Map It – Colossians 3:23 – Work Heartily

The Bible verse for this week’s class at Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Study is Colossians 3:23 which is related to the topic of work in the book, “Limitless Life” by Derwin Gray.

Here is Colossians 3:23 from various Bible translations.

Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters.  New Revised Standard Version

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.   Good New Translation

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.                                      New King James Version

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.    New Living Translation

Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men.                             Revised Standard Version

It is always interesting to me to compare different versions.   I get a clearer picture of the meaning of the passage by pondering different translations.

They all begin with “whatever you do” or “whatever your task”.  There is a saying in my family that all honest work is valuable.  I wonder if that folk wisdom was derived from this Bible verse.  Whatever a person’s profession, career or job, it is valuable to God.  In my family, we have had a variety of occupations, such as:  accountant, seamstress, factory worker, cook, secretary, firefighter, custodian, programmer/analyst, National Park ranger, assistant post mistress, nurse, teacher, pastor and stay-at-home mom.  Whether a person has a blue collar job or a white color job, that work gives a person dignity before the Lord.  A person may work outside the home or inside the home or juggle both, but each job is valued by God, no matter what the task or how insignificant it may appear to other people.

Some people work in churches in an official capacity such as pastors, secretaries and custodians.  Each one is important to the running of the church and in God’s eyes.  However, there are many volunteer jobs that are also worthy before the Lord.  There are people who are visible on Sunday mornings such as the greeters, ushers, musicians, scripture readers and communion assistants during a worship service.  However, there are also more invisible roles to play.  The ladies of the Altar Guild prepare the communion table and make sure that the sanctuary is ready for the worship services in many ways.    There are volunteers who work in the office folding and assembling bulletins and newsletters and counting the offering after Sunday services.  There are the parishioners who take care of the property, the landscaping and watering the plants.  There are the teachers who teach people of all ages.  There are those who work in the kitchen and prepare for the fellowship and coffee time after the services.  There are volunteers who work on committees and the church council.  My list could go on and on.  In God’s eyes each one of us is important.  He values the work of each.  Each one of us, in our own way, contributes to the good of the community to which we belong.  And God is pleased.

A point that Derwin Gray makes in his book, “Limitless Life”, is that all work is sacred not just work related to church and church activities.   We may think that sacred work is only church related.  However, the truth is all work is sacred.  We are all contributing something positive to our families, friends and the communities in which we live.

The next thought in Colossians 3:23 is to work heartily, do it heartily, work willingly, put yourself into it, work at it with all your heart.  I have experienced and witnessed hard work, diligence and dedication to work in my family and in my life.  There is a great feeling of satisfaction in doing one’s best.   I think God knows this about us and that is why He directs us to work and do it with all our hearts.

Sometimes in our work, whether on the job or at home, we encounter difficulties, sometimes related to people sometimes related to circumstances, and we are disheartened.   The words of Colossians 3:23 encourage us to believe that God cares and wants us to persevere in our tasks even when the way is rough.   We are to work as though we were working for God.   When times are bad, we are to look to Him for strength and courage to persevere despite setbacks and roadblocks.  We look to Him for guidance and with the hope that He will provide a resolution to our difficulties in time.  When times are good, we are not to rest on our laurels but still continue working hard giving thanks to God for all our blessings.  Always He wants us to remember that, ultimately, we work for Him.

The conclusion of this passage is found in Colossians 3:24.

Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.  NLT

Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what he has kept for his people. For Christ is the real Master you serve.  GNT

Yes, God promises us a reward.  Perhaps we will be rewarded with advancement or a new career opportunity or perhaps we will stay in the same job until retirement.  Whether we receive earthly reward and recognition or not, God promises us an inheritance as a reward.  That means we are His heirs and heiresses through Christ our Savior.  This is an all surpassing reward that no earthly reward can match.  Let us continue to serve our master, Jesus Christ, with all our hearts, everyday of our lives.