My father taught me how to work hard. Hard work was one of his highest values. Since most of his work was outside, in construction, the summers were always his busiest times. In the winter, he’d make artificial fire places and sell them from home. I can still remember customers coming over to buy them, and Dad and I loading them on his truck to deliver them with three feet of snow on the ground. In the summer he was up with the sun and often would not come home until it went down. He was always proud of his work and would often take some off his fee if the customers would let him sign his work. Since his work was in concrete, it was fairly permanent. The Longhorn bar in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska is often one of those jobs I refer to. After over half a century his signature is still there. On the North side of the bar, It says, “Duro Stone 1954 – Charlie Larsen.”

Paul teaches us that all the work we do should be done in such a way that we too would be anxious to sign it. There is no work menial or insignificant in God’s eyes. Everything we do has value when it’s done with the right motive. It’s a noble and honorable effort when we contribute to society and the world at large to make it a better place to live in every possible way. The contribution we make, whether in cleanliness, creativity, production, organization, motivation, education and every kind of service imaginable all contributes to the welfare of society.

The believer knows that even the most meager contribution in the world in which we live will be rewarded by the Lord himself in eternity. Addressing servants, Paul exhorts them to work hard “not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart.” Paul goes on, “whatever we do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.”

Chuck

“You are serving Christ…” Colossians 3:24