Do Your Best No Matter What

Scripture:
Ephesians 6:5-9 (NIV)

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Devotional:

Every once in awhile we reread a bit of scripture that does something it hadn’t before.  As you read over the words something jumps out at you.  The words are nothing new.  The message is the same as it was.  For some reason it just hits you.  

Today I am reminded that it doesn’t matter who I work for.  My job really doesn’t matter.  Ultimately I am responsible to God for my job.  In essence I am not working for my boss here on earth.  I am working for Christ.  Even if I dislike my job and or my boss I still need to do my best.  I need to keep my attitude and actions that are in accordance with how Christ would want me to be.  Going to the office may seem like a chore.  It can be really difficult when our focus is wrong.  How I am treated, or others are treated, is irrelevant.  What my tasks and duties are is irrelevant.  What is important is that I always do my best.  That I keep my attitude positive and that I find the joy of Christ in all things.

This is not necessarily an easy task.  When faced day in and day out with drudgery, or hardships, or whatever it is you face, you can lose sight on what is important.  It is all too easy to get caught up in the attitudes and ways of this world.  When we do that we lose our focus and our attitude will reflect it.  It becomes easy to believe we are above it all and deserve better.  It becomes about me and what I get out of it.  It will then show in all areas of our lives.  But we can prevail.  We can keep our focus on Christ.  We can arise above ourselves, and our inward focus.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit we can keep our focus on God and His righteousness.  Then our bosses and jobs really do not matter.  It becomes about what I can do for Christ, not what I can get out of it.  President Kennedy once said “Do not ask what your country can do for you.  But ask what you can do for your country.”  To take this one step further when faced with a boss you do not like, or get along with, and your job is bad, do not ask what you can get, but instead ask what you can give.  Change your focus from inward to outward and your boss, job, or circumstance just might not seem so bad.  Remember this one thing, whatever you do, do your best at it.  Not for your boss or anyone else, not for yourself, but do your best for Christ…