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Good Morning! The word "serve" means "to be subordinate to another". Another definition is "to be subservient". Its primary definition is "to perform duties in the employment of". The Bible word serve or servant is an Old English term used for the modern English word "EMPLOYEE".

In Bible times families grew quite large, with many children not even leaving the families home until the age of 40 and often, even then, living nearby, they worked and lived together as one. As a result the families would have many hired servants. These servants were not slaves. A slave receives nothing more than their bare necessities in exchange for every ounce of their energy. A servant however, could have been and often was a well paid staff person of these large family units. These families, with many sons and daughters who would have many, many more sons and daughters would need multiple handmaidens, a family doctor, teachers, cooks and a myriad of other servants roles. Some of which may have even been downright slave labor as well.

With that truth in mind we recognize that we have been called to serve Christ, even though we may hold secular employment. Colossians 3:22 tells us that we as servants (or employees must obey our masters (our employers) "according to the flesh" This verse is telling us that as Christians, we may be employee's of the Lord, but we are going to be delegated to human authority. And God expects us to please them in all we do for them, for Him. Paul goes on to teach us that this servants role cannot be with "eyeservice, as menpleasers". This is a form of service that is more than "when bossman's watching you" or to "just make the big guy happy!" It's a much more dedicated role than that. He calls us to a dedicated service that expresses itself with "singleness of heart, fearing God".

Singleness of heart means "sincerity in your thoughts". Whew! How hard is that? Here is what he is saying. "I want you to serve me, a perfect God, by being willing and wanting to serve flawed human beings on my behalf and while you are doing it, I want you to not only do nothing wrong, but to THINK nothing wrong!"

That's much easier wished for than granted! How do we serve in such as way as this? He goes on to say that we do so by first fearing and second by doing everything from the heart with zeal. Here is how he explains it: "in singleness of mind, fearing God. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men."

So we see a formula being created by the Apostle Paul that will guarantee us a success that serving mankind could or would never bring. If we serve our flawed leadership (boss or husband, employer or customer, parents or preacher) with a heart of zeal, rejecting negative and pessimistic thoughts we will fulfill this command. The character quality that this requires is a "fear or respect" for your ultimate Employer, the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, we need to meditate on the fact that we are not doing what we are asked the way He asks us to do it because our employer is right, sweet, godly, correct, cooperative, kind, and easy to please or any other myriad of wishes we would want before we would give such unselfish, silent and submissive service. We are serving this error proper leader out of respect for the One who placed them over us, the Lord Jesus Christ, our true Master/Employer in life!

Now what are the benefits of such unselfish service to flawed men or women on behalf of Christ? The next verse tells us: "Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance". The word "of" is best defined as "belonging to". Thus the reward that we will receive for "serving our God given leadership in an unselfish and subservient way" will be an inheritance that "belongs to the Lord". It is His to give. It is our inheritance in heaven, which fades not away. Why will we receive such a reward for such service? His final word of exhortation to us, His employed workforce, is "for ye serve the Lord Christ."

This inheritance belongs to Christ, it is given to Christ, by God, to distribute as He may see fit. It is not the inheritance of eternal life. For that is not predicated on our service to Him. But we rather learn that our service on earth will not generate the reward OF heaven but actually it will generate our rewards IN heaven". Many people like to think that when they get to heaven they will have a mansion waiting for them. Oh, it may not be as big as some, but we all get mansions! Right? Wrong!

Jesus said "in my father's house ARE many mansions", alright. But He did not say that you or I are getting one. Such homes are not an automatic reward. A mansion is a reward, one of many rewards, for unselfish service on behalf of Christ to those whom He delegates us to serve.

No, all He has promised to prepare for you or me is a "place". Now realizing we are all getting some sort of "place" in heaven, where do we go from there? Our choices are to "take whatever we can get", or, better yet "to get whatever we can give"!

When we "do" unselfish service toward man on behalf of Christ with a right frame of mind of sincerity" we will please your "Heavenly Employer". He always pay's you back. It will come someday, far, far away from that sometimes worthless workplace! It will be a heavenly home. Thus, the only question that remains will be "when you get to heaven and trade this home for that home, will you be 'stuck' downsizing"?

Just think about it! Oh, and while you are at it. Remember this: if you please God, your true Master/Employer, then you will surely please your earthly employer, who is sure to reward your efforts here.

And if you are the type of employer God wants you to be, then you very well may find your boss finding Christ as Savior as a result of your work ethic. Then maybe he will be living up there right next door to you. Now, don't think about that! J

A PRAYER FOR TODAY: "Lord, help me today to recognize my potential to my home or workplace if I would be willing to serve You unselfishily, rather than mankind in a sefish way. Lord, you know the struggles I have in my role at work (or at home). I need your strong conviction in my meditations if I am going to overlook my perceptions. I need the strength of your Spirit in my spirit to cause me to reject my normal negative, pessimistic, critical and competitive thought processess. I know that thinking has gotten me nowhere and does not show you the respect you deserve as my Master/Teacher/Employer. Please forgive me for looking at You through the view of flawed mankind. Help me to look at flawed mankind through the Vail of You. I pray this is the bloodstained name of Jesus, Amen!"

A QUESTION FOR TODAY'S MEDITATION: "Is my thought life helping or hurting my chances of daily victory? Really think about this question today and when you do, answer it honestly. If you really think negative, competitive, critical or pessimistic thoughts toward those you serve or those who serve you, do you really think that you will experience victory? Why not? Becuase "I didn't think so!".