But as long as I get things done adequately, what is the problem? Good enough is, in fact, good enough. Right? Well, not according to the Bible.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)
Wait, that does not say anything about doing your best. It says that we should do everything in Jesus’ name, but it says nothing about how much effort we should put in. Let me tell you something. If you are doing something in the name of Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior, the Messiah, you had better put all you have into it. If you are doing anything for Him, anything less than your best is unacceptable.
Please take note, this scripture does not say, “And whatever you do, in church or at home.” It does not say, “in ministry or occupation.” The verse clearly says “And whatever you do, in word or deed.” In case you are having trouble piecing that together, everything you do every day is either a word or deed. This includes the way you treat the people around you, the effort you put into your job, the effort you put into studying and homework, the quiet time you spend with God each day, the way you keep your home, the attitude with which you compete, the hobbies you choose to spend your time on, the things you do when nobody else is watching, and of course every ounce of energy you put into sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
In EVERYTHING you do, do it in the name of Jesus Christ. Do it to the best of your ability, as if your effort in that particular area could be what it takes for somebody to see what Jesus means to you. If you treat every aspect of your life as a ministry, not only will you be more successful in your personal endeavors but the power of your testimony will be exponentially stronger.
This is like the Ultra-Platinum Rule: You should always strive to mimic the ideal behaviors that Jesus Christ would expect from you in every situation. I really wish I could somehow attach this to the backs of my eye-lids so that every time I start being lazy or selfish, I will remember who I am representing. The ways in which my actions reflect upon Christ are far more important than how they reflect upon me.
How do you remind yourself that you should always do your best for God?