Who Are You Working For?
Are you willing to "tend" a tiny spot for God?
In my reading, I recently came across a short poem that made me stop and think.
Who do you work for? Do you work for God and do so simply for the pleasure of serving Him? Or - do you work because you enjoy attention from others?
Here is what the poem said:
The Disciplines of Life by V. Raymond Edman
“Father, where shall I work today?”
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then He pointed me out a tiny spot,
And said, “Tend that for me.”
I answered quickly, “Oh, no, not that.
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done.
Not that little place for me!”
And the word He spoke, it was not stern,
He answered me tenderly,
“Ah, little one, search that heart of thine;
Art thou working for them or me'
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.”
Jesus came to this world to do the Father’s will - to do those things which pleased His Father (John 8:29).
Even as Jesus faced death, He humbly submitted Himself to the agony of the cross by praying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).
Sometimes we might think the “little things” of service are not enough for us. After all, we are pretty talented - and it can be discouraging to work for God day after day with little to no recognition for our efforts.
If we begin to think this way - let’s remember that we are working for God. Who knows and who sees doesn’t matter because it’s all for God anyway.
Any “little” spot God gives us to tend is worthwhile. Any “little” labor we do for God is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
After all, “Nazareth was a little place, and so was Galilee.”