Effort Reflects Expectation

Have you ever been given some task to perform and not been sure of how to proceed?  Oftentimes this could be the result of not being told what specifically was going to be expected.  If you are unsure that you will be followed up with or uncertain as to what you should be doing exactly, your effort will tend to reflect that.  On the other hand, if you have been given a job that has been outlined thoroughly, and expectations have been made clear and directions have been explicit, you will be certain to give your best.

Applying oneself to a task is an exercise in personal responsibility and self-motivation.  Absent expectation, our own personal drive to excel and achieve can sometimes lag behind where it would be given a high expectation.  Only a select few people possessed of an intense personal motivation to consistently best previous personal efforts tend to maintain high standards in the absence of expectation.  Simply put, very few of us have the drive to apply our best effort unless we know that that is what is expected.  The tendency to slack off when the boss isn't around is testament to this.  When no one is around to motivate, we tend to let standards slip a little. 

When we as Christians think about this issue, we should acknowledge that God sees all.  There is never a moment when God is not "around" to observe how we are behaving.  The expectations of how we should act are laid out for us in Scripture.  We cannot use ignorance as an excuse for poor behavior.  The Bible contains the principles that are to be our motivation.  The expectations of the Lord have been made extremely clear in Scripture, and given that fact we should live accordingly. 

In the daily struggle of life, remember that much is expected of you.  To whom much is given, much is required.  We have been given the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, so we must be willing and usable vessels to accomplish the work of the Lord.  Our efforts to please the Lord and to live out His will should directly reflect the expectation that Christ places upon us.  We should endeavor to live a daily life that meets the high calling and expectation of Christ upon us.