But work’s good for a man, especially if he’s got heavy things on his mind… Work’s a good healer.”
–Elmer Kelton (After the Bugles)
“Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.”
“Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.”
–Proverbs 16:3 (NKJV)
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Have you ever had an evaluation on your job performance? In most places of work this is a normal occurrence. Sometimes because of a lack of work, or lack of work ethic a person get released from their job because of not doing their work, or not doing it properly. Sadly, to say this is prevalent in our society today. Mediocre work. I talked to the owner of a Chick Fil-A a few years back and asked her if she ever hired from the unemployment office. She smiled, shaking her head, answering, “There’s a reason why most of those people are unemployed. If I hired one of them, a month later they would be unemployed again.” There is definitely a lack of a solid work ethic today.
One of the things this nation was built upon was its work ethic. It was called the Protestant Work Ethic, sometimes the Puritan Work Ethic. It was based upon Colossians 3:17, 23, all our work is to be done for the Lord and His glory. Therefore, that means if you are a carpenter you strive to be the best carpenter you can be. If you are a waitress or waiter you work with a smile for you are actually working for the Lord. This concept has largely disappeared from our society. Why work when the government will pay you? Why pay your bills when the government will bail you out?
We most definitely judge work. I wrote yesterday about grace/work, and this is a valid reason works are not acceptable for salvation. By whose work standard is one to be judged? What is the job description for salvation? There can be none, for it was purchased by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. So we don’t judge salvation, that is by grace, but we do judge a person’s work. There are many Scriptures that speak to work and a godly work ethic.
So we are to work, work for the Lord and His Kingdom, but we are to also bear fruit. Some people grow only lemons, just look at their face as they go through the day. They sure are sour, and the Lord does not want that kind of fruit being produced. One of the reasons He chose you was for you to bear fruit, not wait for a handout.
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
–John 15:16(NKJV)
Bear fruit, then the Father will give you what you ask in Jesus’ name. Sometimes we get it wrong and think the Father gives to us automatically. After salvation, after being saved by grace through faith, He expects two things of us: to work and to bear fruit.
In closing today’s devotion I want you to contemplate the following from Andrew Murray.
“Have you ever noticed the difference in the Christian life between work and fruit? A machine can do work; only life can bear fruit. A law can compel work; only love can spontaneously bring forth fruit. World implies effort and labor; the essential idea of fruit is that it is the silent natural produce of our inner life. The gardener may labor to give his apple tree the digging and manuring, the watering and the pruning it needs; he can do nothing to produce the apples; the tree bears its own fruit. So in the Christian life: ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, joy…’ The healthy life bears much fruit.”
———————————–
Have you ever had an evaluation on your job performance? In most places of work this is a normal occurrence. Sometimes because of a lack of work, or lack of work ethic a person get released from their job because of not doing their work, or not doing it properly. Sadly, to say this is prevalent in our society today. Mediocre work. I talked to the owner of a Chick Fil-A a few years back and asked her if she ever hired from the unemployment office. She smiled, shaking her head, answering, “There’s a reason why most of those people are unemployed. If I hired one of them, a month later they would be unemployed again.” There is definitely a lack of a solid work ethic today.
One of the things this nation was built upon was its work ethic. It was called the Protestant Work Ethic, sometimes the Puritan Work Ethic. It was based upon Colossians 3:17, 23, all our work is to be done for the Lord and His glory. Therefore, that means if you are a carpenter you strive to be the best carpenter you can be. If you are a waitress or waiter you work with a smile for you are actually working for the Lord. This concept has largely disappeared from our society. Why work when the government will pay you? Why pay your bills when the government will bail you out?
We most definitely judge work. I wrote yesterday about grace/work, and this is a valid reason works are not acceptable for salvation. By whose work standard is one to be judged? What is the job description for salvation? There can be none, for it was purchased by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. So we don’t judge salvation, that is by grace, but we do judge a person’s work. There are many Scriptures that speak to work and a godly work ethic.
So we are to work, work for the Lord and His Kingdom, but we are to also bear fruit. Some people grow only lemons, just look at their face as they go through the day. They sure are sour, and the Lord does not want that kind of fruit being produced. One of the reasons He chose you was for you to bear fruit, not wait for a handout.
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
–John 15:16(NKJV)
Bear fruit, then the Father will give you what you ask in Jesus’ name. Sometimes we get it wrong and think the Father gives to us automatically. After salvation, after being saved by grace through faith, He expects two things of us: to work and to bear fruit.
In closing today’s devotion I want you to contemplate the following from Andrew Murray.
“Have you ever noticed the difference in the Christian life between work and fruit? A machine can do work; only life can bear fruit. A law can compel work; only love can spontaneously bring forth fruit. World implies effort and labor; the essential idea of fruit is that it is the silent natural produce of our inner life. The gardener may labor to give his apple tree the digging and manuring, the watering and the pruning it needs; he can do nothing to produce the apples; the tree bears its own fruit. So in the Christian life: ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, joy…’ The healthy life bears much fruit.”