Monday, September 27: Works!

As we age, it is interesting what minutiae seem to fill our brains, with childhood memories surprisingly being the most vivid. Some of those memories for me are the family trips to see different Walt Disney movies. Returning from the theater, I still remember my Dad singing the songs with us. “Whistle While You Work” from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was one of our favorites. Work is the event that fills the majority of each day, and the majority of our lives. Though there certainly are times when we become weary in our work, it should be a labor of love.


The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work, yet that success is relative. Unfortunately, most of us place too high of a priority on financial success. Instead, we should look at our jobs as opportunities to let our lights shine for the Lord, and measure our success accordingly. God places each of us right where He wants us to be. Though we tend to complain about work, we should be tireless workers for God’s kingdom, regardless of pay scale, location or difficulty.

Pray like everything depended on God. Work like everything depended on you.” --St. Augustine

Yet we understand and acknowledge that our works have nothing to do with our salvation. When Jesus died on the cross, He said, “It is finished,” reminding us that He accomplished all the work on our behalves to save us. Instead, our work as believers is to glorify God. As Christians, that work should include helping believers and unbelievers. While God desires to use us in the spread of the gospel, we also can glorify Him by edifying other members of the body of Christ. The Greek word for “edify” comes from the root oikos, meaning “to build.” Just as in construction, building is a process that begins with a strong foundation. Not until that foundation is laid can a building begin to take shape. Jesus is our firm foundation, and He desires for us to encourage, teach and love fellow believers through His gift of ministry and our edification.


For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 6:10-11

Any work that we accomplish on God’s behalf should not be for reward, or even a pat on the back. There is no greater joy than operating in the gift(s) that God has given you. Yet as we can see from the verse above, God remembers our work. Rather than desiring earthly accolades, we should revel in the fact that our work brings pleasure to God. Our focus never should stray from the work that Jesus accomplished on the cross, which gave each of us eternal life. His job involved an inordinate amount of pain and discomfort, culminating in death. As Christians, there should be no job below our station or too uncomfortable. Roll up your shirt sleeves, get your hands dirty and serve others, diligently. And along the way, be ready for God to perform miracles in the lives around you!


remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,
1 Thessalonians 1:3