Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
— Colossians 3:23–24
“What do you do?”
This is the question we most often ask someone when we meet. But perhaps the better question is Who do you work for?
I don’t mean your employer. I mean your boss.
Chances are, your boss has a lot to do with whether you love or hate your job. Who you work for makes all the difference, which is why Colossians 3:23–24 are such key verses. Understanding who we are working for changes the way we work. Here’s how:
Validation
When we do our work for the Lord, we know that our work has purpose, meaning, and that he will use it for his glory and our good.
Appreciation
When we do our work for the Lord, we know that he appreciates our service, that the work we do is valued and recognized.
Compensation
When we do our work for the Lord, we are promised the reward of our inheritance.
Our reward is not the result of our work, but of our salvation. Our reward is not the earnings of our work, it is the prerequisite for it. This distinction is critical: Understanding that you already have an inheritance from the Lord (based on his work and not yours) will motivate you to joyfully work for him. In a very real sense, you have already been pre-compensated.
Whether you love or hate your job, doing your job “heartily, as for the Lord” will bring a whole different dynamic to it. Rather than being controlled by your day-to-day circumstances, you will find a joy that transcends the temporal, and you can experience what real work was meant to be.
So, who’s your boss?