Will Work If Perked
If you live in a metropolitan area, you will see people standing on corners holding various signs. They might say, "Will Work For Food" or something similar. One person was at least honest and the sign said, "I Need A Beer, Not Work." Ironically, because of his honesty that person probably received more money than the others did.
Many of the others only wanted a handout or a beer, but tried to appear to have a genuine need and the work ethic required to fulfill the need if given the opportunity. If you offered them a meal or a job you would get many excuses why they needed cash and could not work right then.
In America, we have gotten our work ethic a tad bit twisted and now we do not work for food or housing, we work for perks. We want regular bonuses, appreciation awards and for sure yearly raises. Having a corner office with a window, an expenses account and a company car are not bad either. Of course, these are corporate perks, but you know what they are in you particular line of work.
Now, what happens if you do not get these perks? Well, other than moaning, we may start having more sick time logged and projects somehow just do not get finished as timely as they once did. All sorts of other negative behavior may manifest all justified by the lack of perks and getting what you deserved. Somehow, having a job and a paycheck are not enough any more.
Now, let’s look at Christian service. It seems to have crossed over from the secular world and into our church work. Just the facts that we are saved from Hell and on our way to Heaven are not enough. The pastor better recognize me regularly from the pulpit or he is not getting much out of me. I should get the Member of the Month award regularly as well as a dinner in my honor once a year. I should be a teacher and of course, get the Teacher of the Year at least every other year. We don’t want to make it obvious that I am perfect. I should be noted as the best giver in the congregation and if I sing I should have a solo at least one service a week. If I am a woman, then my husband better be Chief Deacon or Chairman of the Elder Board and I better get all the attention due me. The list could go on for a long time, but you get the picture.
What happens when these perks are not given? First, we have roast preacher at every opportunity. We cause a filibuster on every item during business meetings. Our giving and our attendance become sporadic. Of course, that means that our responsibilities that we took on are carried out by someone else while we pout at home or are out looking for a church where we are appreciated. The deacons become lazy and the teachers dull and boring. We just do not feel the love or Spirit in the church anymore. We just outgrew that preacher and we cannot get anymore from him. He must be backslidden and not studying.
Even worse, God takes a big hit because he is just not blessing us according to the needs of our lifestyle. He just does not understand our needs or what we have to put up with serving at that ungrateful church. He forgets that we are the most spiritual persons in that church and they do not recognize our gifts and wisdom. God is just so fortunate that He has us to keep that pastor and deacon board straight. I just do not know what He would do without us there. Oh, really? Let’s look at God’s viewpoint.
Luke 17:7-10
7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things, which are, commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. (KJV)
We forget that we are bondservants. Aw, let’s get politically incorrect. We are slaves. We are bought with a price and we are not our own. (I Cor 6:19,20; 7:23) We have no rights. There is no union steward, no EEO committee, no ACLU for the Christian. God owns us lock, stock, and cookie barrel. He owns us through creation and he twice owns us through redemption. He has a monopoly on us.
That drives us Americans nuts for sure, but it is a fact all the same. The good news is that He loves us and gives us better than what we deserve since He normally gets very little back in return on His investment. Indeed, most employers would recommend having us fired in a heartbeat if God consulted them. Stock investors would scream to have us sold immediately since our value is less than a failed dot.com.
God appeals to our own common sense in Luke. If our slave/servant/employee were working in the field all day and came in at dinnertime we would not tell him to sit down so we could feed him. If it were a part of his job to cook for us, we would expect our meal in a timely manner. We would want him there to wait on us and when we were finished and retired to the TV room or to bed then he could eat. When his job or responsibility was complete then his time is his own. Some of us might let him eat with us depending on our relationship with him and tenure of service, but most likely this would be a normal scenario even in our more enlightened and civilized times. We still have executive dining and wash rooms so as not to have to mix with the riff raff. Rank does have its privileges, you know.
