“A balanced man of God sees the Lord as his strength, his refuge, and his shield when things refuse to be resolved.” Stress Fractures, P.149
It was another one of those days that I left my office totally spent. It had begun like every other day, up at 6 AM, out of the house by 7:45 AM. Early to work and late leaving in comparison to my 8:30 AM- 4:30 PM weekly schedule. This day I left the office later than usual, determined to finish what I had started, in the interest of doing my job well. Even if it meant I was not getting paid for the “overtime.” It was as I was on my way to my car, that I took a few minutes, and took a deep breath, and truly thanked God for having provided a job for me, for equipping me to do the job well, and for getting me through yet another challenging day- and while that was all good I repented that with all that I had accomplished that day, and indeed in the week; I had not done anything for the Kingdom.
I has sent hundreds of emails; answered tens of calls; solved many problems, and written several letters, but what had I done for the Kingdom? I wondered as I reflected on how exhausted I was. I had not shared the Word with anyone. In fact, the Name of Jesus had not come up during my work week at all, beyond “God Bless You!” when someone sneezed, especially considering the pandemic of The Coronavirus.
I felt, like I have so many times before, that this work, was a waste of my time and I should be Like Jesus, about my Father’s Business. Again, ‘How had I served the Kingdom of God, today?’ I thought. It was like the bubble over my head that we see so often in the comic books, giving voice to our unseen/unheard thoughts.
By now, I was in my car and on my way out of the parking garage when someone cut me off, but instead of responding the way normally do, I just leaned back, breathed deeper, and waited my turn. Now stuck in formidable traffic, in the middle of the now later rush hour, I had no choice but to wait- and patiently, I might add…inching my way until I got to the main thoroughfare on the 30-minute commute, door-to-door, that was now turning into at least an hour. I was proud that I did not lose my cool, and I remember thinking, ‘I need to look at my work for the Kingdom through other eyes.’ Here is what the Bible says about “work.” Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23); May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us- yes establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17); “A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desired of the diligent are fully satisfied.” (Proverbs 13:4); “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8); Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. (Proverbs 16:3).
In looking at my failure to serve the Kingdom of God, in the way I thought I should, feeling like my job was wasting my time, I realized that it is not just about speaking about my faith or sharing my testimony. The opportunity did not always present itself in the way I thought it should. Maybe it was the way I handled a phone call; or the way I solved a client’s problem. Maybe it was the way I wiped up the mess left behind by others in getting a cup of coffee. Maybe it was holding the door for someone hot on my heels, rather than allowing it to slam in their face like had happened to me so many other times. I really needed to look at my work for the Kingdom through other eyes. The Bible says that, “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:24) we will get a reward for the things we do for Christ, and I realize that the secular work He has given me, has given me the ability to support the vision and ministry of our church. Through my job, I can pay my bills, and still pay my tithes, and still have money for gas and lunch money for the week.
Maybe I have been looking at my work for the Kingdom all wrong. That is not to say that I should not be sharing my faith, or my testimony, because we overcome by the word of our testimony- but beyond that, I ought to be exemplifying Christ in His manifold presence. I am His hands. His Feet. His eyes. Any by my attitude I ought to represent Him well. I ought to have a message, but I ought to also be one. At Matthew 6:22 Jesus spoke, saying “The eye is the lamp of the body” …and one commentary says that what he meant is that they are not only to see with but they also our means of perception. It is not only what we see, but how we perceive what we see that makes a difference between light and darkness.
By the time I arrived home that evening I was convinced that I had served the Kingdom well that day, and as I made a mental list of the things I would encounter on tomorrow, I prayed that I would see my work in and for the Kingdom of God through His eyes. For His word says, “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” (Titus 2: 7-8).
I have been wearing prescription glasses for my nearsightedness since I was 21, and I did not know that I couldn’t see until I put my glasses on. Once my vision was corrected, I could see clearly what I had not been able to see before. The Spirit of God is just like my prescription glasses. He improves my vision, not only of myself but also my vision of others. My judgment may sometimes be a little off, but my vision is clear, for no word from God will ever fail (Luke 1:37).
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands- yes establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:7
Submitted by Deaconess Irene Gardon