Colossians 3:18–4:1 ¹⁸ Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. ²² Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, ²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ²⁵ Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. ¹ Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Paul wrote similar words to this passage in his letter to the Ephesians (5:22 ff.). They give some good instructions for how we should live no matter what our station in life is. We remember that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and that status should be the motivation for how we live our lives.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,  since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Remembering who we are in Christ and what we have received from Him makes all the difference. When you see those around you as people for whom Jesus died, that influences how you treat them.

All too often we forget this. That is when we let our anger and selfish desires take over, and our actions are less than pleasing to God. That is why Paul repeatedly encourages us to remember who we are.

It is possible for us to live this way when we live by faith in the one who gave Himself up for us (Gal 2:20), our Savior, Jesus Christ.