Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

The word “men” in this verse includes ourselves and others.

Often in work, people will dictate how they perform based on what they see others do. For instance, if someone observes another person doing the bare minimum, they will do the bare minimum. On the other hand, if someone observes the majority working 16 hours a day, when they don’t have to, that person may feel compelled to work 16 hours a day.

We are held to a different standard because we are led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14). If the Holy Spirit instructs us to do a little bit more, we should do more. If the Holy Spirit instructs us to stop on time and go home, we should do just that. Our performance is unto the Lord, not to please or impress men.

As previously stated, the word “men” includes ourselves. Some of us put pressure on ourselves to get the job done. Some of us will sacrifice our sleep, spending time with our families, or going to church just to get the job done. We are called to obey the instructions from God and not our flesh.

Don’t allow peer or internal pressure to push you to perform outside the will of God. Seek God in all that you do and work unto Him.