Devotions/YouVersion – Page 5

15. Servant Leaders Cultivate Teamwork

January 6, 2025

Scripture Reading: Genesis 2:18, John 15:15, Romans 12:4-7

An essential aspect of work is the opportunity it provides for building relationships. Relationships are an absolutely critical component of work itself, going back to when Adam and Eve worked together in the Garden of Eden.

We all depend on one another’s work. This interdependence is not a weakness, but a gift from God.

In the book of Romans, Paul writes that though we have many “members” (parts), we belong to “one body.” He applies this to the work that each of us does in a particular role. “We have gifts that differ,” he notes, and when he names a few of them, we see that they are forms of work: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership and compassion.

All of these roles are applicable to work outside the church. For example, prophecy—“to proclaim a divinely imparted message” or “to bring light to something that is hidden”[1] — is the ability to apply God’s word to dark situations, something desperately needed in every workplace. Ministry—with its cognate “administration”—is the ability to organize work so that it does in fact serve those it’s supposed to serve. Another term for ministry is “management.”

Servant leaders understand the value of each team member in his or her particular role, and nurture relationships between team members.

In an interview with Small Business School, Joseph Semprevivo, founder of Joseph’s Lite Cookies, describes his workplace this way:

“We’re team-based, and in order to have a team, you have to have honesty, integrity and promise-keeping. People need to know that [they depend on] the person to their right and to their left … and our team members in the front office depend on the team members in the production facility. And I would not have a job if it wasn’t for my team members in production. …So it’s a true partnership.”

Reflection: What are relationships like between team members in your workplace? Is there a step you can take to cultivate trust, teamwork and better relationships today?

Prayer: Father, teach me to see my co-workers as you see them. Bless our relationships so that by your grace you will be glorified through our teamwork.

[1] Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich, and Geoffrey William Bromiley, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985), 960.

For Further Exploration: Read Work as Members of One Another (Romans 12:4–8) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

14. Servant Leaders Commit to the Growth of Other People

December 30, 2024

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Chronicles 11:10-25

In the book of 1 Chronicles, King David provides an example of servant leadership. When David finally comes into his own as a leader, he invests his talent in developing others. Contrary to his predecessor’s (Saul’s) fears of a rival, David surrounds himself with a company whose exploits rival his own (1 Chronicles 11:10-47). He honors them (1 Chron. 11:19), encourages their fame and promotes them (1 Chron. 11:25). God uses David’s willingness to sponsor and encourage people to build David’s own success and to bless the people of his realm.

Servant leaders invest in the growth of those they serve.

Reflection: How can you invest in the long-term professional, personal and spiritual growth of those you lead? How would this affect the climate of your workplace or the future of your company?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me wisdom to see how to invest in the development of those I’m leading. May we grow in becoming the people you created us to be. Amen. For Further Exploration: Read The Golden Age of the Monarchy: 2 Samuel 1-24, 1 King 1-11, 1 Chronicles 13, 21-25 from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

13. Servant Leaders Equip Others to Succeed

December 23, 2024

Scripture Reading: John 13:3-17

In the first chapters of the book of John, we see Jesus doing work that no one else did—making water into wine, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead. But in chapter 13, Jesus does something almost anyone can do, but few want to: Jesus washes his disciples’ feet.

Jesus, who reigns over the entire cosmos, performs a concrete act of lowly service. In doing so he shows us the purpose of godly work: to benefit others. Leaders who pattern their leadership after Jesus are called to accomplish their organization’s goals by meeting the needs of others, especially those they lead.

Dan King shares the following story.

“I was talking with a colleague about a project I’m leading at work. His response caught me off guard.

‘Wow,’ he said. ‘Your leadership has been exemplary.’ I had trouble seeing what I was doing that warranted praise. I can’t remember a time a compliment left me feeling so unworthy.

In essence, this project involves redesigning [a] training program. Of all the people [on] the project, I’m the guy right in the middle. To pull [it] off on time, we needed to do some serious hustling. It also required effective leadership to make all the pieces click. But my approach had been to take a serving role.

For example, I responded quickly to [my colleagues’] requests for information, even anticipating questions and delivering answers before they asked. My goal was to provide everything needed to put together a stellar program. In hustling to help everyone else, I thought of myself as a servant. My job was to deliver a large amount of grunt-work so that others could shine.

