English: Icon of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Devotional/Discussion Thought of the Day:

⁵  Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. ⁶  Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. ⁷  And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God. ⁸  Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free. ⁹  Masters, it’s the same with you. No abuse, please, and no threats. You and your servants are both under the same Master in heaven. He makes no distinction between you and them.     Ephesians 6:5-9 (MSG) 

When I made you a present of that Life of Jesus, I wrote in it this inscription: “May you seek Christ. May you find Christ. May you love Christ.” These are three very distinct steps. Have you at least tried to live the first one?

At first, the scripture passage from Ephesians and the quote from Josemaria may seem dissonant, or at least unrelated.

But as I consider this particular Monday morning, they resonate completely.

It is easy, as an employee or the boss, to view our work from what benefits me, that its all about me getting done what I need to get done.  We will do a good job at work, but only if we get the wage we feel we deserve.  We wil only work as a team, if we get our reward for the job well done, and not the blame when others on the team fail to work hard enough to get the team’s goal accomplished. If we are the boss, it’s easy to expect people to go beyond the average and do their best – without our having to invest ourselves in them.

The answer to being a good boss, or a good employee (and some of us are called to be both) lies not in ourselves.  It is found in Christ, it has to be, we have to trust Him.   For the one who believes and trusts in Christ – this is our core value.  This relationship with God is how we define ourselves.  It is what gives us the strength to both know the truth, and to be honest about it.  Without knowing this, how can we address our own faults, be honest and work sacrificially, and in th best interests of those around us?  How can we find the humility to serve, and the strength and patience to work through things.

It is only in trusting Christ, it is only in seeking first His mastery, His reign, His Kingdom, that this can happen.  It is only realizing that He is the one we answer to in life – and that His standards are far different and far higher than our own, or those of our earthly bosses.

Look at Christ – the best of servants – who gave up everything not for His own success, but for the success of those who failed the Boss.  Look at Christ the Boss, who trained His servants to the point they were willing to die to achieve that which Christ wanted – the reconciliation of the world.

Believers – seek Him first, find yourself in His presence! Know His love for you…. and work with Him by your side…

Godspeed this Monday.

Escriva, Josemaria (2010-11-02). The Way (Kindle Locations 966-968). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.

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