Gaining proper perspective will always adjust an attitude.  It’s easy to lose perspective and get caught up in the grind of just wanting to get a job done.  Busyness, stress, team tension and the demands of a pending deadline can all cause us to lose perspective.  If we get overwhelmed, we tend to start working with our heads down just trying to survive.  We can very easily forget to look up and focus on the greater purpose of our work.  Paul shared a valuable truth with his friends at Ephesus about how important it is to have the right perspective about your work.

Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. (Ephesians 6:7-8 NLT)

This is truly a compelling perspective!  Everyone, “slave or free”, can work with this type of enthusiasm and purpose.  It doesn’t matter what your social status is or how important you think you or your job may be; you can do your work in a way that honors the Lord.  The bonus is the promise that is attached to this truth: “Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do”.

This principle goes the whole way back to what Paul was writing to these same friends in chapter two: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”  (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

God made us to do His good work.  When we do our work to His glory, we are doing His good work.  How we approach our work is simply a matter of perspective.  Having the proper perspective can be compelling and will change how we approach our work.  God rewards the good work we do because it is part of His eternal plan and has a purpose bigger than ourselves or the business we are in.  God is at work in and through our work.

As Christian leaders we need to first model and then clearly communicate to our teams this compelling truth about having the proper perspective in how we approach work.  This can make a huge difference not only in the quality of your work but in your sense of fulfillment you find in your work.  This is true not only for you as a leader, but also for each of your team members.

Teach this principle today and lead your team from the compelling perspective of doing their work for a greater purpose that pleases God.

“Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way.” ~ Les Brown