Doing Good Work

My sister and I now own our parents’ home. Yesterday, in the third hour of cutting grass there, I was thinking of the many hours I did a ratty job of cutting the grass in that yard as a child. Now, my parents gain no benefit from watching me do a very good job of it. Then, they were annoyed by my laziness in every category of life. It brought to mind this writing of Paul’s:

Slaves, obey your human masters with the same fear, trembling and single-heartedness with which you obey the Messiah. Don’t obey just to win their favor, serving only when they are watching you; but serve as slaves of the Messiah, doing what God wants with all your heart. Work willingly as slaves, as people do who are serving not merely human beings but the Lord. Remember that whoever does good work, whether he be a slave or a free man, will be rewarded by the Lord.

And masters, treat your slaves the same way. Don’t threaten them. Remember that in heaven both you and they have the same Master, and he has no favorites.

(Ephesians 6:5-9, Complete Jewish Bible)

It also provoked thanksgiving in my heart that the Spirit of my God has worked in me to want to do things with excellence. Even now, when I don’t submit to His motivation in my heart, the laziness is still there, so I know that it is His strength that enables me to have any hope of fulfilling purpose and of my life having any benefit to anyone, including me.