‘It’s funny that what I consider serving is perceived as leading,’ I said. He admitted he hadn’t thought of leadership that way, but it made sense. By helping others achieve, you also end up leading them.

We both walked away from the conversation resolving to be better servants.”

Reflection: Think of a project that you are leading at work. What do people on your team need from you? How can you lead through service?

Prayer: Jesus, as I reflect on your example, help me serve as you did. Amen.

For Further Exploration: Read Servant Leadership (John 13:1-20) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

12. Leaders Must Be Servants

December 16, 2024

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:35-45

In the book of Mark, chapter 10, we see James and John asking Jesus to share in his glory by sitting at his right and left hand. In such positions, they would receive both honor and exceptional authority. Jesus seized this teachable moment to reveal something radical about his style of leadership. He explained that Gentile leaders “lord it over their people” and “flaunt their authority.” But followers of Jesus must walk a different path.

“Whoever wants to be a leader among you,” Jesus said, “must be your servant.” The Greek original of this reads more literally, “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.” The word translated here as “servant” is diakonos (the word sometimes used to refer to a table waiter). A diakonos cared for the needs of others rather than his or her own needs. It denotes a person who serves in some subservient and humble role.

Jesus’s vision of leadership must have shocked his disciples. How can a leader also be a servant? This question continues to unsettle followers of Jesus today. All people tend to seek position and power rather than opportunities for humble service.

Servant leadership is as countercultural today as it was in the time of Jesus. Yet when we are in charge of people, we are called to be their servant. We must treat others with respect, care for their human needs and seek what is best for them, even as we seek the best for the organization in which we are a leader. Following Jesus’s leadership is not easy, but it is our calling as Christians who seek to obey and imitate Jesus.

Reflection: When you hear the phrase “servant leadership,” what or who comes to mind? Have you ever experienced this kind of leadership from one of your leaders?

Prayer: Dear Lord, I am challenged by your vision of servant leadership. This sort of thing doesn’t come naturally to me. Lord, transform my thinking and my attitudes. Help me to see the needs of my coworkers and reach out to care for them.

May I lift up those who are officially below me, seeking to honor them and acknowledge their contributions. Help me to exercise the authority given to me with humility, always seeing myself first and foremost as your servant, and therefore the servant of others. Amen.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

11. A Golden Rule for Making the Right Decision

December 9, 2024

Scripture Reading: Matthew 7:12

Anthony Soohoo worked for Apple on the launch of the Apple PowerBook. Testing had shown that a very small sample of PowerBooks contained a harmful flaw. Soohoo was “under tremendous pressure to make a decision on whether or not to hold off bringing the product to market.” Millions of dollars would be lost through a delay, but there was also long-term risk in moving forward.

Soohoo made the decision to hold off on the product launch by putting himself in his customer’s shoes.

“If the flaw was bigger than we thought, it could have created a huge loss of trust with our customers,” Soohoo said. “Putting myself in the shoes of our customers, I think that’s what they would have expected Apple to do. Not a popular decision at the time, but it was the right decision for the business.”

Soohoo’s reasoning was a reformulation of the golden rule that Jesus set out in Matthew 7: Do to others as you would have them do to you. It’s a simple rule to apply to decisions because there’s only one question to ask: If roles were reversed, what would I like done to me?

Even though this rule is simple to apply, following through on the right decision isn’t always easy. Doing the right thing often entails personal risk. And there are competing pressures in the workplace. You may feel pressure to do something easier, rather than go through with the decision you know is right.

We can evaluate decisions by their consequences, by their effect on our character or by their effect on others around us. In the end, doing the right thing is a habit we cultivate with practice. Ask God for both the wisdom to make the right decision and the courage to follow through.

Prayer: Lord, give me guidance to make the right decision and strength to follow through. Amen.

Further Exploration: Read more about loving others through our work from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary article “Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself.”

Information for today’s case study came from “7 Business Leaders Share How They Solved the Biggest Moral Dilemmas of Their Careers” Fast Company, 2 June 2015

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

10. What Type of Person Do You Want to Be?

December 2, 2024

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:1-2, Micah 6:8

Our decisions in tough situations reveal our character. Ephesians asks us to be imitators of God, so one way to make the right decision is to ask, “What type of person do I want to be?” Micah tells us that God demands justice, kindness, and humility. So we can trust that if a course of action makes us more just, kind, or humble, it is probably the right decision.

