Ephesians chapter 6 verses 5-8 (NIV)
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 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.
There were three words which grabbed my attention today – “sincerity of heart.” Paul counselled the slaves who were part of the Ephesians church that they were to obey and respect their masters with sincerity of heart. That must have been very difficult at times and must have required taking a deep breath and doing as they were bidden. I’m sure it would have been easy to go about their tasks grudgingly and out of a sense of obligation but that’s not how they were to do it because that’s not how Jesus would have done it.
The same applies to us. We may not be slaves, but there are times when we have to undertake tasks that we’d rather not do, and do them only out of a sense of obligation. We too should do such tasks with sincerity of heart because we are doing ithem unto God.
Dear Lord,
Help me to remember who it is I am serving, even when I find the tasks in hand difficult. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.