Colossians 3:23-24 KJV –“ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
As a new journeyman wireman, I was assigned to a job installing 51 new cameras on a mile long fuel dock for one of the large oil refineries in our area. This location was deemed an at-risk facility by Homeland Security after 9/11 and the company I worked for was rewarded the contract. The job began in fall and stretched through until the following summer.
Working on the dock was very pleasant in the fall where you could enjoy the warm days and watch the seals and other sea life in the water. As winter came along, the word “pleasant” was far from our minds. While we live in a moderate climate here in the Pacific Northwest, working on an exposed dock 1 mile out into the Puget Sound was unpleasant. The wind and rain were merciless.
At this same time, we hired a gentleman who was coming out of retirement at the age of 78. A quiet man by nature, I got to know him a little as we traveled down the dock in the truck or in our work zone as we installed conduit and pulled cable. I could see the cold was difficult for him as he struggled to keep his hands and feet warm. I wondered what might drive a man of that age to come back to work after having been retired for more than a decade. He didn’t explain much, other than to say there had been some financial challenges in his life.
After only a month or so this man decided that while he could perform some of the work, the cold affected his extremities so badly that he didn’t feel he could justify the wage he was being paid. He asked for his layoff and our company obliged his request. as I drove him down the dock one last time to his truck, he thanked me for my kindness to him during his brief time with us. He then quoted to me the verses above. He said we hadn’t had much time to discuss matters of the heart but that he felt a kindred spirit with me. He encouraged me to continue to always work as unto the Lord.
While I had heard this before from sermons or from my parents, his exhortation stuck with me all these years. An elder man doing what he could to encourage a young man just starting out in his career. I never saw or heard from him again, but I still think of him from time to time. When work gets hard or I begin to worry about what others are thinking of my work, these verses come to mind. I can see this man in the truck next to me massaging his hands trying to get to get the blood flowing. God moves in mysterious ways, but I know he brought this man into my life for just this brief time to encourage me in my occupation.
We all have a vocation that we are called to. They may not seem glamorous but as believers it is important to always shine that light of Christ in our day-to-day activities. Many or most times we might not see the fruit from these actions, but our wonderful Heavenly Father knows exactly where to place his children in the world.
While it is important to work hard in our earthly vocation, the work has been completed already in our vocation as believers. Christ uttered the words “It is finished” on that center cross of Calvary. All that is left to do is point others to that completed work of salvation. To receive the reward of our inheritance, and to praise God for his unspeakable mercies towards us in Christ!
Hans Lampinen
Submitted by Pastor Stan
Commentaires