² Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. ²³ Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ²⁴ Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.^[a]

It is interesting that Paul’s emphasis here is not on slaves gaining their freedom, but on slaves living as slaves in a way that honors God.  Ultimately, they are to work as if God is their Master.  While no one reading this is a literally a slave, we are all workers.  And some may feel like as if their work situations make them like slaves.  What then?  We honor God by the way we carry out our work.  We allow His light to shine through us, because He is ultimately our boss.  And we are to perform our tasks with excellence consistently, and not only when the eyes of human bosses are upon us.  For the eyes of our heavenly Master are always watching.

Here is the rest of today’s Bible reading:  Jeremiah 10:1-11:23; Colossians 3:18-4:18; Psalm 78:56-72; Proverbs 24:28-29.