Devotionals for the Heart: Carrie's thoughts on working for God

Who Is My Boss?
A devotional by Carrie Del Pizzo

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” –Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

I was recently convicted by this verse.

Six months ago, I left my day job and stepped up my freelance editing work to full time. I didn’t make this move lightly. Freelance is risky, so my husband and I prayed long and hard over the decision. With three hungry teenagers to feed, we had to be sure freelance was the direction God was leading me, not the direction I wanted Him to follow me.

When I did make the move, God immediately seemed to bless my efforts, and I was suddenly making more than double what I had made at my day job.

The trade off what this I was working 12- and 14-hour days, but God took care of me. One of my clients hired a second editor to share the load, and this girl is a dynamo. She has lots of energy, really knows her stuff, and has no family to divert her attention.

As soon as she started with the company, she began making changes to the way we did things … the way I did things. She started trying to teach and train me, despite the fact that I am nearly twice her age and have been editing almost as long as she’s been alive.

Her ideas are good, but are they better than mine? You could argue that both ways, but it would be irrelevant. The fact is that the client likes her ideas.

I was faced with a choice: Edit their words the way they want them edited or stick to my communication principles and drop a paying client who clearly didn’t appreciate my skill.

After balancing my checkbook (sigh), I took it to God. If I stopped accepting work from the client, He would have to send me more work to pay my bills.

And then God reminded me that I am working for Him, not the client. That stopped me in my self-absorbed steps.

I’ve read this passage of scripture many times. Slaves are called to do good work for their masters. I was never a slave, so I figured it just meant I was supposed to work hard and be a good employee for my boss.

Now I’m my own boss and I choose my clients. I still perform my duties well. That’s how you get repeat business. But as a freelancer, I have the choice to run my business the way I like. But if God is my boss, I need to do good work for Him.

I looked inside, at my motives. Was I really trying to be a great editor? Or was I trying to soothe my wounded pride that didn’t like being told by a youngster how to do my job? Ouch.

To be honest, I’m still struggling with this one. I don’t always agree with the self-invented style guide of the other editor. But I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not my job to change her.

My job is to provide my client with quality work and a good attitude. In this way, I am doing my work as though I’m serving the Lord. And that’s my only goal.

What about you? Who are you serving? Do you work for your boss as though he or she were Jesus?

~*~
Author Bio:

In this world of texts, memes, and emojis, slowing down to truly communicate can feel like straining a muscle you haven’t exercised in far too long.

Seventeen years of business experience across a variety of industries has taught Carrie Del Pizzo the fine art of professional communications. Partnering with corporate executives and entry-level employees alike, she has written and edited major project proposals, direct marketing pieces, sensitive client communications, employee handbooks, and user manuals.

Carrie’s love of literature and story has led her to develop and exercise her fiction writing skills as well. Aside from her personal creative efforts, she also edits for self- and traditionally-published authors and enjoys writing short dramas for church presentation.

Carrie is a wife, mom of three Americans and host-mom to numerous exchange students. Italian-by-marriage means she loves to cook and eat. She lives in Spokane, WA, with her hilarious family, who keeps her in stitches and provides piles of material for great stories.