Does anyone have the perfect job in which they are completely fulfilled and all their natural talents are utilized and appreciated? Not in this life. Happy is the person who can spend as much as half his work on things he loves and feels competent at.
Seek to Serve
For many of us, our labors of love only make up a fraction of the work we do. For me, the rule has been that what I love to do tends to get smothered under a rock pile of administrative and troubleshooting tasks. It’s not what I envisioned when I first became a chaplain. I yearn to share
God’s word and use my gifts to bless others. But my personal experience has been akin to a plant that’s been overlaid and smothered by a slab of concrete. It has to struggle desperately to find a way, through a crack in the sidewalk, to breech into the sunshine and bloom to the glory of God. It isn’t easy, but the Scripture encourages us to seek such opportunities to serve God and others.
However, the Scriptures also encourage us to serve God through each day, relentless tasks which life seems to have assigned us. Consider Paul’s admonition to slaves who were Christian believers.
“Slaves, always obey your earthly masters. Don’t obey them only while you’re being watched, as if you merely wanted to please people. Be sincere in your motives out of respect for your real Master in heaven. Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real Master and not merely for humans. You know that your real Master will give you an inheritance as your reward. It is Christ, your real Master, whom you are serving” (Colossians 3:22–24, God’s Word).
Attitude Matters
In other words, take seriously the work that you may not like, but which God Himself has assigned to you. Do it as service to God, not to man.
How else could a slave possibly serve God? He didn’t make his own schedule, choose the jobs he liked, or have the freedom to embark on missionary journeys. He was his master’s personal property. His every minute, hour, and all his days belonged to his master.
But there was something he could do. The slave who was a believer could change his attitude. He could look beyond his earthly employer and dedicate his toil as service to his heavenly Master. He could strive to be so good at his servitude that he would honor God by his stellar performance.
So seek those precious opportunities to serve others and God. But never forget that you can also serve God through the labors that must be done as part of your employment or duty in the military. For it is Christ, your real Master, whom you are serving and who will reward you for your faithfulness.
PRAYER:
Dear Father in heaven, please open doors of opportunity for me to serve You in the church and chapel. But, should the demands of my employment or my government service consume all my time, then help me to glorify You through my labors. For, truly, it is not what I do that makes my work sacred or secular. It is why I do it. Amen.
In article photo: Marine helps Afghan child with juice box by Marines licensed under U.S. Gov Works
