2 Steps to a More Effective (Christlike) Work Ethic

I heard a good Labor Day message this past weekend. 2 Thessalonians 3: 6-13 described ways to make my work effective and I reflected on ways to apply it to my life. I also realized that I could be lacking in my work ethic if I did not use the principals raised in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians. Now, this message could apply to our Christian walk as well as how we perform our daily jobs or interact in our communities. Using the two principals can help you make your work more effective as well.

               

1. Inventory the reasons you work. There are two reasons to work:  earn an income and to provide meaning. Earning income helps you meet the needs of yourself and your family.  Creating meaning includes providing for others and honoring God. Consider that whatever you do, as a Christian, you should be doing it to please God. These two realities should provide motivation and desire to do your best and provide resources for your employer, a means for your families and give honor to God. Taking a look at those who count on you to provide for them, write them down and reflect on it.
2.  Establish the right attitude. Working isn’t just punching the clock and meeting the bare minimum. That would conflict with part of the first principal of creating meaning. Demand excellence of yourself and give your best effort. If you are a supervisor, provide this motivation to your employees.

People who have good work ethics learn to manage time, limit distractions and provide great products and services. They don’t waste time in vain arguments about politics, religion or other distractions. They focus on good relationships and contributing to the organizations vision. This ethic can be applied to all aspects of community and profession. Doing otherwise may indicate that you take advantage of your work and coworkers. You get pay (not earn) that you do not deserve. Strive to earn your keep, make your way, do an honest day’s work or whatever proverb you might be familiar with. Directly apply the concept of working for your pay and food and dedicate your volunteering, profession, hobbies or other activities to doing the right thing. Your reward is your pay, meaning and having the right attitude.

Keep your promises; they are counting on you

When you make a commitment to support your local church, charity or mission, the benefactors are hopeful and expectant. Nothing is more counted on than the proclaimed financial and personal support. It takes teamwork to meet goals, just one member not doing what is hoped for can lead to an empty feeling of a failed mission.

Proverbs tells us that delayed hope causes a heart to be sick, but fulfilled desire is the tree of life.

What would happen if a loved one asked us to meet them for a picnic. "Go to the pavillion and I'll meet you there in an hour. I'll bring the food, bring some drinks."
You show up and wait for hours only to be stood up. It's an empty feeling.

That same feeling comes about when bills can't be paid by churches, volunteers don't show as expected for charity events and resources aren't provided to our missionaires. These expectations might be budgeted based on promises or pledges. When time comes to donate or serve, the pledger doesn't come through.

Consider what you pledge carefully and prayerfully. If you 've made a promised to pray, witness, love or serve do it immediately. If not, you risk delaying hope. People count on you to do well.

Where's my Bible?

I travel frequently and usually depend on the Gideon International to provide Bibles for my room. I've been fortunate to open my bedside table drawer and find a copy there ready to be read. Nothing gives me more comfort than to see the red or blue bible bible waiting to be read.

This latest trip was different. My hotel didn't have a Bible available. I started to fret because I was really looking forward to it. Now I was wondering if I would have to go without reading it and hi-tail it to Books a Million, WalMart, Lifeway or some other bookstore in the morning.

Great news though, my Verizon Droid2 has an Application for that. As much as I dislike reading from a small screen, I was ready to do what was necessary. Just for kicks I decided to go to my phone's ap marketplace and look up free Bible Aps.

I ended up downloading Bible.IS. This was an incredible find. The ap allows me to easily and quickly select chapters and verses (1 Samuel 9-12 if you are curious). The background and text color scheme is real easy on the eyes.

The best feature by far is that it has an audio track. The quality is great and the dramatic reading includes background music, different actors for voices, and a very professional sound.

I am glad I found the Bible.is ap. I hope you will consider using it as well.

Invitation please

Luke 13: 22-35

One of those listening to Jesus as he went about preaching asked Jesus if indeed going to be only a few saved. Jesus confirmed this with an excellent example of those trying to enter a house if it were already closed.