Sallie Krawcheck had just taken over leadership of Merrill Lynch’s wealth management division when she learned that their “Stable Value Fund” was in trouble. Customers had been sold this fund as a safe place to put their pension investments, but Merrill Lynch had managed the fund more riskily than advertised and lost money. Since Walmart had invested heavily in this fund, Merril Lynch’s loss would be felt most harshly by low-income workers in retirement. Krawcheck saw two options in front of her. One was to say “tough luck” to the Walmart employees; the other was to take money from Merrill Lynch’s coffers to replace the money that was lost.

Which decision embodies justice, kindness, and humility?

Ultimately, Sallie decided that she wanted to be the type of person who apologized for mistakes. She didn’t want to be the type of person who profited from other people’s loss. She reimbursed the fund’s losses from Merrill Lynch’s profits, even though she risked losing her job over it.

When you face a tough decision at work, ask yourself, “What type of person do I want to be?” Weigh each option by its effect on your character, and then make your decision.

Prayer: Lord, I want to imitate you in my actions. Shape my character through your word. Amen.

Further Exploration

For more on how a community can nurture good character, see the Theology of Work Project article “How Does Character Develop and Grow in Our Lives?”

Information for today’s case study came from 7 Business Leaders Share How They Solved the Biggest Moral Dilemmas of Their Careers Fast Company, 2 June 2015

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

9. What Are the Consequences of Your Decisions?

November 25, 2024

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-6, Deuteronomy 28:15-19

In the fall of 1982, James Burke, the chairman of Johnson & Johnson, faced the biggest crisis of his career. J&J learned from a reporter that their flagship product, Tylenol, had been linked to seven poisoning deaths in the Chicago area. No one knew how or why the capsules had been poisoned, and Burke didn’t know how widespread the danger to the public might be.

What would you do?

The Bible suggests we should start the decision-making process by considering the potential consequences of our actions. Deuteronomy 28 shows that some actions bring blessings while others bring curses. What actions could Burke take to save his company from potential curses? How could he bless consumers and the Tylenol brand for the future?

Burke quickly considered the consequences of several strategies, with a focus on keeping customers safe. Though it cost Johnson & Johnson $100 million in the short term, Burke convinced J&J shareholders to recall all Tylenol capsules. Burke also directed an expensive media campaign to warn consumers against taking Tylenol until it was deemed safe again.

The effort was costly for Johnson & Johnson in the short term, but it saved the Tylenol brand in the long term. After J&J launched a new tamper-proof packaging, Tylenol quickly regained its lost market share. The public rewarded Burke for the trust he had built up during the crisis through his transparency and ethical decision-making.

When you face a tough ethical dilemma, think about the potential consequences of each of your choices. List all the consequences you can think of, both short term and long term. Does one choice yield more blessing?

Prayer: Lord, give me your insight into the consequences of my choices. Guide me towards blessing and away from curses. Amen.

Further Exploration: Focusing on consequences has its limits. For more insight, read the Theology of Work Project article “Can the Good Be Calculated?”

Information for today’s case study came from “Tylenol and the Legacy of J&J’s James Burke.” Time, 5 Oct. 2012, http://business.time.com/2012/10/05/tylenol-and-the-legacy-of-jjs-james-burke/

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

8. Don’t Dwell

November 18, 2024

Scripture Reading: Luke 22:31-34

In Luke 22, we glimpse a conversation between Peter and Jesus. It begins with bad news, namely, that Satan intends to “sift all of you as wheat” (Luke 22:31, NIV). Peter boldly claims that he is ready to go to prison with Jesus, even to die with him. Jesus responds with a chilling prediction: “Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me” (Luke 22:34, NIV). Luke does not report Peter’s response, but surely Peter is distressed, whether he believes Jesus or not.

However, we find encouragement in this passage. Right after Jesus says that he has prayed for Peter, he adds, “And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32, NIV).

Jesus is certain Peter is going to fail. But it doesn’t keep him from assigning to Peter the task of strengthening his fellow disciples. Jesus sees beyond Peter’s obvious faults and upcoming failures. He sees that which is good in Peter, his strength, faith, and compassion. He knows that Peter will be the one to build up his fellow disciples, in spite of the fact that Peter himself will fail along the way.

