Colossians 3:22-24

RULES OF SERVICE

‘Servants, obey in all things your masters … not with eye-service … but in singleness of heart … do it heartily, as to the Lord … for ye serve the Lord Christ.’

Colossians 3:22

St. Paul has been giving some plain instructions about the family life, showing how husbands and wives, parents and children, should dwell together in mutual love, obedience, forbearance. But he does not lay down rules only for these. He remembers that in most households are to be found those who, though occupying socially a humbler position, are baptized people, members of the Body, and so he goes on to say some clear, strong things about the duties of servants to their masters, and of masters to their servants.

Let us consider, then, what God’s word says about the duties of servants towards their masters. And here we notice three things which mark the work of the true servant.

I. The first is ‘singleness of heart.’—That means, I take it, that all one’s thoughts and energies should be centred on one’s work. Aimless work, half-hearted work, is imperfect and poor always. Only that to which our whole powers have been given is ever of any lasting value.

II. Then the servant’s work should always be honest work.—‘Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers,’ says the Apostle, and that word ‘eyeservice’ is a very suggestive word. When we speak of a house which has been built merely for show, built of bad materials, its thin walls loosely put together, its woodwork wrought out of green timber, we say that the work has been ‘scamped.’ Now, ‘scamping work’ and ‘eyeservice’ mean just the same thing. Nearly all the task set is badly done, as much as possible is left undone, only the little bit which of necessity, or in all probability, must come under the eye of the master or the mistress is well done. The work is done so as to save the doer time and labour at the employer’s expense, and is no better than an acted lie; the unfaithful servant who has wrought it is as much a liar as though in so many words that servant had assured the master that the work was honestly done. The true servant’s spirit is the reverse of all this.

III. But there is a higher and a more ennobling motive far, and that is work for God’s sake.—‘Heartily, as to the Lord.’ The noblest, truest service can only be given where the giver has given his heart to God, and strives to serve and please Him. Such a man knows his place in the great family, and believes that his Heavenly Master has given it to him, and so every bit of work he has to do he does as under the gaze of the All-Seeing Eye.

Rev. S. Pascoe.

Illustrations

(1) ‘There was a poor ignorant servant-maid once whose heart was touched, and who began to live the higher life. And some people, who should have known better, teased her to tell them in what way her new life differed from the old. Some of you, I suppose, know the story and her simple answer: “I sweep under the mats now,” she said. She was no longer giving mere “eyeservice.” She was now working “heartily, as to the Lord,” and not one speck of dust should His eyes see. That is the sort of work He ennobles and blesses, and such a servant is as truly working for Him as is the priest, or the student, or the statesman.’

(2)‘Teach me, my God and King,

In all things Thee to see,

And what I do in anything

To do it as for Thee.’

‘A servant with this clause

Makes drudgery divine:

Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws

Makes that and the action fine.’