This story makes and excellent evangelical tool as it touches on people’s desire to be included in something important. I would say spending eternity with God as that all important membership which one should belong. This person probably asked to be sure of what it takes to be include, or maybe they were concerned about their own eternal security.

Many people who are turned away from Heaven will try to negotiate their way in. Those to whom Jesus referred said “We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and though has taught in our street.” Signifying that they had associated with Jesus, but never accepted him as their savior. It is entirely to believe that Jesus lived, but not acknowledge him as the son of God. Many people will learn the difference too late. Some more modern examples of what people might say to Jesus include:
“Jesus, I know who you are, do you remember me?”
“Jesus, I heard about you in Church once and I gave some money to the poor”
“I’ve never done anything bad in my life.”
None of those statements makes a difference. The only thing certain to let you in the gates is declaring Jesus as your savior. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the father except through me”. There is no other way into heave.

I remember once in my youth my friends and I were playing a dangerous gang. After one of my friends got into a fight, we all decided that was a cool thing to do. We invited a rival neighborhood to a fight in a remote location. Everyone showed up on time and as we walked from one end of the field to the other I began to recognized some familiar faces…football players, popular students and other influential people in our school. I just looked at my friends and said, “we’re dead”.

They were there to fight and I was like, “hey, aren’t you in my sister’s class?” “I’ve seen you around school,” and other distracting sayings to get their minds off the task of beating me down.

Though I tried to develop some kind of relationship, it did not work. I had shown up to fight, putting all other friendship opportunities aside. Just like those in Jesus’ story, my feeble attempts at friendship was a last ditch effort to save myself some pain. Though we never ended up fighting, they saw right through me.

It’s not enough to hear about Jesus, do good deeds or attend church. Christ is looking for a restoration. He wants to be reconciled with humanity. Many people will try to get to heaven, but only a few who belong to Jesus will make it.

If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your savior, please do so while you can.

God's kingdom

Luke 13:6-21

Jesus taught that unless one is born again, they can not enter into Heaven. It is the sin that condemns us to all die, but Christ that gives eternal life. Why would we not share this good news to all? For all are appointed to die, but Christ allows us to live.

Jesus taught that the 18 who died when the tower fell on them not as a result of their sin, but simply because we were all destined to die. Jesus went further to demonstrate God’s love for us. As we can never be perfect, there is only one thing to do with something that bears bad fruit; cut it down.

I have heard people describe those who did not pull their weight as “oxygen thieves.” That seemed harsh, but just. Those who did not due what they are trained to do or paid to do are hurting the rest of the team. The same is the death that we all deserve because of our sin.

The good new is, just like the gardner in the Parable of the barren fig tree, Jesus wants to groom us to produce. “this one is not an oxygen thief, let me work with him, give him water an food and he will grow. However, if after I’ve had my say and he still denies me, then you may cut him down. Jesus is ready to save us from our sins, we just have to respond.

Soon, Jesus is again teaching in the synagogue on a nice Sabbath morning. While there a crippled woman who had not been able to stand for 18 years walks in. Jesus is moved to heal her. What a time to celebrate and praise God’s faithfulness and goodness. They had just witness another miracle.

What do they do instead? “Hey, it’s the Sabbath, no healing! You should have waited for another day to work.”

That showed the eroding condition of their hearts. The religious leaders loved their position and power. They openly “suffered” for God, putting up with poor people and forcing everyone to obey rules. They did not understand God’s new covenant or his love and desire to save his people.

I am reminded of people I encounter in my profession. I work in safety and security; a highly regulated field. On one occasion I witnessed a co-worked rightly pursuing why a fellow employee was not wearing their protective shoes. They had spent a significant amount of energy chastising employees who were not in the proper protective equipment. However, they did not take into consideration that the employees had just shifted to administrative tasks and were no longer working around an injury hazard. This person was so focused on rules and routine and not on the opportunity to realize that the other employee had made a good decision.

Sometimes our positions and power take us out of the relationship building business. We use rules and regulations to validate ourselves or increase our power. This is not the intent of rules. Rules are there to provide order and protection. The Pharasees used their positions to gain validation and power. Instead of building up God’s Kingdom, they worked to tear it down.