Faithful at Work, Whatever the Circumstances
Devotional week 33
"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." — John 13:14–15 (NIV)
The story of Joseph in Egypt is well known for its grass-to-grace transition. The dreams, the palace, the power. This side of the story is inspiring, but there is more to it.
Joseph entered Egypt as a slave. Later he was thrown into prison for a crime he did not commit. I try not to dwell too long on how difficult that must have been, there are many people around the world living some version of that story today, and it is a heavy thing to sit with. But one thing about Joseph's story stands out to me now more than before.
Joseph served faithfully as a slave in Potiphar's house, and Potiphar noticed it and put him in charge of everything. Then Joseph was thrown into prison unjustly, and even there, he served faithfully again, and the prison warden noticed it and put him in charge there too. Although the conditions were not good most times, he served still.
This tells me that being faithful in our work does not happen because the conditions are right. We do have some responsibility to make our workplaces better where we can, to speak up, to fix what needs fixing. But faithfulness itself is not waiting on good conditions to show up. It is a posture of the heart, a devotion to the God who called us to work in the first place. And that devotion shows up in how we actually do the work, whatever the work is, whatever room we find ourselves in.
In John 13, Jesus gets up from the table, ties a towel around His waist, and washes His disciples' feet, the job of the lowest servant in the house. John makes sure to tell us that Jesus did this knowing exactly who He was, knowing He had come from God and was going back to God. Jesus was not confused about His identity, and He had no obligation to kneel. He chose it anyway.
Between Joseph and Jesus, you get two sides of the same lesson. Joseph shows us faithfulness in a situation he never chose and could not escape. Jesus shows us faithfulness when He had every right to refuse and chose to serve anyway.
I ask myself often, am I only faithful when things are going well? When my effort is noticed? When the conditions are fair? Or is my devotion to God the thing driving how I work, no matter which room I find myself in?
This can look different for each of us depending on where we work and what we are facing. For some of you, it might mean showing up with excellence in a job that underpays you. For others, it might mean staying kind to a difficult boss. For someone else, it might mean doing your best work even though a promotion you deserved went to someone else. Whatever it looks like for you, the call is the same one Joseph and Jesus both answered. Serve well because of who you are serving.
Challenge
Is my faithfulness at work depending on my circumstances being right, or is it flowing from my devotion to God regardless of the room I am in?
Prayer
Lord, let my faithfulness not depend on whether my conditions are fair or my effort is seen. Where I am serving in a hard season right now, give me the strength to keep serving well. In Jesus' name, Amen.
A Tent International Devotional