How to Be a Profitable Servant in the Workplace

Can a parable about being a profitable servant help us see how we can be great employees in today’s workplace? Here’s my experience.

I started working in May of 2020. This was a hard year to find a job because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In early March, I applied to several places where I believed I would do well, but finding a job proved challenging. After much prayer and diligence, in May of 2020 I got a job at a grocery store called Hy-Vee.

I had never really wanted to work at a grocery store, but working at Hy-Vee taught me many lessons and was an encouragement to me in the end. I am very thankful that this was my first job.

Let me share some of the things I learned from that experience. 

Advice from my granny

As I was growing up, my granny always told me, “When you are working in the workplace, be a profitable servant. Go above and beyond what you are supposed to do to help others. Be reliable and hardworking.”

This advice has helped me obtain favor in the sight of my managers.

What does it mean to be a profitable servant, and how can we become better employees?

Parable of the talents

In Matthew 25, you will find the parable of the talents. In this parable, a rich man goes to a far country after giving each of his servants a certain number of talents. Two of his servants were able to make more talents, while one hid his in the ground. The two servants who made more talents were rewarded when their master returned, but the last servant, who buried his talent, was punished for not doing anything with it.

The point of this story is that we need to use our talents to grow.

How do we become profitable servants? Here are three tips.

1. Develop strong time management skills. 

In Ecclesiastes 9:10 we read: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” 

In a work setting, this means striving to be at work on time and making the most of the time that you have there. Be reliable and responsible. Go to work and stay busy. 

Set goals for yourself throughout the day. For example, you might tell yourself, by a particular time, I want to be finished with this project or this task. 

Ask your manager or team lead what else you can do to help. Be willing to accept new challenges, even if they are not fun. Consistently do the best job you can, working with speed and quality.  

2. Be a team player and use your gifts to help others.

Each of us is unique. Focus on encouraging your fellow team players and using your talents to help others. Put your effort into working together instead of trying to be better than others. As the old saying goes, there is no I in the word team.

Be willing to go out of your way to help a fellow coworker, but also have the wisdom to know what needs to come first (Ecclesiastes 3:1). If both of you are working on the same task, challenge each other to be the best that you can be. Be encouraging and uplifting.

3. Pray for those who are in authority.

Paul instructed Timothy to pray for those in authority. That would include our boss or supervisor (1 Timothy 2:1-2). We can pray that they will be blessed and be able to be successful in all that they do. This will help us keep the right attitude toward them. 

One time, I was praying on the way to work and asking God to give me favor in the eyes of my store director and help me to do a good job. It was no more than an hour later that my store director, who did not usually talk to me, came up to me and said, “I just wanted to thank you for doing an amazing job for our company. Keep up the hard work!”

This was very encouraging to me, because not only did it help to know I was doing a good job, but it was also an answered prayer. This job was one of the greatest blessings in my life. My managers taught me helpful skills, and my coworkers were encouraging. It felt like we were a family.

Putting these steps to work

We are to be servants worthy of our hire by being productive. Stay a part of the team by being encouraging and not competitive. Do not ask what the company can do for you, but what can you do for the company. Be willing to help and grow in new skills. Never stop learning!

These are some of the ways you can be helpful in your company and be a profitable servant!

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