Beating The Monday Blah’s

Monday and I have not been on good terms for years.  We have an understanding that we need to make the best of an awkward relationship but I can tell you, we don’t exactly thrive on each other.  I’ve always resented Monday for being the one who never asks my opinion before shooing away my weekend.  Maybe it’s because Sunday is my favorite day of the week and always has to leave when Monday shows up…I guess I’m a little bitter about the whole set up.  Most of you begin a work-week on Monday and I’m going to give you the counsel that Scripture gave me today.  Here’s what we should think today:

“Slaves, 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 servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man.” – Ephesians 6:5-7 {ESV}

Now, I’m fairly confident that no true slaves are reading my blog but some of you may feel like one when you go into work.  Paul’s words here are well applied to the Christian employee who serves a boss or a company forty hours or more a week.  Paul tells us to show reverence (fear and trembling) as we obey our superiors.  Some of you are smarter than the people you work for but they have the position.  Some of you are older, wiser and more capable than your boss…but he or she has bigger office.  God’s word tells you to give your boss two things today: a salute and a smile. This isn’t some bitter-root, sarcastic patronization of your boss that is required; no, Paul qualifies the obedience as needing to be accomplished with a sincere heart.  He also indicates that you are to offer such a quality of service that it is worthy of Christ, not merely pleasing to people.  What makes this little passage binding is that Paul indicates that all of this is “the will of God” which should be done with all your heart.  The end result of your observing this passage of Scripture at work? You will end up rendering service with a good attitude because you are doing what you are doing for the Lord.

This is the type of passage that reminds you that worship is not relegated to Sundays.  God wants your job to be a purposed act of worship.  In effect, we are being told to remember that we work for His glory.  Yes, He is at work with you each day.  Your commitment to Christ is being called upon to be lived out wholeheartedly at your place of employment.  we could protest that where we work might be a miserable, hostile environment, therefore we are exempt.  Seriously?  Paul is writing his original letter to slaves, some of whom might have had brutal masters.  Let me offer an unpopular thought:  your place of employment owns you for whatever hours you have agreed to work.  They pay you each week to give them the very best you have to offer.  What a benefit they have in that they have hired you, a child of the King, who knows that only the best service can be offered by Christians.  They have a treasure in you.  They do…don’t they?

Beat the Monday blah’s by infusing your faith into your job.  You are an Ambassador for Jesus Christ so don’t tuck your faith between the pages of your Bible and let it it sit at home until Sunday.  Look for ways to openly represent Jesus at work.  Please don’t be obnoxious or weird about your faith.  Just be real.  And helpful.  And kind.  And loving.

And by all means, work your fanny off for the glory of the One who has given you a place to represent Him.