Who Are You Working For?

Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men… for ye serve the Lord Christ. —Colossians 3:23-24

     In whatever work we do, secular employment or spiritual labor, we must remember we are ultimately working for the Lord.

A parable is told of Jesus and His disciples walking one day along a stony road.  Jesus told each of them to choose a stone to carry for Him.  John chose the largest one he could find. Peter chose the smallest he could find.

Jesus led them to the top of a mountain. The disciples were exhausted and hungry. The Lord commanded the stones they carried to be made bread. Each disciple was told he could eat the bread he held in his hands. John had an abundance of bread to eat, but Peter had only a nibble because his stone was so small.

Later Jesus again asked the disciples to pick up a stone to carry. This time Peter felt he had learned his lesson. He chose the largest stone he could find. The disciples were tired and hungry again. Peter was waiting for the Lord to turn his large stone into bread. However, the Lord took them to a river and told them to cast the stones into the water. Peter reluctantly cast his large stone into the water.

Jesus saw the disappointment on Peter’s face and asked, “For whom did you carry the stone?” It was obvious the only reason Peter was carrying the large stone was for what he thought he could get out of it.

“Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.” —2 Corinthians 5:9