Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

Ephesians 6:5-8

The idea of bondservants is foreign to us these days, but most of us have, at one time or another, worked for someone else? Little has changed in some ways. Who would have thought that for two thousand years the workplace has featured the problem of people who work by “way of eye-service, as people-pleasers.”

You know the type. When the “boss” is around, people-pleasers look busy and try to find a way to impress. When the boss is away….. Some of us are the type.

What kind of worker are you? If asked, what would your co-workers say about your work ethic?

Paul describes a servant’s attitude in his letter to the Colossians

Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 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

• Do your job with a sincere heart. A servant of Christ does his/her job with integrity.
• Work heartily. A servant has enthusiasm for his work because he ultimately works for the Lord.
• Serve Jesus Christ. Working for someone else is not always fair. Employers are sometimes difficult, but Christ will reward a servant’s heart in the workplace.

What will change today if each of us applies this principle of serving at work today?