A number of other passages in Paul's letters deal with advice to the "workers" (really "slaves"). We looked at Paul's attitude toward "slaves" in the last chapter. Here let us see what insight we can draw from Paul's advice to them. Take, for example, these words to the Ephesians:
Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ; not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to men ( Eph. 6: 5-7).
Here is some clear wisdom about the approach to work. The Christian is to do his daily work for God rather than for men. The reward of his work is to be that it is pleasing to God. Whatever your particular work is, it is to be done as unto God, not in such a way that you are merely a "man-pleaser."
Now this is a radical notion. This means doing an honest job on your algebra homework and taking a C -- instead of cribbing the answers and getting a B+. This means that the significance of a "nine to five" man is not whether he makes $ 50,000 a year or not, but whether the work he does is worthwhile in the sight of God.
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