5月1日

標　　題： 為了主，不是為了人

經　　節： 無論做什麼，都要從心裡做，像是給主做的，不是給人做的。（歌羅西書三章23節）

為神而做與為人而做之間有很大的區別。神值得我們竭盡全力事奉祂。人會令我們失望、背叛我們、忽視我們，和苛待我們。有些人不斷地要求我們給予，卻吝於回報。以人的角度來看，這種人不值得投注時間與精力交往。除了愛神以外，服事人的動機是什麼？神值得我們全心全意地愛祂，祂要求我們要愛其他人，像祂愛他們一樣。我們愛自己的配偶，不是因為他值得我們愛，乃因為這是神的命令（以弗所書五：22∼33）。不是因為朋友怎麼待我們，就怎麼回報他們；而是因為神愛我們的緣故來待他們（約翰福音十三：14）。我們努力工作，不是根據雇主怎麼對待我們，乃是根據神如何待我們。神是我們事奉的對象（以弗所書六：5）。

平庸與懶惰不得在基督徒的生活占一席之地。基督徒無論在家或在工作場所，一定要持守正直。在思考神為我們所付出的前提之下，為神作工改變了我們為他人作工的看法。我們的勞苦乃是奉獻給神。不只是周日在教會敬拜神，我們一整個星期的勞苦，都是為了向那厚賜我們一切的真神獻上感恩的敬拜。當人們沒有達到我們的期望，我們自認為白費工夫時，要牢記自己是為聖潔的神辛勞作工。祂配得我們全心全意地努力。

For the Lord, Not Men

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. (Colossians 3:23)

There is an important difference between doing something for people and doing something for God. God always deserves our best effort. People will disappoint us, betray us, neglect us, and mistreat us. Some will constantly ask for what we can give while offering nothing in return. From our human perspective, these people deserve our minimal effort at best. What then should motivate us to serve people, except our love for God? God deserves our love, and He demands that we love others in the same way He does. We are to love our spouses, not as they deserve, but as God commands (Eph. 5:22–33). We are to treat our friends, not as they treat us, but as Christ loves us (John 13:14). We are to labor at our jobs, not in proportion to the way our employer treats us, but according to the way God treats us. God is the One we serve (Eph. 6:5).

Mediocrity and laziness have no place in the Christian’s life. Christians must maintain integrity at home and in the workplace. Working for God, as opposed to working for other people, changes our perspective as we view our endeavors in light of what He has done for us. Our toil then becomes an offering to God. We not only worship God at church on Sunday, but our labor throughout the week is an offering of worship and thanksgiving to the One who has given us everything we have. When people do not measure up to our expectations and we feel our efforts are being wasted, we must keep in mind that we are toiling for holy God. He is worthy of our best effort.