“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” (Col. 3:23-24).
Colossians 3:23-24 makes it clear that every task we perform is ultimately for the Lord. In this passage, the Apostle Paul reminds us that our true Employer is not the company that signs our paychecks, but God who in His sovereignty orchestrates every detail of our lives according to His perfect will. Every position we hold, every task we undertake, can be viewed as a temporary assignment from the Lord Himself. We are His workers, sent out to do good works, to be lights and blessings wherever He places us for however long He assigns us. Our job titles and positions, however prestigious or humble they may seem, are merely temporary roles and assignments given by God. He is the one who places us where we are according to His own will and purposes. The idea of being a “Temp” reminds us that our current roles, no matter how long we may hold them, are but temporary. We will one day have to leave them behind. Just as we would take care to return a borrowed item in better condition than we found it, so too are we called to leave our workplaces and roles better than when we first entered them.
Christ called us the “light of the world” (Mat, 5:14), a role we fulfill by reflecting His love, wisdom, and grace in every sphere of life. Wherever God places us, whether in a position of leadership or as a team member, we are to be a blessing. This means bringing creative solutions to problems, managing resources and people with love and integrity, and seeking to bring order out of chaos. Just as God, in the beginning, brought order out of the chaos of the void (Gen. 1), so too are we, made in His image, called to be agents of order, creativity, and reconcilers in our assigned workplaces.
Joseph found himself in various positions throughout his life—from a slave in Potiphar’s house to a prisoner, and finally, to the right hand of Pharaoh. In every situation, Joseph served faithfully, and God used him to bless those around him, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Joseph’s faithfulness and God-given wisdom brought prosperity and peace, not only to his immediate environment but to entire nations. In the same way, wherever we find ourselves, God calls us to be instruments of His grace and truth, bringing His light into even the darkest of situations.
Our God is a creative God, and He has endowed us with the ability to reflect His creativity in our work. This means we should approach our tasks with innovation, seeking new ways to solve problems and improve processes. It also means we are to manage our resources—time, talent, and treasure—wisely and with a heart of stewardship. Our work should be marked by excellence, not as a means to self-glorification, but as an offering to the Lord, knowing that He sees and rewards what is done in secret (Matt.6:4).
There will come a time when our assignments in this world come to an end—whether through a job change, retirement, or the ultimate call to our heavenly home. The key is to finish well, having fulfilled our God-given tasks with faithfulness and integrity. The parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30) reminds us that God will one day call us to account for how we have managed the responsibilities He has entrusted to us. May we hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21, ESV).
If we fear God and do our work for His glory, remaining faithful to the trust committed to us in our job, we should not fear the loss of our employment. Our ultimate work is for God Himself, and He will take care of His own. He knows our gifts, skills, and talents better than we do, and He understands precisely how we need to grow and be sanctified using our jobs to challenge, discipline, and refine us. When our current assignment is complete, He will reassign us according to His will. This truth should comfort us as Christians and bring us great peace and freedom from fear of the future. We are part of the most high, powerful, and glorious celestial union, organized and maintained by our righteous God. He cares for His workers and seeks to do us both temporal and eternal good when we seek to please Him in all our work.
