Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men. Ephesians 6:7

We have heard about the shoemaker who said, "My business is saving souls, but I mend shoes to pay expenses." While his zeal is praiseworthy, as a faithful Christian he also would have to make sure that he did the best possible job with the soles of his neighbors' shoes. Both through soul-winning and sole-repairing the cobbler shows love to his neighbor and helps God to provide His creatures with "clothing and shoes."

We are called to love and serve our neighbor for Jesus' sake. In our complicated society our neighbor's needs are complex. We all need food and clothes, homes, places of business, cars and roads, mail service and telephones, cotton and wool, aspirin and antibiotics. Nearly every occupation contributes to human welfare. By our jobs we are helping the neighbor whom God created and redeemed. It makes all the difference in the world when we view others as neighbors, as sisters and brothers in need. We love because Christ first loved us and gave His life to bring us back to God. One way to show this love is by our daily work, which helps meet our neighbor's need. This labor of love is never lost.

PRAYER: O Jesus, You understood the value of work. Bless our work; May it be done in love for You and our neighbor. Amen.

(Devotions from "The Abundant Life" copyright 1998, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time e-mailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)

Today's Bible Readings: Judges 13-15    Luke 15:1-10

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