Work for His Kingdom

James 2:14-17

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Work can be difficult. When I was in college, I worked a few different jobs. One of the jobs that I had for a few months was at a car dealership. A member of my home church was the general manager at the dealership and was able to get a job for me there, but it was difficult. Sure, I was driving new cars around and customers cars that needed repair or maintenance; but I was working 8-5 from Monday to Saturday. And I almost never left before 6:30 PM. I was working almost 50 hours a week. The only day that I had off was Sunday.

The other job I had in college was working at a movie theater. That was a great job, I got half-off on concessions – so I could get a bucket of popcorn for only $40! But I also was able to see at least one free movie per day. If there were seats open, we could go watch for free. It was a good job and I had a lot of friends that worked with me! But my first day was awful. I’d never worked a POS system before, and never had a real customer service job prior to that, and the managers put me in the box office on my first day. On a Friday. It was absolutely insane, and I was constantly asking the other employees how to do coupons and other things in the system. They were so frustrated with me until I told them it was my first day. Then they were dumbfounded.

Both of these jobs had ridiculous parts. And we all have difficult parts of our job. I won’t say that any job is always easy. Some jobs may be more difficult than others in some ways, but every job can be hard. In both jobs that I had, some of the situations I was put in were ridiculous. But I continued to work there. Why? Because I needed to. There are always times when you may hate your job, but you continue to do it. Why? Because you’re responsible for yourself and others, and the job that you have and do provides for your needs and the needs of your family.

If we are willing to work so hard, sometimes through tough parts, for our jobs on earth, why don’t we work harder for God’s Kingdom? The work that we do on earth is and can be important, I won’t deny that. But working for the Kingdom of God is much better, and far more significant. What can you do for the Kingdom of God? Can you work harder for God’s Kingdom?

Reflect

  1. Are you working as hard for God’s Kingdom as you do in your job?
  2. How can the work you do on earth benefit the Kingdom of God?

Pray

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gifts and abilities you’ve given me to work and provide for myself and others. I pray that you would help me to grow closer to you and to use my abilities for your Kingdom. I pray that you would give me the passion to work for Your Kingdom and that my faith would not be dead, but that my faith would be energized by the work that I can do for you. In your name I pray, Amen.

Philip Wines, May 22, 2020
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