Who's the Boss?

For we are God's fellow workers: you are God's field, God's building.

 

-- 1 Corinthians 3:9

 

The old saying goes that if you love what you do for a living, you'll never work another day in your life. That's when an ordinary position becomes an extraordinary passion. So are you one of the fortunate few who are thrilled with their job--or do you tend to keep one eye on the time clock and live for the weekend? TGIF indeed!

Whether you love your career or you're just hanging in there for the paycheck, the Bible has something important to say about it:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart," advises the Apostle Paul, "as working for the Lord, not for men..."

In other words, whether you're the CEO of a multinational corporation or a 9-to-5 ditch-digger, you should do your job for the glory of God. That means you should consider the office as much a place of worship on weekdays as church is on Sundays.

That's often easier said than done. After all, churches are filled with Christ-followers--or at least people checking out the faith. And they've come from miles around to hear the pastor's message. On the other hand, the workplace is where spiritual discussions are usually avoided to prevent offending and alienating fellow employees. Who wants to be known as the office Bible-thumper or so-called Jesus Freak?

But revealing your faith in the workplace doesn't have to mean distributing Scripture tracts in the break room. You can instead show God's Spirit at work by consistently doing your job with excellence and enthusiasm, demonstrating honesty and integrity, and by going out of your way to serve your coworkers. They'll notice the difference. And if someone asks you for your secret, be prepared to tell them!

As Christ-followers, God wants us to be the light of the world--and that world includes our places of employment. Whatever you do for a living, the workday is an ongoing opportunity to show Him in action through you.

Yes, it's OK to thank God it's Friday. Just don't forget to do the same on the other six.