It’s important to learn from our mistakes, but we can’t let them become obstacles. We have to move forward, trust God for both forgiveness and guidance, and prepare for what’s next.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me learn from my mistakes. And when I’ve received your forgiveness and guidance, strengthen me to move forward, knowing that you see me and call me into a life of purpose. Amen.

Further Exploration: Read Luke and Work from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

7. God Accomplishes His Purposes

November 11, 2024

Scripture Reading: Judges 4:8-9, Hebrews 11:32-49, Jonah 1:1-17

Sometimes work is thwarted by our weakness. We fall short of the mark. If we recognize that our work is hobbled by disobedience, resentment, laxity, fear, selfishness, and other ailments, we can find comfort in the stories in the Bible.

Consider the list of names in Hebrews 11: Abraham, Samson, David, and more. When we read their stories we can clearly see their failures which were often significant. For example, if we read about Barak’s timidity as a general (Judges 4:8-9, NIV) through human eyes, we likely would see no faith at all. Yet God sees these heroes’ faith through his eyes and credits their success to his grace, not their own accomplishment.

The story of Jonah is another example. Jonah ran away from God by boarding a ship going in the opposite direction God told him to go. Yet even Jonah’s small, halting moments of obedience to God end up blessing those around him. On the ship he acknowledges, “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven” (Jonah 1:9, NIV) and sacrifices himself for the sake of his shipmates.

As a result the others on the ship are saved from a storm, and they become followers of the Lord. “The men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him” (Jonah 1:16, NIV). God accomplishes the fullness of his mission through Jonah’s halting, flawed, intermittent service. By God’s power, even our poor service may accomplish everything that God intends.

We can take heart in these examples when we’ve stumbled. We may have spoken harshly to a coworker, been impatient with a student, ignored our responsibility to our family, or done our work poorly. But we have faith that God is able to bring about his intent for the world even in the midst of our weakness and failure.

Prayer: Father, thank you that I am no different from any other person who has served you. We have all sinned and fallen short at times. Yet, you still use our efforts to accomplish your purposes. You are a great God. Amen.

Further Exploration: Read Realizing the Faith (Hebrews 10:19–11:40) the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

6. Success and Failures as Part of Life

November 4, 2024

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

It’s easy to blame ourselves or those around us for failures. However, we should not fool ourselves into thinking that failure is always a result of our shortcomings. Nor should we believe that success is exclusively due to our merits. Success or failure may be due to chance.

For example, Microsoft had a crack at success largely because of IBM’s offhand decision to use the MS-DOS operating system for a backwater project called the personal computer. Bill Gates later reflected, “Our timing in setting up the first software company aimed at personal computers was essential to our success. The timing wasn’t entirely luck, but without great luck if couldn’t have happened.” Asked why he had started a software company just at the time IBM was trying its luck with a personal computer, he replied, “I was born at the right place and time.”

This is not to say that hard work and ingenuity aren’t important. They prepare us to make the most of the chances we get in life, and they may create opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t exist. Yet one who succeeds at work may be no more deserving than another who fails.

If our response to success is solely self-congratulation, we are practicing idolatry. If our response is thankfulness, then we are worshipping God. If our reaction to failure is despair, then we are feeling the hollowness of a broken idol. But if our reaction is perseverance, then we are experiencing the gracious power of God.

Prayer: Faithful Father, some circumstances are not in my control, though I often wish they were. Thank you for the opportunities and skills that have allowed me to succeed (in big ways and in small ways) in the past. After the sting of failure, help me to pick myself up and move forward with what I’ve learned. Amen.

Further Exploration: ReadThere is No Way to Know What Comes Afterwards (Eccl. 9:1 – 11:6) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

Called To Work

Category: Devotions/YouVersion

15. Servant Leaders Cultivate Teamwork

14. Servant Leaders Commit to the Growth of Other People

13. Servant Leaders Equip Others to Succeed

12. Leaders Must Be Servants

11. A Golden Rule for Making the Right Decision

10. What Type of Person Do You Want to Be?

9. What Are the Consequences of Your Decisions?

8. Don’t Dwell

7. God Accomplishes His Purposes

6. Success and Failures as Part of Life

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