Apr
25
2017
Work Ethic
Posted in Daily Living 4 Comments
It was the day before the last snowstorm.
I called our trash company since the snow was to fall Tuesday night and all day Wednesday.
Wednesday is our trash and recycling day.
I wanted to know when the trash pickup would be rescheduled.
My husband was away on business, so I wanted to handle this ahead of time to be prepared.
The woman put me on hold after she told me that she needed to look into something.
She got back on the phone and told me something I never knew for twenty years in this house.
The company that hauls our trash away so faithfully is not the company that bills us.
I did not understand since we had the same trash company in this house and the house before.
Apparently, some houses on our street were affected by a subcontracting situation.
The rescheduled pick up date would be different for us.
The woman at the company who hauls our trash away was so helpful.
She could not believe the amount of money we paid each quarter.
I asked how much it would cost if they handled everything for us.
She and I both could not believe the price difference.
We would save $600 a year.
To think, if you didn’t call about the snowstorm, you never would have known, she said.
She was right.
We would have kept paying our bill, assuming that the hauler was the one who billed us.
I set everything up during that phone call.
The woman gave me the number for the billing company so I could cancel our account.
After waiting an inordinately long time, I finally got a person on the line.
We had already paid ahead for the upcoming quarter so a refund was due.
I was told it would be finalized at the end of the month when the account was officially closed.
I was told to call and request the refund check; I did not understand why I had to do that.
Doesn’t the refund get sent to us automatically, I asked.
No, you will get an invoice with a negative balance; after that you can request it, she told me.
I was counting the days until our faithful company would handle everything for us.
Precisely when they said, the faithful company brought the new trash can to our home.
Days later than they said, the billing coming came to pick up our old one.
It took two reminder calls to get them to come out and pick the old trash can up for us.
I couldn’t wait to have the faithful company handle everything.
The end of the month came and went.
We got an email informing us of our negative balance.
I called the billing company, as I was told, to request my refund.
That will happen automatically, they said after I waited thirty minutes for someone to answer.
I asked about that a few weeks ago but I was told that I have to request our refund, I said.
I don’t know who told you that, but it happens automatically, the woman told me.
I know who told me that because I write down who I talk to and when, I informed her.
I just made my sixth call to the billing company.
I have waited at least thirty minutes each time with my phone on speaker.
The last time I called, I was able to make soup, and bake homemade granola while I waited.
This time I got a man on the phone after waiting thirty-seven minutes.
He promised that he would get to the bottom of this and call me the following day.
So I continue to wait.
In the meantime, our faithful trash company is courteous and efficient.
All those years and we never knew we had another option.
This whole situation, yet to be resolved, made me think of work ethic and what it means.
I looked up the dictionary definition of work ethic.
Work ethic is the principle that hard work is intrinsically virtuous or worthy of reward.
Work ethic matters.
It matters in business and in our daily life.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
(Colossians 3:23)
The Bible gives us a fuller definition of work ethic.
We are working for the Lord, not for men.
How we do our work matters.
It matters to the people we serve but mainly it matters to God.
Our faithful trash company operates on Biblical principles.
They work excellently.
They care about their customers.
The way they operate reflects the Lord they serve.
People’s time is valuable.
Waiting for thirty minutes before you even talk to someone is unacceptable.
Working for the Lord, means that keeping someone on hold is keeping the Lord on hold.
It matters.
Those who are in Christ Jesus should have the best work ethic.
There should be an attitude of excellence that shines through.
Perfection is never attained nor should it ever be expected.
However, excellence should be a believer’s trademark.
How are we doing?
Do we represent Christ well in our day to day lives?
Is our work ethic different from someone who is not a believer in Christ Jesus?
The answer to that question should be a resounding, yes.
It is the Lord Jesus we are serving.
It is His people we are ministering to in our day to day jobs and lives.
We reflect the Lord Jesus in the way we treat others.
Whatever we do, we do it for Him first.
Always.
Amen….what an important reminder!
Diane,
We can only pray that what we do and how we do it are so much different from the world that it speaks volumes for Christ.
Gina
This is so true and good to remember when work is difficult. All that we do is to God’s glory!
Sue,
We who are in Christ should have a different, more excellent work ethic, since it is the Lord we are ultimately serving.
Gina