Gift In My Pocket

Wednesday is our trash day.
We put the trash out the night before, since the trash men come very early.
I am usually out walking when they make their rounds.
We do our weekly wave.

Waving to the trash men and the recycling men is one thing.
Knowing their names is another.
I am always so glad when they leave a Christmas card taped to the side of the trash can.
Then I finally know their names.

Last year, around Christmas time, cards were left with gifts for the men.
We placed our card exactly where they left their card for us.
When I looked out, early in the morning, the trash and recycling were still there.
The cards were gone!

I told my husband and he said that the cards were probably stolen.
I felt awful.
We live in the country.
Who would steal gifts for the trash men and recycling men…at Christmas?

I prepared another card, another gift, and took them over to the company offices.
I told the woman behind the desk what had happened.
It happens a lot this time of year.
But it shouldn’t!

I left my gift with her and she promised that the men would receive it.

This morning, I decided to keep my gift in my pocket as I walked.
I could easily get it out and give it to them when they came around in the truck.
It was so nice to see our trash men and recycling men this morning.
A wave became a face to face Thank You…we appreciate all you do for us.

If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper that did his job well.
– Martin Luther King

Imagine our day to day life without everyone doing their jobs.
Imagine no trash men, no short order cooks, no grocery store clerks.
Imagine no doctors, no nurses, no police officers, no firemen.

Unique jobs.
Unique people filling those jobs.
All important.
All necessary.

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 talked to a neighbor who stopped me this morning on my walk. We discussed this very thing. He shared, “My grandfather came over to this country with a suitcase and three children. He didn’t know the language. They all lived in one room. He worked hard to better himself…to give his children a better life.” He continued, “My parents taught me the same thing. Work hard. Take care of your family. If you don’t work, you don’t eat!”

I remember my own grandmother saying the same thing.
That old fashioned work ethic is rare.
In its place is a sense of entitlement.

Society looks down on the menial jobs, when in reality, those jobs keep society going.
God does not look at His children in terms of job status or income.
God looks at His children as a reflection of Him.

Can you imagine how differently we would all do our jobs if that alone were our criteria?

Often the jobs we do go unnoticed…but not to Him!
Often the jobs we do are very routine…yet He is in them!

The jobs we do each day reflect our giftedness, which in turn reflect Him.

I walked around this morning with my gift to these men in my pocket.
How many of us walk around each day with our gifts in our pocket?
Instead of tucking them away, let’s shine wherever God has placed us.
Shine…use the gifts God has given us to bless others and give Him glory!

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

We have a job to do…as well as any artist…any musician…any poet.
We have been made in HIS image.
Our work, whatever it may be, either reflects Him well or reflects Him poorly.

Our Sovereign God, our Creator, worked for six days.
Then He rested.

God does not hide the work of His Hands in His pocket.
He majestically displays it everywhere we look.
God’s handiwork is displayed in each of us.
He does everything well.