5月1日
标 题： 为了主，不是为了人
经 节： 无论做什么，都要从心里做，像是给主做的，不是给人做的。（歌罗西书三章23节）
为神而做与为人而做之间有很大的区别。神值得我们竭尽全力事奉祂。人会令我们失望、背叛我们、忽视我们，和苛待我们。有些人不断地要求我们给予，却吝于回报。以人的角度来看，这种人不值得投注时间与精力交往。除了爱神以外，服事人的动机是什么？神值得我们全心全意地爱祂，祂要求我们要爱其他人，像祂爱他们一样。我们爱自己的配偶，不是因为他值得我们爱，乃因为这是神的命令（以弗所书五：22～33）。不是因为朋友怎么待我们，就怎么回报他们；而是因为神爱我们的缘故来待他们（约翰福音十三：14）。我们努力工作，不是根据雇主怎么对待我们，乃是根据神如何待我们。神是我们事奉的对象（以弗所书六：5）。
平庸与懒惰不得在基督徒的生活占一席之地。基督徒无论在家或在工作场所，一定要持守正直。在思考神为我们所付出的前提之下，为神作工改变了我们为他人作工的看法。我们的劳苦乃是奉献给神。不只是周日在教会敬拜神，我们一整个星期的劳苦，都是为了向那厚赐我们一切的真神献上感恩的敬拜。当人们没有达到我们的期望，我们自认为白费工夫时，要牢记自己是为圣洁的神辛劳作工。祂配得我们全心全意地努力。
For the Lord,
Not Men
And whatever you
do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. (Colossians 3:23)
There is an important difference between doing something for people and
doing something for God. God always deserves our best effort. People will
disappoint us, betray us, neglect us, and mistreat us. Some will constantly ask
for what we can give while offering nothing in return. From our human
perspective, these people deserve our minimal effort at best. What then should
motivate us to serve people, except our love for God? God deserves our love,
and He demands that we love others in the same way He does. We are to love our
spouses, not as they deserve, but as God commands (Eph. 5:22–33). We are to
treat our friends, not as they treat us, but as Christ loves us (John 13:14).
We are to labor at our jobs, not in proportion to the way our employer treats
us, but according to the way God treats us. God is the One we serve (Eph. 6:5).
Mediocrity and laziness have no place in the Christian’s life.
Christians must maintain integrity at home and in the workplace. Working for
God, as opposed to working for other people, changes our perspective as we view
our endeavors in light of what He has done for us. Our toil then becomes an
offering to God. We not only worship God at church on Sunday, but our labor
throughout the week is an offering of worship and thanksgiving to the One who
has given us everything we have. When people do not measure up to our
expectations and we feel our efforts are being wasted, we must keep in mind
that we are toiling for holy God. He is worthy of our best effort.
