Not My Job

If a man is called a streetsweeper, 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 streetsweeper who did his job well. ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yesterday I had a co-worker stop by my office to complain.  She was mad because another co-worker scheduled a meeting and when people started arriving to attend the meeting, she had to direct them to where the meeting would be held. 

The thing she said that bothered me was “it’s not my job to direct people for him and I don’t work for him.” 

I was raised that you never said it’s not my job.  When my Dad mowed the lawn we all went out and mowed or worked in the yard.  Part of that may have been because our house had an acre to mow.  When my Dad went out to chop wood we all went out and helped load it in the truck and then unload it at the house. 

Too many times we become possessive of our job or occupation and we think that the responsibilities we have within that job are our only responsibilities.  My thoughts are that God expects us to show Him to others through our work. That means we may help someone carry boxes, fix the copier, pick up lunch, and even direct people to a conference room.  The catch is we are not to do it only when our boss is looking.

God expects us to give 100% of ourselves to our work when we are there.  I am the first to admit that I sometimes struggle with this because it is so much easier to tell someone I don’t have time to help them. 

I have another lady who works with me and for whatever reason she likes me.  My guess is that when I started working here I was always kind to her, I took the time to ask how she was doing every day and when she has questions about the mail I always make time to stop what I am doing to answer.  I also try to learn people’s names and call them by their name when I see them.  Sometimes it is just that little extra effort that makes someone feel special and isn’t that what God expects from us? 

Our job is not just about doing stuff.  God blessed us with skills.  Skills to do our job daily but he also gives us people skills.  How we use those people skills may make the difference in someone going to heaven or not?

Bill Hybels is one of my favorite authors because he always writes and speaks in language I understand.  He spoke at our church several years ago and he talked about how you may be a 1 or a 10 in someone’s life.  You might be a 5 or an 8.  What he meant was that you might be another person’s 1^st step in finding God or you might be their 5^th or 8^th or you might even be the one who is blessed to be someone’s 10^th, helping them to take that step to accepting Christ as their Savior.  He talked about not underestimating the value in being a 1 in someone’s life.  

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I want to work for You.  That means that my work at my job, or running errands, talking to my neighbor, or buying groceries is part of my work for You.  Help remind me that everything I do is work for You.   Thank you for blessing me with the skills to work and show others You through that work. Help me to be a 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 or a 10 in someone’s life.

Scripture: Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.   Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.  Colossians 3:22-24