The Gift of Work

Shopping carts.
Such a necessity in the grocery store.
Such a blessing at other retail stores.
Items can go in the cart instead of carrying them around in your arms.

Carts can leave the store and get wheeled to your car.
Load up your car with your packages…return the cart to the designated area.
Return them…unless there is no room because the designated area is filled with carts.

Did you ever watch people put shopping carts back?
Some will wheel them over and with one large push…catapult them into the cart holders.
Some will wheel them over and carefully add their cart to the existing row.
Some will add their cart to a row that is already extending into the parking lot.
Some won’t put their cats back at all and will leave them next to their car.

A large retail store has two locations not too far from my house.
Each store has the usual cart holders in the parking lot.
One location has more carts outside in the parking lot than inside the store.
That store is always scrambling for an employee to go out and get the carts.

The other location has a faithful young man who takes his job very seriously.
He is so diligent..retrieving carts with ease.
He whistles or makes sounds with his mouth as he walks…shuffling his feet.
He searches the parking lot and immediately brings the carts back inside.

He always has a smile on his face, though he doesn’t usually say hello or make eye contact.
He is always dressed for the weather and is just as faithful on rainy days as sunny days.
Bitter cold or scorching heat does not deter him.
This is his job…and he does it excellently.

I once saw an older woman talking to him in the parking lot.
As I was walking to my car, they were finishing their conversation.
I will see you and your Mom in church on Sunday, she said.
A small, quiet Yes was the only response…with the same permanent smile.

What a work ethic this young man has!
I think many people could learn much from watching him.
He is content doing the job that he has been given…and doing it well.

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. (Colossians 3:23 24)

I think this young man knows this truth.
When others would think such work is beneath them, this young man does his job.
When others make excuses, this young man makes the shopping experience delightful.
When others don’t show up for work, this young man is there…on time…ready to go.

He takes such pride in his work.
All the other employees seem to really like him.

Work is a good thing!
Work is designed by God for us to do.
God worked for six days and rested on the seventh.
God gave Adam work to do in the garden.

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This, too, I see, is from the hand of God…Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift from God. (Ecclesiastes 2:24 and 5:19)

A gift from God.
What if we had this attitude when we did our work?
Good days or bad days…work is a gift from God.

Because of the Fall, sin encroaches on our work.
Work becomes toil…by the sweat of our brow.

We need to remember what this young man seems to already know.
We are working for the Lord, not for men.
That perspective allows us to see work as a gift.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed  and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

There is no job that is beneath us.
There is no job that we are too good for.
Godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6)

Contentment has less to do with the job we are called to do.
Contentment has more to do with our attitude as we do that job.

Like the young man in the parking lot, we have work to do.
Most of us go about out days in a very ordinary way.
What if we changed our perspective?

There is greatness in the little things…in the ordinary things.
Greatness in the diaper changes, the cookie baking, the leaf raking.
Greatness in the thank you note, the phone call, the visit.
Greatness in the cup of cold water, the meal, the giving of your time.
Greatness in moving shopping carts.

Greatness in ordinary things.
Greatness because the ordinary things are done for Him…and in His name.
Let’s do the ordinary things…well!

 

2 responses to “The Gift of Work”

1. Well, I was planning on cleaning today (couldn’t put it off any longer). What an appropriate message for today!

   Reply

   • Stacie,
     I was cleaning this morning, too!
     Doing the “ordinary” things…well!
     Guess we all need the reminder.
     Gina

     Reply