Do Mondays make you want to growl like a tiger or hide your head under the blankets? The rest of the weekend is gone, the hectic pace of the week kicks off. This week’s busy schedule and long hours may have you searching for motivation. If so, here’s encouragement, and a slight challenge, from the Bible.

Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”

Work is often viewed as a burden. Long hours, difficult tasks, and daily responsibilities can leave us exhausted. Yet, Scripture reminds us that our work can be an act of worship.

Encouragement

Our work today will not go unnoticed. We will impact someone by what we do today. It may seem like a small and insignificant task to us, but it could be the one reason someone else has a good day. It may be answering a customer’s question, ensuring a shelf is fully stocked, emptying a garbage can, or writing a news article. Our work today will be noticed by someone.

We may have a boss that is oblivious to everything we do, but our work today will improve someone’s life. The question we answer may help a mom find medication for her newborn. The shelf we stock may help a senior citizen not have to worry because she won’t be able to come back to the store until next week. The trash we empty will help someone have a cleaner environment. The article we write will help our neighbors better understand our community. Today’s work will be noticed, which brings us to the challenge.

Challenge

This verse challenges us to work as if we were working for the Lord rather than people. We’re challenged to do everything in faithfulness. We’re challenged to work as if we’re serving the Lord, because we are. Our actions at work today could have eternal significance. They could help someone else better understand grace or see Jesus in a way they never have before. Whatever you do, do it in a manner that brings glory to God.

Today, whatever task is before you, do it with excellence and gratitude. Remember that your ultimate audience is not your employer, your neighbors, or even yourself. You serve the Lord, and nothing done for him is ever wasted.

Thanks for reading.