Work Ethics

[00:00:20] Greetings again, and this is Become A Competent Biblical Counselor. And I'm Dr. Dave Jones,

[00:00:27] and today's episode is entitled Work Ethics. Work Ethics. So I got this letter, and this is how it

[00:00:35] goes. My job is getting to me. The boss doesn't appreciate my efforts. I might as well goof off

[00:00:43] like some of the other employees do, for all he cares. But somehow, as a Christian, I think that

[00:00:49] would be wrong for me. What do you think? So, there you have it. Well, you exactly know what's

[00:00:57] true about that matter, don't you? This letter makes it very clear that you recognize that God

[00:01:03] requires more of you than others require of themselves. As a matter of fact, the question

[00:01:09] of how you work, and how you look at your work, and how you look at your job, is not a matter of

[00:01:16] how others do, or how you even feel about it, but what God tells you to do about your job. You know,

[00:01:24] many times, bosses or fellow employees, or others for whom we work, or with whom we work,

[00:01:32] do not appreciate what we do. Sometimes, a conscientious Christian will work extra hard and extra long,

[00:01:40] and do the job with extra effort, and nobody seems to care. Indeed, sometimes because you work harder,

[00:01:49] more responsibility is thrown on your back, and less appreciation is expressed, and things seem to get

[00:01:56] worse and worse. Well, so what does a Christian do under those circumstances when sometimes he even

[00:02:03] gets to the place where he almost feels like a slave, let's say, in his job? Well, he considers the

[00:02:11] fact that God says things precisely to slaves, and it is to slaves that some of the greatest words about

[00:02:19] work are spoken. Let's say you really were a slave, owned and run by someone else, your life not really

[00:02:28] your own. Listen to what God says in Colossians 3, verse 22. Slaves in all things obey those who are

[00:02:37] your masters on earth, not with external service as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of

[00:02:44] heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,

[00:02:53] knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. And then this great

[00:02:59] statement, it is the Lord Christ whom you serve. It doesn't really matter what your boss thinks. It

[00:03:07] doesn't really matter whether he's appreciative or not. You're not really working primarily for him.

[00:03:14] You see, that's what Paul says, even to a slave who might be abused, who might never be appreciated,

[00:03:21] who might be completely ignored, never have a word of encouragement or appreciation spoken to him

[00:03:27] throughout his whole life. Paul says it really doesn't matter. It has nothing to do with how you

[00:03:35] work. Your job was not given to you by that master. Your job, your work, was given to you by God. And so

[00:03:45] work for God, you work to please God. And because you work for God who does appreciate you and does care

[00:03:55] for you, then you know that what you're doing is going to really count. Listen again to what he says.

[00:04:03] Don't work with external service. That is, don't sweep the dirt under the rug and make it look good

[00:04:10] when you know really you haven't done the job well. Don't cut corners. Don't do it in such a way simply

[00:04:18] to please your boss or your master, those who please men, he says. But with sincerity of heart,

[00:04:25] work as fearing the Lord. That is, know what your job really requires and do it to the full extent

[00:04:33] of your ability in the way that you know will please God. Even if others never know about what

[00:04:40] you stuffed in the back of the files. Even if others never know the way that you swept it all under

[00:04:46] the rug. God knows. He sees that dirt. He knows what's going on in your life. He knows the responsibilities

[00:04:54] that you have been shirking. And he's the one for whom you're working. Now, the second thing he says is

[00:05:02] when you work, whatever you are called to do for him, don't do it half-heartedly. But whatever you do,

[00:05:10] do your work heartily. As for the Lord, you can't serve the Lord with half of your strength

[00:05:17] and half of your mind and half of your interest, taking the rest of your work time for yourself,

[00:05:24] cutting corners on coming back to work an hour and a half late. You can't do that kind of thing.

[00:05:30] Even if the boss does let you get away with it. Even if the rest of the employees around you

[00:05:36] take advantage of the situation. You are not working as they are. You're not working for that company,

[00:05:43] that boss primarily. You're working for God who gave you this job. And so, you're going to work with all

[00:05:51] your heart. You're going to put in a full day service. You're going to put in an honest day's work

[00:05:57] because you're working for God, not for men. And then finally, he says,

[00:06:04] knowing that from the Lord, you will receive the reward of the inheritance.

[00:06:08] You see, nobody ever may say a word of kindness to you about the extra effort you've made,

[00:06:14] about the wholehearted work that you've done. Nobody may ever say anything to you about the way

[00:06:20] that you sweat and the work after hours, even when you've helped others when they fail to do their job.

[00:06:28] Nobody may ever say a word here, but there is one someday who will hand you not the paycheck that's

[00:06:35] spent before you even get it, but the one who's going to give you the eternal reward,

[00:06:40] the reward of the inheritance of eternal life. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

[00:06:46] And so, you see, that's the slogan to keep in mind. That's the verse to keep in the back of your head.

[00:06:55] That's the verse that when others are discouraged and when others goof off and when others don't care,

[00:07:01] just say to yourself in those times of disappointment, I'm not serving that boss.

[00:07:06] I'm not doing what others do. It is the Lord Christ whom I serve. It is the Lord Christ that you serve,

[00:07:14] knowing that, serve him well. Let's pray. Lord, we do ask that we may live and serve in all of our work

[00:07:23] at home or elsewhere, not to serve men or to gain their approval, but rather to hear the words,

[00:07:30] Well done, you good and faithful servant. For we pray in his name in whom we serve. Amen.

[00:07:37] So take that to heart with respect to your work. Look at life from God's point of view. He gave you that

[00:07:44] job. He will take care of you in that job. Honor him for what he's done in persuading the decision

[00:07:50] of the person who hired you, put you in that position to earn an income for your family.

[00:07:56] Be thankful for God that he has a plan for you where you are. I hope this blesses you and

[00:08:02] you have a wonderful day.