Working Diligently

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat.

–Proverbs 13:4

Our work is our primary way of serving God. That’s true for pastors, farmers, and lawyers–God uses secular positions to carry out His work in the world. Therefore, when we’re obeying our employers, we’re obeying God Himself.

Here’s a second lesson about work we find in Colossians 3: whatever our work is, we are to work diligently. Paul wrote, “Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” (vv. 22–23). The word “heartily” means with all your heart or all your energy. Whatever job you have, do your work with all your energy.

One of the first jobs I had in high school was at a Christian bookstore. The owner was a wonderful Christian woman, but she had no inclination to relax. Her motto was, “If you’ve got time to lean, you’ve got time to clean.” We all looked forward to Thursday because that was her day off. We’d leave one employee up front to catch any customers while the rest of us were in the back room drinking soft drinks, reading, or taking a nap. But our boss had a nasty habit of making unannounced visits on her day off. When our lookout saw her car pull in, we would come scurrying out of the back room like cockroaches and start straightening shelves and dusting. We’d work hard until she left, and then it was back to our old ways.

That is exactly the kind of work Paul was condemning in verse 22 when he said not to do our work “with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” In other words, don’t just work when your boss is looking; work when he or she is not looking. Even though your boss may have the day off, God is always in heaven watching and evaluating your work–and ultimately, you’re working for Him, not your boss. That’s why you’re to work diligently, listening carefully to instructions and following through on what you’re told to do instead of making excuses.

Proverbs 13:4 says, “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat.” If you want to be successful at work in this life and be rewarded in the life to come, do your work diligently.

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Today’s devotion is adapted from “Who’s the Boss?” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2012.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.