“Who Ya With?” — Monday #6

Don’t just do the minimum that will get you by.

Do your best.

Work from the heart for your real Boss, for God,

confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance.

Keep in mind always that the ultimate Boss you’re serving is Christ.

The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible.

Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.

— Colossians 3:22,23

His name was Biz.

Okay, his legal first name was Elvin.

He liked to be called Biz.

He and his family were in one of the first churches I was appointed to pastor. He was one of the funniest and best storytellers I’ve ever met.

Biz had been a newlywed when he was stationed at an Air Force base in Texas. The first Sunday and he and Marlene, his bride, went to a new church there, they saw that the men were all lined up along the sidewalk smoking.

Smoking in silence. And staring at that new couple getting out of their car.

Marlene smiled at them on her way inside. Biz took his place at the end of sidewalk and lighted up.

He nodded at the guy next to him, who asked, “New here?”

“Yes, Sir. New.”

“Who ya with?”

Proudly, Biz-the-newlywed turned and faced the group and then loudly announced, “I’m here with my wife!”

They stared at him. Looked at each other. Then they laughed.

“Uh, I was just asking if you were enlisted or working for some company.”

Biz told that a little differently every time, and every time whoever heard it was reduced to a puddle of laughter.

But that Texan had asked a good question: “Who ya with?”

The God for whom all Christians work has a human face and a name: Jesus Christ.

“Who ya with?” might be answered in the short term by a company’s logo on a shirt or an emblem on a business card, but Keep in mind always that the ultimate Boss you’re serving is Christ.

Let the church say Amen.