CHARACTER PROFILE: YOUR WORK ETHIC, PART 1
Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart . . . .-Ephesians 6:5-6 (NKJV)
Have you ever stopped to consider how much we're at work? The average person will spend approximately one-third of his or her lifetime at work. If someone starts working at age eighteen and averages a forty-hour work week until age sixty-five, he or she will work a total of 97,760 hours. A lot of our lives takes place at work.
This also means that the workplace is one of the primary places where our character is demonstrated and seen. Moreover, the way we work says a lot about our overall character. There's an ethic that we, as Christians, are supposed to work by, and it's spelled out for us in the passage above. In order to have Christ-like character at work, we need to work according to the following guidelines.
We need to be obedient to those who are in a position of authority over us. This means listening and complying with our bosses' instructions. But, Pastor Bob, you have no idea who my boss is. Telling me to obey him is like telling me to obey the devil himself! No, your boss is not the devil. In fact, our bosses are actually Jesus. Jesus is in complete control of every aspect of our lives, which means He has ordained our workplace as well as our employers. Well, if Jesus is my true boss, then I don't have to break much of a sweat, right? Wrong. God's Word also tells us that because we work for the Lord, we should be all the more motivated to be "on" all the time, not just when an authority figure is present.
When we work according to this work ethic, we can be confident that God will richly reward us, no matter what our position or title is.
. . . knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. (Ephesians 6:8 NKJV)
Discuss the importance of a winsome work ethic. Share with your group the best job you have ever had and why it’s your favorite. How did your love for that job affect your work ethic?
Dig into Ephesians 6:5–6. Why did Paul believe it was so important for the Christians at Ephesus to understand this? What should be the proper condition of our heart as we go about our work? What is the connection between what our hands do and what our hearts believe? How does this passage change your view of your current job?
Decide as a group to pray for one another’s witness in the workplace. Intercede on behalf of each other, asking God to be glorified in your places of employment. Also take time to pray for those in your group who are in need of work.
