ODB: No Authority?
October 4, 2011
No matter who your boss is, you are really working for God.
READ: Proverbs 6:6-11
Consider [the ant’s] ways and be wise, which, having no . . . ruler, provides her supplies . . . and gathers her food. —Proverbs 6:6-8
When the deck behind our house began caving in, I knew its repair would exceed my abilities. So I made some calls, got some bids, and picked a builder to construct a new deck.
Once the contractor was done, I took a close look at his work and noticed some problems. Seeking a second opinion, I called the local building inspector and got a surprise. The deck guy had not obtained a building permit. Working without official oversight, he had violated many points of the building code.
This incident reminded me of an important truth (other than asking to see the building permit): We often do less than our best if we don’t have any accountability to the authority over us.
In Scripture, we see this principle explained in two of Jesus’ parables (Matt. 24:45-51; 25:14-30). In both cases, at least one unsupervised worker failed when the master was gone. But then we see a different approach in Proverbs 6. We see the example of the ant, which does good work without a visible supervisor. It intrinsically does its work without being monitored.
What about us? Do we do good work only when someone is watching? Or do we recognize that all our service is for God, and so do our best at all times—even when no human authority is watching?
— Dave Branon
Source: Our Daily Bread
Tweet This
Share on Facebook
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
RSS FeedRelated
ODJ: that’s not fair!
October 1, 2011 So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last (v.16). READ: Matthew 20:1-16 Go ahead. Say these words out loud: “That’s not fair!” Whether as a sibling, a spouse, an employee, or a sports fan, we’ve all said those words. At some point, we’ve [...]
ODJ: let’s get critical
December 18, 2011 An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy (vv.5-6). READ: Proverbs 27:1-17 In The Last Lecture, Professor Randy Pausch described a particularly bad day when his hardnosed football coach yelled at him and made him do push-ups for messing up [...]
ODJ: Fair Wages
April 30, 2012 He answered one of them, “Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you” (v.13-14). READ: Matthew 20:1-16 That’s not fair. Why did she get an increase and I didn’t? [...]
ODB: The Wise Ant
May 6, 2011 READ: Proverbs 6:6-11 [The ant] provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. —Proverbs 6:8 Every year I do something special to celebrate the arrival of spring —I buy ant traps. Those little invaders continually march into our kitchen in search of any crumb left on the [...]
Christian Courses
Day Of Discovery
Discover The Word
Discovery Series
Help For My Life
My Utmost For His Highest
Our Daily Bread
Our Daily Journey
RBC Ministries
WarungSateKaMu
Manasociety
雅米
We have authority over someone and under someone else’s authority at the same time. In our society, accountability and transparency counts and very much demanded if not expected. Anyway, God is watching over us in both senses, protecting us from harm and the evil one also guiding our godly lives through the enabling of the Holy Spirit.