Whatever you do, do it well
When I was in third grade, Mom decided it was time for her to work outside the home. She found a job at a dry-cleaning shop and took pride in learning her new trade. She didn’t see herself as a spot remover; she called herself a “benzine cleaner,” an old term from the early days of the trade. I remember seeing her sitting at the dining table, studying the book that gave her the knowledge she needed for her new trade. She wanted to learn her work and do it well. Looking back now, I realize that she was teaching us something without ever having to say it. She showed us that whatever we do, it is worth doing well. Dad had been working three jobs, and when Mom began working, he was finally able to leave one of them. Dad was a millwright, an occupation that has nearly faded from the fabric of America. I don’t think I ever understood what he did. His work kept machinery running, and I suppose that was enough for me to know. What I understood was that Dad worked hard, and no matter how long the day or how many jobs, he came through that door with an evening hug, smelling of machinery grease and sawdust. That fragrance meant Dad was home. If it is true that one of the best ways of teaching is to lead by example, then my parents taught us well. With retirement knocking at my own door, I realize just how well. The lessons I watched them live out as a child have followed me into adulthood: work hard, take pride in what you do, and give it your best. Those lessons were never written on a chalkboard or handed to us in a book. We learned them by watching two people do what needed to be done – and do it well. As I have thought about those lessons over the years, I have come to realize they reach beyond our work. They reach into the way we live our lives and, for me, into the way I live out my faith. If we were taught to take pride in doing our work well, how much more should we approach our service to God with a willing heart and a desire to honor Him? We serve a God of excellence, and the way we live and serve should reflect the One we serve. Jesus taught that faithfulness begins with the little things. In Luke 16:10, He says that if we are trusted with little, then we can be trusted with more. When we give our best to what has been placed in our hands, we are preparing ourselves for whatever comes next. That may be the challenge before us. We may not all be called to do great things, but each of us is given a task in life, someone to care for, or some responsibility to carry. What matters is that we are faithful with what has been entrusted. God is not asking us to be extraordinary, but faithful. Perhaps that is where my parents’ example has come full circle. They taught us by the way they lived, and now we have the same opportunity. Our faith is not only something we believe; it is something we live. In ordinary moments, the work we do, and the people we care for, we have the opportunity to reflect God’s character. What others see in us may become a glimpse of Him. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. Colossians 3:23
Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.