October 2, 2026
A few weekends ago, on a Sunday morning, as we arrived at church, we were directed to park in the very back parking lot. The church has golf cart shuttles to take you to the front door. We had our two youngest granddaughters with us. Liza and Lottie sat in the very back seat of the golf cart, Wayne and I sat in the middle, and it was just our driver in the front seat.
As we were headed to the front door, Liza starts to question Wayne about why he did not sit in the front seat. She tells him that he should have sat in the front so he could critique our driver. Mind you, she does not have a quiet voice, so our driver heard her as well. She said, "Buddy, if you are sitting in the front, you could give his boss some feedback. He could even get a raise." We saw our driver smile, and I answered Liza by saying his boss is God and he is driving to serve Him.
I have replayed this scenario in my mind quite often over the past few weeks. In Colossians 3:23, the Bible says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." As I have thought about this verse, it reminded me that when it says "do everything as working for the Lord," it is talking not just about our work but our daily tasks, our service, and our relationships.
We can choose to do all these things to help people, but our main motivation should be doing them for the Lord. Everything we do should be a reflection of our love for God. My personality seems to have a hard time with "people pleasing." If I truly take the "working for the Lord" to heart, it completely takes my people pleasing out of the picture. It frees me up and completely changes my motivation.
I do my best because I am serving God, even when there is no one watching. I don't have to wonder whether or not I will get the approval of man because I just need to focus on pleasing God in everything I do. When I am so busy or wrapped up in someone else's opinion or wondering what they think of me, I can miss out on hearing God's voice and what He wants me to do or say. I don't need to be doing things to make a good impression on others, but everything I do needs to be because I love God.
It really is just a matter of changing your perspective and your heart. Changing both your heart and perspective can transform your everyday tasks into opportunities to show your love and commitment to God. I have learned that if I keep my eyes open, listen, and be aware of my surroundings, I am presented with daily opportunities to work for the Lord.
It can be at my place of employment, buying groceries, running errands, or even in the mundane tasks of cooking, cleaning, and carpooling. I am doing all of these things because I love God. My mindset is pleasing God. My purpose is serving God. My motivation is pleasing God.
Every task I attempt or complete is an act of love and gratefulness to God. We have the ability to turn our ordinary daily tasks into meaningful, spiritual service to God. When I find myself mentally complaining about all I "have" to do, I need to stop and realize that God is "allowing" me opportunities to work and serve others for Him.
The truth is, our job to "work for the Lord" is not finished until He calls us to our heavenly home. My occupation in this life is to serve God in everything I do. My prayer is that when I get to heaven, the critique I get from my "boss" will be "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Who are you working for?
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Jill Johnson finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother, and Georgian. Jill is retired from the Georgia Baptist Mission Board and is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
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