"Do your work for the Lord"

Every week my students have a bible verse they have to memorize for a test on Friday. We usually do different things to spice up our memorizing process...i.e.,make up motions, use our "big strong voices" our "little baby voices", or my personal favorite the "0 voice" (students only mouth the words and do the motions :D) Anyways, these paraphrased verses are so short that they usually have a little rhythm to them when we say them, so they usually get stuck in my head. Especially this week's verse: "Do your work for the Lord." Colossians 3:23 (Imagine it in 4/4 time, for you musicians out there).

"Do your work for the Lord" This was something God wanted me to remind me of this week. The sing-songy sound of it stuck in my head all week was kinda annoying, but it got my attention. I finally looked up the actual verse (the one in big kid language) and this is how it reads in the NIV: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

"Do your work for the Lord" I am not always very good this. Especially lately. To be honest its been really tough. And hearing it so many times coming from the very mouths I want to tape shut sometimes( Wait, did I just really say that??)it has been humbling. Humbling, because I am telling them what that verse means, but don't know if I am really modeling it for them. So, I had to look back at the last few weeks and ask myself...

How do I "Do my work for the Lord?" when...

-there is no power...meaning no fan...no copier...and no running water
-my classroom gets flooded and I have to throw away supplies
-someone in authority over me makes a decision that I don't agree with...ouch.
-little "Bobby" steals little "Timmy"'s snack money...again.
-I'm tired.
-It is a full moon and the kids are completely different creatures from the little angels they were yesterday. (Yes, I do believe in all that full moon crazy)
-someone stop me, because I think this is starting to become just an excuse to complain.

My attitude can be kinda crappy sometimes. And I am pretty sure that's not "doing my work for the Lord." In the midst of all the above, and even more, I have to remember why I am here and that I am doing it not for myself, not for my resume, not for my boss, but for my kids, and ultimately"...for the Lord." That means I have to submit everything to him and he will give me the strength that I need.

With that, I will leave you with this little clip of my 6 year olds practicing their bible verse just before their test. Hopefully, it gets stuck in your head too!

Thankfully, God made weekends so that we don't have to be at work all week long. Happy Friday!!