Never be guilty of stinting, that is, doing just enough to get by. How little can I possibly do to earn my wage? How little can I work on this job, still get paid, and not get fired? I will do only as much as I have to, but no more. We don't have to do all the work today, something has to be done tomorrow; don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow. The boss is not going to pay us anymore for working any harder, so we shouldn't work any harder for him than we have to. This lazy spirit of stinting prevails today in the American workforce. Have you ever been guilty of stinting? Stinting is just another way of stealing. Many today don't want to do more for Jesus than is absolutely necessary. Christ's true servant give so much that the Judas in the midst will think that what they are doing is a waste. There should be consecration of our life to glorify the King, not just mere duty and formality. All boasting and craving for recognition must be denied. I did it all for Jesus, he noticed me, I sought no praise of men, I pleased Him, and I am content.
Are you a worker or a shirker? It is a great "Sin" to plot and scheme to get something for nothing, and selfishly take advantage of someone else's paycheck and hard work. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. We have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. *II Corinthians 7:2* Are you a giver or a taker? Do not desire another man's finances, or by any means, seek to lessen someone's paycheck in order to enlarge your own pocketbook. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. That no man go beyond and "defraud" his brother in any matter: because that the LORD is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. *I Thessalonians 4:6* These verses in the Bible show us that defrauding someone is a Sin and that the LORD will avenge those that deceitfully try to take advantage of others. We should never selfishly take advantage of someone's else wages, taxes, and hard work. Mooching, leeching, freeloading, loafing, stinting, laziness, wanting something for nothing is still a sin. Defraud not.
This year we should resolve to surrender our whole life as a service to the Lord Jesus Christ. No man can serve two masters. Who will be your master this year, self or Christ Jesus? Christ wants the throne in our hearts. Jesus will have everything or nothing. The will of Christ our Lord should be our undivided aim. A dog can't chase two rabbits at once. Our affections should be bound up in one affection and set on Jesus alone. Jesus demands and deserves our service. Who else is worthy of our heart and life? For He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him. For in that Jesus died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. And that Jesus died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. Who His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
Living as to the Lord lifts us above complaining and griping, laziness, boasting, craving for recognition, discouragement that comes from human prejudice, disappointments of non-success, news of coming death, and the influence of the world.
Jesus is all my Salvation and Desire, and He should receive all my worship and service. Christ's way is the narrow way and it will cost you much thought, time, effort, watchfulness and care. Jesus lived a careful life and never dropped an idle word. Living as to the Lord means to live with a concentrated mind and spirit, living with earnest care to please Jesus in everything we do. When we have done all, we are still unprofitable servants; we must serve the Lord Jesus Christ out of gratitude. We must serve Him with singleness of heart, doing the will of God from the heart.
Our service to Jesus must not be a going through the motions; our service must be of power, warmth, sincerity, freshness, reality, fervency, or it is good for nothing. Christ wants a heart work from us, not just a few passing thoughts or words. Christ will be King or nothing; He is like a jealous Husband who will not tolerate his wife to have any love but His. The Lord Jesus doesn't just want lip service, brain service, and hand service without heart service. True longings for Jesus and intense yearnings for His glory. Most religion today is only another way of lost man doing his own will. It should be, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?"
The real Christian has a sense that God sees him at all times; the Spirit of God is in his heart; God is always there. The sincere Christian cares not about the eyes of men. Let good deeds be done in secret, for God sees and approves them all, and that is enough. God sees our thoughts and reads our words before we speak them. Thou God seest me. I have set the Lord always before me. Never expect a reward or the praise of man. As to the Lord, and not to men. Endure the hardness of your lot in life and the difficulty of your service to Christ; it will be worth it all, when we see Jesus. Deny yourself, take up your cross; endure cruelty, hardship, unkindness, and ungratefulness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Renounce ease and pleasure for the good of others; abstain from complaining and murmuring; for Jesus was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich. He stripped Himself of everything, so that He might clothe us with His righteousness and glory.
A little thing is a big thing when it is done in Jesus’ name and for His sake (Matthew 10:42; Mark 12:42). Give what you have to Jesus; put Jesus in everything you think and do. There’s no such thing as a little thing if it’s done for God. Little is much when God is in it. Everything depends upon God’s blessing. Be not weary in well doing, not big doing. Be little for Jesus, and make Jesus big. Even if it’s a little job, it’s a big job for God. There’s no such thing as a little job for God. Any job that God calls you do is an important job. God didn’t say be famous, and be prominent and well-known, but God said to be faithful.
There's no such thing as a menial job if that job is done for Jesus' sake, and "any" job that's not done for Jesus' sake is totally in vain in God's sight. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. Only one life, and it will soon be past, and only what's done for Christ will last.
