Reading
The word of Christ must live in you richly. Teach and warn each other with all wisdom by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:16-17 (CEB)
Reflection
A few years ago, there was a funny viral trend where people shared their answers to the prompt, “Tell me what you do for a living without telling me what you do for a living.” Through witty clues, people would describe their jobs without saying their actual job title. For example, “I sell paper glued together with words on them” would be a bookstore owner, or “I look at unborn babies and talk to their parents” would be an ultrasound technician.
Many of us can relate to how stressful work can feel at times and this trend brought some humor to that reality. Oftentimes, work can be a source of stress in our lives. On Sunday, Pastor Brandon opened with a joke about the saying “Thank God it’s Friday,” and how we never say that about a Monday. He then followed it up with the truth that we can, in fact, find happiness at work.
The source of happiness comes from God, not our work. And yet, as Pastor Brandon mentioned on Sunday, our work is a part of God’s work in the world. No matter the title you have, you have the ability to shine God’s light in the world around you through your work. You can help do God’s work through your job no matter what you do – whether you manage other people, work face-to-face with people, or even behind the scenes. In the scripture today from Colossians, Paul reminds us that whatever we do, whether in speech or action, we can do it in the name of Jesus. That includes our emails, meetings, lessons, conversations, and even the unnoticed tasks of the day.
What if, instead of using witty clues about our work, we reframed the trend to reflect how our jobs are part of God’s mission? How might you describe your work through that lens? As you close out your devotional time today, try writing a short description of how your job is part of God’s mission.
Prayer
Gracious God, help me to see my work through your eyes. Show me how even my smallest tasks can reflect your love and grace. May your praises be sung through my work. Amen.
