Friday, March 5, 2010

Who's Your Boss?

While reading through "Life Principles Bible by Dr. Charles Stanley; Life principle 4, I was captivated by what it said. It is amazing how so many times we can read something over and over and then one day it finally sinks in! Well it did this time. Perhaps due to the Daniel Fast, I'm finally able to comprehend more; or more likely, I'm ready for it. After all, it is all designed by His time.

The title for Life Principle 4 reads: "The Awareness of God's Presence Energizes Us for Our Work. (Deut. 20:1) (S.C., 2005)

Dr. Stanley goes on to talk about three way s one can get the most out of the work you do. One being as seeing yourself as a servant. Col. 3:22 "Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God." Matt. 20:25 "Jesus came to earth not to be served, but to serve--and He instructed us to adopt the same attitude."

When we are at work, we should do our very best no matter the circumstances. Dr. Stanley wrote: "A prideful employee is seldom seen as a 'promotion possibility.'"(S.C., 2005) If we do our work thinking we know it all and can do better than others, we aren't doing our job to the best of our ability. We aren't serving our real Boss!

So who is our real Boss? This is where the second way to get the most of the work you do. "Realize that you work for the Lord Himself."(S.C., 2005) That's right, no matter where we are working, who we are working for, our real Boss is always the Lord. Col. 3:23 "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.

I like what Dr. Stanley had to say about how we need to give a "full days labor whether we think management is fair." That is because we are working for the Lord in reality.

Then came the best part of this Life Principle. Our Pastor has talked many a time about being a part time Christian--yes, guilty sometimes of this very thing--but do you go to church Sunday and Worship and then go to work Mon. - Fri. not giving the Lord much thought or perhaps not at all? Do you practice what the Bible teaches while at work? And then spend Saturday as a day of play, and then back to church on Sunday to Worship; and the circles continues?

If we look at daily life in a worldly fashion and not in a Godly manner, then we are not fully doing our work. We must include the Lord everyday in all that we do. When we worry more about how our supervisors, managers etc. see us, and not how the Lord sees us, then we aren't giving our all.

The third way to get the most out of your work is: "Realize your pay comes both now and hereafter."(S.C., 2005) Dr. Stanley explains that we naturally need to be paid while doing our work her on earth in order to survive; but you aren't going to get paid all you are worth here. But if we put in our all while here we will be greatly rewarded when we go home. Remember, our Boss is watching every move we make. If we show Him the respect He deserves, do our very best and include Him in everything we do, our reward is going to be unmeasurable.

And the very last paragraph and sentence asks and answers some very good questions:
Do you see yourself as a servant? Do you consider Him your real Boss and work
"as unto the Lord," no matter how menial or boring your job might seem? Have you
realized that you have a tremendous reward coming later for faithful labor
performed now?
If so, you are getting the most out of your work. (S.C., 2005)
This came at the perfect time--of course--as I've been dealing with what I do, and realized that I need to change my ways. This all started about a week ago. So much is being revealed lately and then I read this and wow! Talk about a "hit-you-in-the- face moment!" I won't go into detail, but I've realized lately that I need to change the whole way I've been acting and going about things and need to ask to be led, instead of being that bullheaded self that I have a tendency to fall back into. This Life Principle was the icing on the cake so to speak.

I love His perfect timing, how He opens our eyes at the right moment when we need it the most. Since coming back to the Lord, I can't imagine life without Him. Nor do I know how I did it without Him. Well, yes I do. He was always there; just waiting for me to come back. Because when I look back and think about it, I shouldn't be here today. I actually did die once and came back.

Miracle? You bet. It wasn't my time yet, it was a moment that He used to tell me something. It just took many years to realize it. Worth it? You bet! Hubs and I both have many a great testimony to tell. A bunch of hogwash? No way! There is no other explanation for what has happened in our lives. It's all right there in the Bible. it all explains the answers to what has happened over the years. Granted some of what we have to testify to is embarrassing, but if it will help someone, then it was all worth it.

But that part is for another whole new post. I'm so full of ideas once again!!! Lately, it's been like writers block for me. But that's because I was going through another dark moment in life. That's okay though, because each one opens more new doors, chains are broken, healing happens, and eyes are opened! Yup, God Is Good All the Time!!! Be blessed all.

Reference:
Stanley, C.F., 2005. "Life Principle Bible: New King James Version." Copyright 1982 by Thomas
Nelson, Inc.

1 comment:

Karen said...

Amen...God's perfect timing...always good!