Life with PurposeSample

 Thankless Service 

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the rewards of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 

We live in a world where we crave approval. 

We obsess over the amount of likes and comments we receive (or don’t receive) on our social media posts. Follows on Twitter and Instagram somehow reward us with status. And I think this mentality overflows into other aspects of life – including feeling the need for recognition for what we do day to day. God designed us this way, and He created us to desire a reward for all the hard work we do. 

And yet, as we serve in our spheres, we shouldn’t expect recognition. Don’t hear me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating the achievements of others, or giving credit where credit is due – but so often the tasks we do every day don’t get noticed. And that’s OK! 

So how then do we find joy in service? When we’re dealing with the daily washing up, or the endless piles of washing that require folding, or the Saturdays spent as an unpaid Uber driver ferrying kids around town… it’s hard to do. But as we serve others in this task, ultimately we serve our Lord Jesus, and this is a joyous thought. These words from Paul in the letter to the Colossians help us to do our best and to serve whether receiving recognition or not. 

Written by Sam Robinson