Listening to the Holy Spirit:
Repentance is also for the workplace. A worker agrees to a task, and the master agrees to the reward of the task. Some for an hour, some for a day, but the agreement is that each receives a just share in the trade. Do you then short your master? If he were to give you even one percent less than your agreement, there would be indignation. But what of the worker who only gives ninety percent, or he who gives eighty, or sixty or less. It is he who cheats the master, and little recourse does the master have. For a shortage in a wage is easily measured, but the effort of the worker is blurred. Repent of what you have held back for your wage. If you follow My way, then you are to give much more. The way of a sluggard leads to ruin. I wait patiently for you, that My hand would not be against you. Do not cheat he with whom you have agreed. Work fully for the wage agreed upon. Give all that has been promised, for less is a sin against Me, and My eyes are not blurred. Bring the full promise to he who gives you the full wage, but firstly, for He who gives you full life. I am pleased with the labor of the righteous, and their way will be cleared before them. Serve diligently as you serve Me.
Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
2Thes 3:10-12 (ESV) – For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
Eccl 9:10a (ESV) – Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…
Taking It to Work:
It may be more commonplace than we would like to admit, but we don’t always work as hard for our boss as we might let on. Daydreaming, surfing the web, extending the lunch hour, reading and sending personal texts or emails, all erode the effort we should have applied to that hour in which we agreed to work.
It’s interesting to see the dichotomy between employee, and employer. How fast will the worker be at the boss’s desk if even an hour is missing from the paycheck? Yet, that same employee sees no harm in not putting his or her fullest into each of those hours. It is a cultural thing I suppose, as employers often overlook a lax employee, but rarely will that lax employee overlook getting shorted by the employer.
As Christians we should have values above the culture, and should reflect the integrity of Christ whom we are following, and according to scripture, whom we are also serving, along with our boss. Let’s purpose to get our effort back up to 100%, as His Word works hard in you, today.
