Serve as though you serve the Lord
Ephesians 6:7 “With goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men”.
Extra Reading: Ephesians 6:5-9
We live in a world that rewards people for producing results for companies, adding value to organizations, and simply bodies rewarding excellence in performance. There are people who even demand to receive a bonus from an employer at the end of the year, even though they did not perform to standards. If someone does not get a reward, compensation or gratitude coming his or her way, they suffer from hurt feelings, resentment, even a tendency to sulk. I truly sympathize with such people, but they need to understand that not all people will be rewarded for hard work. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians encourages us to work as if we serve the Lord, not man. I admired a friend of mine who bought groceries for her maid who proved to be an asset to her family. The maid would clean window panes, bath the children, take them to the bus stop to travel to school, do the washing and ironing, make sure that the whole house is neat and pleasing to the eyes of her boss. How many of us go that extra mile in pleasing our employers? I worked with a man at a gold mining company many years ago, who would go to the toilet for endless hours Monday mornings, leaving his work to be done by others. Our foreman was not really happy with this man. And he would be the first one to complain when the company has delayed in increasing our salaries. He never bothered about his attitude towards his work. We are not supposed to sit and watch while others work. We are to render service as though we are working for God, who watches at all times. Not only does God watch, but He rewards anything good that we do (6:8). People may forget how fast you did your last job, but they will remember how well you did it. Ultimately, we all work for ourselves and for God.
We have to exercise a lot of goodwill to do our work. Laziness and slackness should never be rewarded by anyone or business. People need to realize that hard work attracts rewards and appreciation from others. People repel those who sulk and complain about their employers when they do not really pull their weight. Remember that God appreciates your efforts when you work, and He sees your true motives for doing it. Just stop for a minute and ask God’s forgiveness for seeking wrong rewards. Ask God to help those feeling unappreciated. Pray and ask God to supply your need for selfless acts. Always work towards being a competent person an employer can rely on. You will begin to feel good about your hard work as well. Remember that God rewards both employers and employees. If an employ treats his or her workers badly, God will punish him/her for that. Do not focus too much of your attention on your employer. Focus on delivering on the promise you made to your employer the first day you were employed. This will help adjust your attitude to be positive towards your work. Winners and achievers are hard workers, and not moaners. No amount of money can satisfy your aspirations. There is a lot of fulfillment in serving your employer with dignity. Let us thank God for the work we have. Many are out there unemployed, miserable and unhappy.
Prayer: O God, I thank you rewarding me when I work hard. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen!
Rev. Samuel N. Modise 
