Do you feel that you receive adequate recognition for the work you do? I can tell you that all of us need recognition and appreciation. As I travel across the country, the people I talk with who are happy in their jobs are usually the ones who tell me that their managers and their companies recognize and reward good service.
Who of us doesn't need some positive reinforcement for the work we do? It just helps you keep on keepin' on, doesn't it? I read where a pastor said we should picture all the people around us wearing big signboards that say, "Appreciate me." Psychologists tell us that all of us need a certain amount of reward and recognition from others in order to be mentally and emotionally healthy.
I probably don't have to tell you this, but the reality of most work environments is that expressions of appreciation and recognition are often few and far between. When I'm involved in management training, I try to impress upon managers the need for employee recognition and the great benefits it can reap. Yet, sad to say, it seems that most managers focus more on confronting inadequate performance than recognizing and rewarding good performance.
Well, the Bible has a lot to say about rewards and recognition, and I'd like us to look at that. As Christians in the marketplace, we actually have an advantage over our non-believing co-workers, because we work for a higher level of management than they do, and our manager has a wonderful program of recognition and reward.
In Colossians 3 we read: "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."
Now, this is terrific news. As Christians, we can know we're going to get an award. God has a recognition and incentive program better than any employer could ever dream up, and if we perform our everyday work duties as unto Him, we're going to be recognized and rewarded by the Lord, whether our employer ever appreciates us or not.
So, the good news we start with is that God believes in recognition and reward and has a plan in place to reward us, if we work for the Lord, not for men. If you feel you're not receiving the earthly rewards you deserve, rejoice to know that you can be assured of a heavenly reward.
Written by Mary Whelchel, founder and president of The Christian Working Woman. christianworkingwoman.org Used by permission. Content distributed by WorkLife.org > Used for non-profit teaching purposes only.