Who You Doing It For?

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 (NLT)

Colossians is my favorite book in the Bible. I once taught a weekend retreat on the book of Colossians.

I don't know if anyone else learned anything during that time.

I know I did.

God used all the time leading up to the retreat to prune me. To convict me of sin. To bring me to my knees and make me wonder, "Am I really supposed to get up in front of these women and try to tell them anything?"

I came across Colossians 3:17 tonight and read it through the eyes of an Accidental Pharisee on her way to retirement.

I saw the word "do" in the verse. Twice, within the first 10 words. Ah, yes. Something for a Pharisee to grab hold of. Something to do.

And then I realized the second "do" is part of a qualifying statement: do it all in the name of the Lord.

Oh.

A Pharisee is all about look-at-me.

This verse says my life should be all about look-at-God-in-me. What I do should not obscure him. It should reveal him.

And at the same time, I should be thanking God.

Not focusing on me.

Focusing on God--and all reasons I should be saying thank you to him.

Just Thinking Out Loud: Colossians 3:17 doesn't say I shouldn't do anything. It acknowledges that I will be doing things. Saying things. It just instructs me to do them to honor God. I've recently made a decision to do some thing that could become all about me. Warning. Warning. Warning. I best make sure the do-ing isn't about me (How am I doing, God? Are you pleased with me? Everybody else like me?) and prayerfully submit the do-ing to honor God.