Not Earthly Rewards, But Christ

I know some people that have some pretty demanding jobs.  They are on call a lot.  They have many different people demanding attention out of them.  They work long days and sometimes nights.  They deal with many different people’s emotions and needs.  They work with little budgets.  Some of them work for pay, some work as volunteers and some do a little of both volunteered and paid work.  All these people are dedicated to their jobs and the things they represent.  They are focused on reaching people for the Lord.  They aren’t necessarily all working from a church office.  They aren’t necessarily spending hours studying God’s Word and preparing a message to preach from their church’s pulpit.  Most of them work jobs outside the church.  Some work for non-profit organizations and some work regular jobs.  The key is that they all work their particular jobs focused on Christ.  They use their jobs to expand the Kingdom of God.  They work hard and do things right.  They put effort and skill in to their jobs.  They work as if they were working directly for their boss, God.  They ask Him to reveal opportunities for them to witness or to help someone in need.  They find ways to help disciple others in to closer relationships with God.  At the same time they keep doing their job, so they don’t bring shame to their Lord.  Some have turned down better paying jobs, to stay where the Lord has placed them.  They see their jobs as a ministry and a calling and have passed up earthly rewards that might come from pursuing a career.  If they do earn descent money they may even turn right back around and re-invest in to God’s Kingdom work.  As a result they miss out on the blessings of their financial rewards that others might experience from their jobs here on earth.  It’s a choice.  Read what Paul advised the Christians in Colosse:

Colossians 3: 23-25

²³ Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴ knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord—you serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.

Are you working your job enthusiastically for the Lord?  Do you pay more attention to whether you are meeting the bare minimum standards man wants you to meet?  Do you serve men or the Lord on your job?  What choices are you making on the job?  If you are doing the right thing on your job and focusing on God, don’t worry you will be rewarded.  You may miss out on the promotion or the pay raise or the extra hours off work, but you will not miss out on God honoring you for your faithfulness towards Him on the job.    What an encouragement it is to know that seeking to please God will pay off in eternity.  You must hope in the rewards you will gain because of Christ in your future, and not let the struggles on the job here get you down.  So remember you are not going for Earthly rewards, but Christ.

Not Earthly Rewards, But Christ

I know some people that have some pretty demanding jobs.  They are on call a lot.  They have many different people demanding attention out of them.  They work long days and sometimes nights.  They deal with many different people’s emotions and needs.  They work with little budgets.  Some of them work for pay, some work as volunteers and some do a little of both volunteered and paid work.  All these people are dedicated to their jobs and the things they represent.  They are focused on reaching people for the Lord.  They aren’t necessarily all working from a church office.  They aren’t necessarily spending hours studying God’s Word and preparing a message to preach from their church’s pulpit.  Most of them work jobs outside the church.  Some work for non-profit organizations and some work regular jobs.  The key is they all work their particular jobs focused on Christ.  They use their jobs to expand the Kingdom of God.  They work hard and do things right.  They put effort and skill in to their jobs.  They work as if they were working directly for their boss, God.  They ask Him to reveal opportunities for them to witness or to help someone in need.  They find ways to help disciple others in to closer relationships with God.  At the same time they keep doing their job, so they don’t bring shame to their Lord.  Some have turned down better paying jobs, to stay where the Lord has placed them.  They see their jobs as a ministry and a calling and have passed up earthly rewards that might come from pursuing a career.  If they do earn descent money they may even turn right back around and re-invest in to God’s Kingdom work.  As a result they miss out on the blessings of their financial rewards that others might experience from their jobs here on earth.  It’s a choice.  Read what Paul advised the Christians in Colosse:

Colossians 3: 23-25

²³ Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴ knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord—you serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.

Are you working your job enthusiastically for the Lord?  Do you pay more attention to whether you are meeting the bare minimum standards man wants you to meet?  Do you serve men or the Lord on your job?  What choices are you making on the job?  If you are doing the right thing on your job and focusing on God, don’t worry you will be rewarded.  You may miss out on the promotion or the pay raise or the extra hours off work, but you will not miss out on God honoring you for your faithfulness towards Him on the job.    What an encouragement it is to know that seeking to please God will pay off in eternity.  You must hope in the rewards you will gain because of Christ in your future, and not let the struggles on the job here get you down.  So remember you are not going for Earthly rewards, but Christ.