Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
People struggle with purpose. People also struggle with relationships. Our Verse of the Day today is incredibly poignant and incredibly helpful with both areas.
It's in Colossians chapter 3, verse 17. "And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."
Paul is writing in Colossians. He's talking about the all-sufficiency of Christ. Jesus Christ is the preeminent one. There was a heresy that was going on, and the way to attack the heresy was essentially just like an issue with a dollar bill or a counterfeit dollar bill. You know if it's counterfeit when you understand the real original of what a dollar bill looks like, and it's the same with Jesus Christ. Paul paints a portrait of the real Jesus, who He is, what He did, His preeminence, how He's the sovereign and in control. Then he jumps forward to chapter 3 in our Verse of the Day.
Do Everything as Jesus' Representative
I want to look at two simple points here. Number one, do everything as Jesus' representative. "And whatever you do or say"—pretty much covers everything—"do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." I love 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 31: "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
I remember I used to have a verse inside my tennis racket, right along the throat of the racket. It reminded me, "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God," because I wanted to play sports for the glory of Jesus. Whatever you do or say, let's do it for the glory of God.
Do It in Your Relationships
Secondly, as you think about, "I am to do everything," where is the practical application? It is in your relationships. We're to represent God, or we're to be a representative, we're to glorify Him in our relationships.
If you look at this verse in chapter 3, verse 17, very close after it, from verse 18 to chapter 4, verse 1, he talks all about relationships. In chapter 3, verse 18 he talks about wives honoring and being submissive to their husbands. In verse 19 he talks about husbands: "Love your wives and don't be embittered at them." In chapter 3, verse 20: "Children, obey your parents." In chapter 3, verse 21, he talks about fathers: "Don't exasperate, don't provoke your children to anger." Then in chapter 3, verse 22, all the way to chapter 4, verse 1, he talks about employers and employees and the importance of respecting and not taking advantage of each other.
Living It Out
As you look at our Verse of the Day, as you think about purpose, as you think about your family relationships, your work relationships, your friends, whatever it might be, we have an incredible opportunity to do everything as a representative. Whatever you do, do everything as a representative of the Lord Jesus, glorifying Him, and make sure that it shows up in your relationships. If it does, that means that you're really glorifying God and being a good representative of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.