Topic 3

Work ethic is displaying your attitude while working. A Christian should always work as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24). “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” I know from experience that this can be hard at times. I had several bosses who said that it was their way or the highway. I had to get really creative to do the right things and give all the credit to my boss. More than once, after I left that place of employment, things fell apart. While working as a tutor or aide at an elementary school, one of the other aides would ask me if they could use my space for their class. I always work with the other aides without grumbling. After a while, one of the other aides asked me how I could be so cheerful when I always seemed to get the short stick. I told her because of Jesus. If I were like the other aides, always trying to get the best things, or at least grumbling and fussing when I couldn’t, I would not have had the chance to share Jesus. 

I always strive to do the best possible work and set my work goals as high as possible. That way, if I fall short, I still finish within acceptable parameters. If the requirement is that I do four things a day, I would set my goal on five. If I did not quite get five, four was still good. However, if I set my goal at the required four and do not quite make it, I fail. 

One of the hardest parts for me was always to work cheerfully. We all have bad days. We all have negative things on our minds from time to time. However, the Bible says in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.” We can do this because the Joy of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10) is our strength. People like to be around happy, cheerful people, not doom-and-gloom people. That includes your bosses and, if you are the boss, your employees.   

   “Remember, if you don’t understand, ask!”