Below are thoughts about what it means to be a, “Laborer”. It’s written in the first person so you can make it a devotion/meditation. Enjoy!
“God gave me life. What I do with my life is a demonstration of worship and love for Him. It could be said that at birth God gave me a bag inside of which are gifts, opportunities and potential. What I do with such gifts is a demonstration of worship. In order to maximize what has been given to me, a whole hearted effort will be necessary. Giving my best effort is the basis of excellence. Success on the other hand is more often measured by culture and weighed by name recognition, materialism and influence. Excellence, however, is the scoreboard that God see’s and rewards whether successful or not. Wherever I am, I need to be “fully there” glorifying my Heavenly Father by giving my best effort. I am not saved by works, but I have been saved for works. I have been saved to be a “Laborer” in this generation. I have been saved to help my generation and fellow man physically, emotionally and spiritually to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.”
I found this item to be VERY helpful in putting my thoughts back where God wants them:
1 Corinthians 3:9
THE PARABLE OF THE TOOLS
“For we are laborers together with God.” 1 Corinthians 3:9
Some years ago R. T. Moore penned an interesting parable based on the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:9. “It seems,” he says, “that the Carpenter’s tools had a conference. Brother Hammer was in the chair, but the others had just informed him that he must leave because he was too noisy. `All right, I’ll go, but if I leave, Brother Screw must go also. Why, you have to turn him around again and again to get him to go anywhere.’ To which Brother Screw replied, `If you wish, I’ll go, but Brother Plane must leave as well. All of his work is on the surface. There is never any depth to it.’ To this Brother Plane replied, `Well, Brother Rule will also have to withdraw if I do, for he is always measuring folks as though he were the only one who is right.’ Brother Rule in turn complained about Brother Sandpaper, saying, ‘I just don’t care, he’s rougher than he ought to be, and he’s always rubbing people the wrong way.’ In the midst of the discussion the Carpenter of Nazareth walked in. He had come to perform His day’s work. He went to the bench to make a pulpit from which to preach the Gospel to the poor. He employed the screw, the sandpaper, the saw, the hammer, the plane, and all the other tools. After the day’s work was over and the pulpit was finished, Brother Saw arose and said, `Brethren, I perceive that all of us are laborers together with God.’ 0, how many Christians are just like those tools, fussing at each other because we think someone does not do things just the way he should. There was not an accusation made against any one of the tools but that was absolutely true; yet the Carpenter used every one of them; and there was not a place where He employed them that one of the others could have served as well.”
Let us be careful not to find fault with any of God’s chosen tools, for all of us are “laborers together” in the holy task He has assigned.
Alone our work is of little worth,
Together we are the “salt of the earth.”
So it’s all for each and each for all;
United we stand, divided we fall! —Anon.
Remember, the fellow looking down his nose at others usually has the wrong slant!
We were chosen in Him to be the message of Christ to a fallen and dieing world- can we join hands in Jesus name and finish this task and go home!!!!
May it encourage you to know- “… it is God Who is at work in you both to will and to work for HIS good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 Anything good that comes out of you is JESUS!!!!! not you.