1 of 1

Key Bible Verse: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men (Colossians 3:23). Bonus Reading: 3:22-4:1

Son Benjamin, a recent college graduate, and I were rolling down the highway, discussing his upcoming first "real job."

Over the years, my wife, Barbara, and I have worked to instill a quality work ethic in our children because we believe God has Kingdom jobs for each of us. An entry position at Rainey, Inc. is a chore like wiping dishes. Next comes the increased responsibility of yard work or laundry. Then, at 14, each child—after an orientation on honesty, diligence and excellence—is promoted to an "outside job." Five of our six have gone to work for Chick-fil-A, a firm that values employees and closes on Sundays.

Here's what I told Benjamin in his recent "exit interview":

"Arrive at work early. Not just on your first day, but every day. When you take lunch breaks, make sure your boss knows where you are and when you'll return. A commitment to accountability is what sets true leaders apart.

"Find out what's expected of you, then exceed expectations. Work hard—but don't be controlled by work. To balance life's priorities, you must be guided by the Holy Spirit. He will remind you that your source for everything is Jesus Christ, not your work."

—Dennis Rainey in Life@Work

Personal Challenge:

• How does your daily work ethic compare with this one? What are you doing well?

Thought to Apply: If a man does only what is required of him, he is a slave. If a man does more than is required of him, he is a free man.

— CHINESE PROVERB

Credits: Adapted from— Monday: Life@Work (11-12/99)

Copyright © 2000 by the author or Christianity Today/Men of Integrity. For reprint information click here.

To sign up for a risk-free trial issue of Men of Integrity click here.

To order multiple copies of Men of Integrity for your men's group, click here.

 1 of 1

share this page

Prayer for the Week

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip Email Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for Canadian Orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter (All fields required)    RSS Feed   RSS Help