Joy at Work 3

Col 3:22-24 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

If we serve with sincerity then we are being truly honest, it is about showing integrity in the way we do our work. This honesty is more than telling the truth, it involves a consistent, faithful, dependability as well as being careful in the way we use things and treat everyone whatever position they hold.  It is striking to go into some work environments such as a local school where many of the staff would say they believe in equality to note how much of a hierarchy there is. Young, new teachers may feel they get a raw deal compared to senior staff, teaching assistants often feel hard done to, but they then treat exam invigilators as inferior. They, in turn, totally ignore cleaners who are often treated as sub human species. Integrity is about valuing every member of staff as a human being made in God’s image and worthy of respect. Our work, including how we treat people is an expression of what is important to us and who we really are. Our work is not just completing the assigned task but an opportunity to show consideration for those around us.

Father, help us to work with sincerity and value all those we work with.