[Best of 2011] #6 Hello, This is Peggy

By Allen White

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. Ephesians 6:7-8

I took my son with me to Stop-A-Minit the other day. I was desperate for a Coke. He needed a treat – an Icee in this case. We also picked up a treat for his big brother.

As we waited in line to check out, the cashier’s attitude caught my attention. She truly enjoyed her work. You could tell that she loved serving other people. She wasn’t being fake friendly. She truly loved what she was doing.

I thought, “Gosh, I couldn’t work a minimum wage job, standing on my feet all day, and keep such a great attitude. I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t be my attitude in that job.” But, this gal served wholeheartedly. I left thinking, “Gosh, if you’re going to work a job like that, then why not make the best of it and give it what you’ve got.”

Most of us have experienced half-hearted service. Whether it was the restaurant server who filled our glasses when they got around to it or “Peggy” from the credit card company, half-hearted service is not a positive experience for anyone, including the server.

But, what if you work for a terrible boss? What if they don’t pay you enough? What if your co-workers are obnoxious? What if your work environment is not very pleasant? Do circumstances like that deserve our wholehearted service? Yes, they do.

Ultimately, our “boss” is God Himself. He deserves our best. God provides for all of our needs regardless of the size of our paychecks. God loves everyone of our co-workers and wants to use our lives to influence them.

Half-hearted or mediocre service is a poor reflection on God’s children. We make excuses like “if I worked with more Christians, then things would be better…” Don’t count on that either.

You may not be able to control anything around you. The culture and environment of your workplace may be well beyond your influence. You might be overwhelmed with frustration every day. After you’ve answered the question: Why are you working there? The next step is to be obedient to God.

Regardless of how you feel about things, no matter what other people are saying or doing, regardless of the difficulty of your circumstances, your job is to be obedient to God. If you don’t know how, then plead your case to God and ask Him how you’re supposed to do it. He will show you.

What is hard for you to accept about your circumstance? Where are you tempted to cut corners? Why do you feel that the situation deserves less than your best?

You and I perform for an audience of One, God Himself. No other opinion matters more than what God thinks of us.