and whether we do it as unto the Lord and in the name of the Lord (cf. Col. 3:17; Col. 3:23; 1 Cor. 10:31).

There is one solemn warning in Scripture that needs mentioning: "Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness" (cf. Jer. 48:10). We must take God's work seriously and not be sluggish or slothful. Billy Graham defines sloth as the sin of doing nothing, it is the root of laziness and is one of the seven deadly sins. So let us gladly do whatever the Lord assigns us to do. We don't have to be perfectionists, just show improvement--with God perfection is the standard, but the direction is the test. "Be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect"  (cf. Matt. 5:48).    Soli Deo Gloria!

Ethics Part 3

God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, now canonized and Nobel Prize winner. Jeremiah 45:5 says: "Do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not." The Bible condemns "selfish ambition" and doesn't condone complacency. Mediocrity is not good! "Good enough for government work" is the wrong attitude. For example, changing tires doesn't define you, but doing a good job does.

Everyone has a niche or a calling from God (cf. John 3:27, NLT), whether homemaker or president and is judged only by his faithfulness to his own calling. It is not for us to compare ministries, or gifts (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12). God is more interested in what we are in a character, not as much as what we do (for a living.) I'm sick of being asked what I do for a living because God has given me a calling that cannot be defined in human terms. Only deeds done to the glory of God in the power of the Holy Spirit are to be rewarded.

Whatever our hands find to do we should do with all our might, the Preacher says in Eccl. 9:10. We should be 'redeeming the time because the days are evil" (i.e., making the most of every opportunity). We are a people created to be "zealous of good works." Col. 1:10 says we should be "bearing fruit in every good work" and thus we "increase in the knowledge of God." We all should hope to find a "labor of love" to complete God's will. We may retire from our jobs, but never from God's service!

Hag. 2:4 says, "Work, for I am with you." God is with us even in our labor--they can become a "labor of love"!    Soli Deo Gloria!

Work Ethics Part 2

The Protestant work ethic has a long history. St. Francis of Assisi was asked that if he were to die in 30 minutes what would he do. He was the gardener in the monastery and said simply, "Finish this row." (He was really ready to die, now wasn't he?)   Work is part of our being in the image and likeness of God. We feel compelled to accomplish something and feel pride in what we do. Work connects us to the world and you might say we are "hard-wired" (according to Chuck Colson) for work. "Lack of stimulating work is debilitating."

During the time of Paul's writing, there were perhaps as many as 60 million slaves in the world and work was considered a curse and only slaves should do manual labor, while the elite philosophizes, etc. Martin Luther brought honor to work by saying that all work can be done to the glory of God. During the formative years of Jamestown in 1607, Captain John Smith quoted Paul in 2 Thess. and said, "If you will [are not willing to] not work, neither shall you eat." You've heard of the 'idle rich," but those who wear themselves out 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 was worth remembering."

Everyone needs a purpose in life higher than himself. As Rick Warren says, "It's not about you." Dr. Carl F. H. Henry said, "We are creatures made for work and not for idleness." A job doesn't necessarily define us, but doing a good job does. I am sure that there is work in Heaven, too. This life is just a "dress rehearsal" for eternity according to Rick Warren, and I believe we are being prepared for something much bigger.  We are striking a note on a chord that will resonate for eternity.  In a sense, our workbench is our altar where we worship God, do all to the glory of God--Soli Deo Gloria!