We all so easily split our lives into categories. For example, Christians can split their lives into ‘Christian things’ like going to church and reading your Bible and ‘non-Christian things’ like going to work and changing nappies. But it’s not quite so neat in real life. Being a Christian should affect everything we do, including our work.
The Bible says quite a lot about the workplace, but usually about slaves and masters (as in Ephesians 6:5-9
). In our modern age we are paid for our labours and free to leave, but the idea of working under someone in authority is the same. The temptation is to slack off and work hard when we are being watched, while the temptation for employers is to work our employees too hard and reward them too little.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 that Jesus is our real boss. We need to work as if we are working for him, not our real boss with all his failings. So we need to obey our boss with sincerity, even when he is not around. God will reward you, even if your current boss does not.
One thing we need to watch for is making our work the reason we live, what gives our life purpose and meaning. Jesus is not just our real boss, he is the one who gives us purpose and meaning. Looking for this in work will only leave us disappointed. We need to work hard, knowing it is in Jesus we will finally find fulfilment and rest.
(Based on ANPC Sunday teaching, 2 May 2010 
).