Today’s reading is Colossians 3:1-4:18.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him…Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:17, 23).

Whatever I do. That doesn’t mean half of what I do, some of what I do, what I do on Sundays, what I do when people are watching. It means whatever I do. I know that second statement was written specifically to slaves, but I can’t help but see the connection between the two verses. Further, I can’t help but think the second statement doesn’t only apply to those ancient slaves.

Whatever I do, I must do it in the Lord’s name. I must do it by His authority. I must do it by His power and empowerment. I must be confident that I can look at Jesus and claim, “Lord, I’m doing this because you have granted that I can and should. I know you are happy that I’m doing this.”

Whatever I do, I must do it heartily, as for God and not men. I’m walking through life. I do things for family, friends, neighbors, brethren, employers, the government. Who am I really working for? Who am I really serving as I live. I’m serving God. I can’t help but think of Daniel who did his work well, without any neglect. Why? Because he knew he was working for God.

Whatever I do, I’m serving God.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is II Corinthians 12:1-13:14.

Perhaps because I recently read The Way of the Shepherd: 7 Ancient Secrets to Managing Productive People and was really convicted by one point about serving people, I was slapped in the face this morning as I read II Corinthians 12:15.

The point in The Way of the Shepherd that really hit me is that a hireling only takes care of the sheep as a means to a paycheck. The shepherd takes care of the sheep because he loves the sheep. II Corinthians 12:15 says, “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.” Paul wasn’t a hireling. He wasn’t just focused on getting the tasks done so he could get his wages. He cared about the Christians. He cared about their souls. Whether he got paid or not, he would spend and be spent to serve others and help them on the path to heaven.

I don’t want to paint myself as a despicable hireling (though if I were rigorously honest…), however, at the same time, I can see that tendency in me. It is not so much that I preach for the money. But rather, as a Choleric, I’m naturally task-oriented. I see my work as just that…work. It is very easy for me to see what I do as a series of tasks to be accomplished because that is my job. Write a sermon…check. Prepare a Bible class…check. Put up a blog post…check. Visit someone in the hospital…check. Write a thank you note…check. Tell me what task I need to accomplish today and I’ll do it because that is my job. Sometimes I can lose sight of the fact that my work isn’t about tasks. It is about people. It is about lost people. It is about struggling people. It is about growing people. It is about all kinds of people. But first and foremost it is about people.

It is not about putting in a day’s work to get a day’s pay. It is about folks who have been held captive by the devil and need freedom. It is about spending and being spent as we work together to overcome the snares of Satan and follow Jesus’ strait and narrow path to freedom. 

Today, instead of working for my paycheck, I need to “spend and be spent for your souls.” I need to do that not because it is my job, but because I love and want to serve others as Jesus loved and served me.

Pray for me about this. It doesn’t come naturally to me.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?