Examine Your work

" But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another" Galatians 6:4

Have you ever been involved in your work or some activity and the thought crossed your mind, "Why should I do extra? No one will notice." In my current job I find it coming up again and again. Then I came across this verse-Galatians 6:4. In context with the rest of the chapter or verses 1 through 5 we are being instructed to help those who are weak and have fallen. Bear each other's burdens. Don't think too highly of yourself. And take responsibility for yourself and your brothers in Christ.

The above verse tells me that I need not worry if others notice my work. I should be able to take the fact that I did a good job with the best of my ability as my only reward. It is easy to state this, but a lot of times I have to work on this attitude. The best way I've found to adjust my thinking is to see my labor as my responsibility and none other. This would show my employer that as Christians we can be trusted to get the job done. And in turn maybe hire other believers or better yet, become a believer themselves.

On God's Time

In this post I would like to offer some hint of the way
we should conduct ourselves in the workplace. So that
we may not damage the witness we desire to be. The one
thing that never ceases to amaze me is how a believer
who is trying to please God and witness to his
co-workers can habitually show up for work late.
Employees and employers know that this will sometimes
happen, but I have noticed that some Christians make a
habit of dragging in late almost everyday. You can
rely on them always to be there, but in their own
time. I had one older brother tell me years ago that
when he was younger his boss started work at a certain
time but had him coming in 30 minutes earlier. When he
asked his boss why, he answered that he could count on
one thing about him. That was that he would be late
everyday at least 30 minutes. That put him at work on
time.

Do we seriously believe the Lord is pleased with this
attitude? How would we feel if all of our prayers and
blessings from God where always late. Our witness of
God would be like this: "My God answers prayers all
the time. Always late, but hey, better late than
never. Right?"

This attitude of serving our employer at our own convenience
usually spills over into the church. I find it easy to
make it late to services. Surely it's different than
work, I don't get paid to go to Church (Or do I?) But
lately I've seen that it's not a matter of distraction
that keeps us tardy but an attitude that we're get
there when we get there. The whole world moves around
us and "if " we make it at all, those waiting should
count themselves blessed that we did.

I cannot picture the Lord Jesus as being late for
anything. He was accused of being late for Lazarus but
they found out different. God the Father told Him to
wait on arriving in Bethany, but I'm sure He was never
late getting to the carpenter shop or the synagogue.
The whole life of Christ was spent being on God the
Father's time and not His own. If we are to walk as
Christ walked, should we also live our lives on God's
time and not our own?

And remember; "Servants, obey in all things your
masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service,
as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing
God. And whatever you do, do it as to the Lord and not
to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive
the reward of the inheritance; for you serve (work
for) the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:22-24

This is a re-post from 2005

Mind Your Own Business: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

King James Version
11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

The Message
Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You've heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurls. we want you livinging in a way that will comand respect of outsiders, not lying around sponging off your friends.

The Amplified Bible
11 To make it your ambition and definitely endeavor to live quietly and peacefully, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you;
12 So that you may bear yourselves becomingly, be correct and honorable and command the respect of the outside world, being (self-supporting,) depend­ent on nobody and having need of nothing.

On sharing of these verses we should know that Paul was trying to teach non-jews how to live a christian life. Mostly Greeks who before had a lose lifestyle. Like the early colonist of Jamestown (USA), some wanted to just enjoy their new freedoms and soak it all in. The story of Jamestown sayes that Capt. Smith told all of them that if they did not work they did not eat. This really came from the Bible. He's not talking about people who want to work and can not find a job, but those who see work as beneth them. I have been in management and have had those we've hired, work really well until they were eligible for unemployement benifits and then started being late every day and worked really bad. Forcing me to fire them.
These verses encourage us to work and mind our own business. All for the purpose of having a good witness to those who do not share our beliefs. The work Christ does in us should produce the perfect worker.
Some may ask, how does this become a witness for the Lord. When you do your best and your boss gives you a compliment, you will be able to reply,"It's because of Christ in me that I can do what I do". That will bring glory to God.

Temp #43: Attitude Towards Co-Workers

"Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:22 but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire."
Matthew 5:21-22

In reading this verse I am reminded that I need to watch what I say about people at work. In an environment where decisions don't make sense and very anti-family and just anti-common sense, I tend to refer to those making the decisions as stupid or idiotic. But here Jesus tells us not to call others Raca. Which most all teachers of scripture agree means empty-headed or useless person. How being subject to the courts applies to use is unknowable since we have no such laws against speaking these words. We must assume that if Jesus spoke of us being liable to , back then, earthly courts then surly we are liable to a Heavenly court. But weather liable or not, just because the Lord said not to do it is enough to warrant compliance.
In context this passage is in the "Sermon on the Mount" which deals a lot with judging others and our attitude to those over us. We seem to be told to put our trust in those over us as a sign of our right relationship with the Lord. I suppose if those over us make a mistake and it affects us negatively, then we must in turn trust the Lord to work it out to our or His benefit. Again the Kingdom of God is not about me but Him who rules it. Trust, what a wonderful attitude.