It is a strong negative in the Greek that you would not thank your servant for doing this. Why? Well, depending on the arrangement, you are paying him a salary or providing room, board, medical, etc. This is where we went wrong in America. We pat someone on the head when they show up to work on time. Why? They were hired to show up at 8 AM, so if they do they are only fulfilling part of what they were hired to do. Hopefully, a good contract or terms of employment were established that said if the employee does this then the employer would do such and such. If both are keeping their end of the bargain there is no need for pats on the head or thanks. They are fulfilling their responsibilities. When either goes beyond the terms of the contract then rewards and thanks might be in order.
It might be hard to tell when this happens. Say your job is to sell widgets. If there is not a minimum quota given to you then your job is to sell all the widgets you can. If the average widget seller sells five thousand a month, but you easily sell ten thousand a month do you deserve an award or thank you? Well, not really. All you are doing is what you were hired to do to. Now, if the company gives you a bonus or pay raise as a thank you that is fine, but you do not have a right to get it nor are they required to do so. Therefore you should not get mad if you do not get anything. You were hired to sell widgets for a certain salary. Are they still giving you that salary? If so, they are doing all they said they would do and if you are selling widgets than you are doing all you are required to do. The fact that you are better at it than your colleagues does not matter. Remember the parable of the workers in the vineyard who came in at varying parts of the workday and all received a day’s wage? (Matthew 20:1-15) You would have less heartburn, anger and bitterness if you would look at your job this way. Your blood pressure might even go down and you might avoid a cardiac moment.
What does the Lord say that you are to say about yourself even if you sell fifty thousand widgets a month? You are an unprofitable servant because you have only done that which was your duty to do. You did not go above and beyond the call of duty because you only did your duty. Imagine you saved a co-worker by using the Heimlich maneuver. Well, that is your duty as a fellow human being and even more so if you are a Christian so don’t be mad if no one gives you a humanitarian award.
When I worked for K-Mart right after college, I was only making about $3.60 an hour. My job duties were very broad, but there were still some things that I was not required to do. Once, I was in the warehouse and saw that several trashcans were overflowing. I emptied them and put new liners in them though that was not one of my required duties. Little did I know that one of the assistant managers was watching me and apparently had been for some time. He could not comprehend why I did some of the things that I did since I was only part-time with low pay and few benefits. My only answer was that if I worked for K-Mart then I might do a lot less considering the pay and benefits. However, I worked for God and He expects more from me and His benefits are tremendous. Well, that blew his mind, but he never questioned again why I worked harder than I needed to for the company.
I admit that I have to remind myself of that reality from time to time as I see people who are less qualified get promoted over me and are paid higher wages for doing less work than I do. Lately, I have to remind myself that a lot and this lesson will help me and I trust you as well. Indeed, if my nourishment depended upon accolades, I would have been dead long ago. Now, let us apply this to our church work.
If you are bought with a price and not your own, then what is your duty? Your duty is to exercise your gifts to their fullest extent thus pleasing the One who bought you. So, if you do that do you deserve an award or praise from God or men? No, you are only doing what it is your duty to do. So, if no one in the church from pastor to pew warmer ever applauds you or seems grateful for what you do it does not matter. Your duty is to God who will reward you in His time. (1 Cor 3:4; Heb 10:35; 2 John 1:8; Rev 22:12) Work for Him and you will have less heartburn and heartache in your Christian service as well as your secular employment.
Some of you are thinking that I believe it is wrong to show appreciation or give awards to people. No, it is not wrong. God gives us many blessings. People should show love and gratitude. What I am saying is that should not be the motivation factor in our work or service nor a demand we give God and men in order for them to get the best service we can give them. Give all you can and the best you can, but remember that is your duty. Anything less is dereliction of duty and you cannot go beyond the call of duty when the call is to do all you can. God’s grace and love are so great that he can use unprofitable servants like us. Let us praise Him for His many benefits that we do not deserve and stop our whining!
