Doing What You’re Supposed to Do

‘...everyone’s work will be put through the fire...’ 1 Corinthians 3:13 TLB

One day an ox said to a mule, ‘Let’s pretend to be sick.’ The mule said, ‘No, we need to get this work done.’ The ox feigned illness, and the farmer brought him fresh hay. When the mule came in from ploughing, the ox asked how things went and the mule said, ‘All right.’ The ox asked, ‘What did the farmer say about me?’ The mule replied, ‘Nothing.’ The next day the ox pretended to be ill again. When the mule came home the ox asked, ‘How did it go?’ The mule said, ‘All right.’ After a week of this, the ox asked, ‘Did the farmer say anything about me today?’ The mule replied, ‘Well, he said nothing to me personally, but he stopped and had a long talk with the butcher!’ Understand this: you were born to fulfil a divine purpose. When you don’t, there are consequences, both here and in eternity. Paul focused on his calling. Shortly before he was executed he wrote, ‘I have finished the race…’ (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV) Notice, Paul didn’t retire, he ‘finished’! In the parable of the talents, the man who buried his talent paid a high price. That’s because in God’s eyes the greatest failure of all is failure to invest the time, talent and treasure He’s given you into His purposes. One day your life will be audited. It’s called ‘the judgment seat of Christ’. Paul writes, everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).