Who Works for Whom?

Have you ever observed (or been) someone who seems to have forgotten the “chain of command” (that is, the hierarchy of authority that they are in)?  There are children who treat their parents as their servants, as well as employees who pester their manager for everything (including what they don’t need or things that they can sort out themselves).  Sometimes, we can forget that – even in God’s kingdom – each of us is subject to authority of some kind.  On the other hand, in some spheres, we might even feel like we’re at the bottom of the list, so we pretend that we’re not.

Let’s consider some words from Paul to his spiritual son Timothy, from the book of the Bible we call 2 Timothy.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/2ti.2.15.NIV

Remember, we’re not far removed from an earlier passage containing Paul’s examples of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer (see 2 Timothy 2:1-7).  Timothy is clearly instructed to work, and to handle the “word of truth” correctly [NIV] or accurately [NASB].  Per Moss, p.214, this contrasts with pointless and useless words from false teachers, who plagued the early church with their corruptions of the truth.

Timothy’s ultimate purpose is not to receive Paul’s approval, though.  I’m sure that Timothy wanted to make his mentor proud, but Paul was neither Timothy’s Lord nor his Master.  Timothy’s goal was to please God, not to win Paul’s approval (even though Paul encouraged and approved of God-honoring behavior).

And, in what way was Timothy “approved to God” [NASB]?  He could “report back” to God, we might say, without being embarrassed for not performing his duty.  And, with such a focus on truth in Paul’s letters (those that we have in the Bible), preserving the truth is a key part of how Timothy would achieve that.  (Having said that, while Paul wasn’t Timothy’s lord, Paul was still passionate about helping Timothy serve God faithfully.)

Timothy’s primary goal wasn’t to become famous or rich or popular, but like the faithful servants in a parable of Jesus (see Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:11-27), Timothy was to seek the approval of God, and to be able to hear, “Well done”, from Him.

In the same way, it is our obligation to work for God and to serve Him; not the other way around.  Sometimes, we can forget that God’s blessings are a gift, and we might not remember that if He didn’t give us anything in return, He would still deserve our loyalty, our obedience, and our service.

Of course, God is loving and He does bless us.  He listens to our requests, and gives us all that we need.  However, let’s go back to those servants in Jesus’ parable, mentioned above.

• They were servants, expected to work for their master and follow his instructions.
• They were stewards, expected to make good use of what their master entrusted to them.
• Unlike the third servant, the first two were not afraid to invest what their master had given them, and were willing to use it for their master’s benefit.
• And, the servants who received praise were not selfish, choosing not to use their master’s wealth merely for themselves.

We, like Timothy, are to serve and obey God, working hard in His kingdom as He directs us.  While we appreciate many blessings from Him, we aren’t expected to merely hoard them.  Even if God’s blessings are for our good, some of them are also meant to be shared, invested, leveraged, and applied to the betterment of God’s Kingdom.  This includes using God’s blessings to bring glory to Him, to get the truth about Jesus out to a world that desperately needs Him, and to bless others in God’s family.

Now, that doesn’t mean that we all dig ditches or haul rocks for God (although some of us might).  Our work for Him looks different, as He has uniquely created each of us and placed us just where we need to be.  However, there is no retirement on this earth from God’s plan for us, and we must be diligent in our service to Him.

So, let’s remember that we are servants of God, purchased back by Jesus Christ from an evil master that would have us eternally separated from the good and loving God.  God is the best leader we can ever serve, though, and if our service to Him is not a joy, then (as the saying goes) maybe we’re doing it wrong!

From Sunday School lesson prepared for March 30, 2025

References:

• 1717 Bible Studies, 2 Timothy, © 2025 Christian Standard Media.
• Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
• Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation.
• The College Press NIV Commentary – 1, 2 Timothy & Titus, by C. Michael Moss.  © 1994 College Press Publishing Co.