The Bible speaks to the aspect of performance. Here are a few that apply to work performance from both an individual and employer’s perspective:
- Work is good and came before the Fall: Genesis 2:15 “The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.”
- Employees should be paid fairly: I Timothy 5:18 “For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”
- Job satisfaction comes through focus on your own work: Galatians 6:4 “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.”
- Service to God is the aim: 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
When you are treating your professional work as your ministry to God, whether or not you are in a professional/traditional ministry role like a pastor, your outlook on performance will change. Instead of working for a salary or to keep a boss happy or even to care for employees, you will be serving God with your efforts. When serving God is the goal, and you want to please God with your service, your performance tends to improve. There are things that might not go perfectly even when serving God is the priority; but you should be doing everything you can to make your work high-end. You should be treating it as if your work is important to God . . . because it is.
Whether we are performing well or poorly in our work, God sees our heart in the matter. Because He sees the heart motive in people, we should strive to submit our performance to
Him. He is the focus of our performance, regardless of what role it has in our work lives.
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