Do your best.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Colossians 3:23
I have this verse magnetized to my refrigerator and I just said this verse last night to one of my children.  (God, have I told you how cool you are lately? Well, you are!  Thank You for putting in this verse in the scripture reading this morning.) 
When I read this verse, my mind goes in a thousand different directions.  Okay, maybe not a thousand, but a few.  Last night I used it in reference to three things:  my job (teaching the same subject six times a day), service we do for our community, and grades.
This particular conversation came up last night after Tim and I saw grades on Edline.  If you don’t know what Edline is, it can be a parent’s best friend and a child’s foe.  It is a way for teachers to communicate to their students and parents as if they have a classroom website. Edline can reveal grades, special dates, assignments, links to helpful websites, etc.
Anyhow, without getting into any details, our view of grades on Edline, led to an “in-depth” conversation with one of our children, and then after a while of some of the conversationalist cooling off, a calming recap and words of encouragement followed.
Some of those words of encouragement that I used with my child came from God.  (Momma always has to throw the “God thing” in there. J)  Do we often get tired of doing whatever task may lie before us? Absolutely.  But we must remember that whatever we do, do it with all our heart, and do it for the Lord.  The Easy-to-Read translation says, “…don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best.”  Doing just the minimum  is definitely an easy way out, but will you really be proud of it in the end or will it truly benefit the receiver the best way possible?
I want to encourage teachers to do their best each class period each day.  Put on a “new show” no matter how many times you repeat that topic.  Teach you students as if the concept is new each time.  I want to encourage students to do your work right the first time and ask questions when you don’t understand something.  Just like the phrase our family read like night by an unknown author, “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over.”  I want to encourage everyone that in whatever you do in life, do it for the Lord and do it right.
Let’s look at one more translation of Colossians 3:23 so we can apply it to our lives:

“In all the work you are given, do the best you can. Work as though you are working for the Lord, not any earthly master.”

Blessings to you.
October 17, “Walking in the Word”