A cardboard box filled – “World’s Greatest Grandpa” coffee cup, photos of the family, a few “success” books, pens, pencils, a nearly empty package of breath mints, the outer one slightly gray – you carry the remains of a life long career. Tomorrow you don’t have to drag yourself out of bed. You don’t have to drag yourself anywhere. You won’t need to set an alarm. Not that it matters, you’ll wake up at 5:45, the same as you have for years.
What’s next? Relax. Take it easy. Who cares, you’re retired – free!
What does God say about retirement? Interestingly, he’s rather silent on the subject. Perhaps it’s because retirement is a fairly new phenomenon.
Long ago work had much more to do with survival than building a 401k. If you’re working to put dinner on the table retirement is going to leave you seriously hungry. However, maybe God is silent on the matter because he’s got other plans.
There was a king, hair thin and gray, hands gnarled, laying on his deathbed, literally. Bones aching, body weak, shaking, he just couldn’t get warm no matter what his servants tried. He’d lived a good life, had no regrets. He was ready.
Then came the news. You can’t die yet, there’s more to do. The heir to the throne was being usurped. Both were the sons of the king, the heir and usurper, so if either ruled the king’s lineage would continue. He could have rolled over and said, “I’m too old for this stuff. Let the young ones fight over it. My time is past.”
Not this king, he dragged himself out of bed. Calling his advisors, he determined the situation. He met with the leaders who ruled under him and made sure a coronation was held for the true heir to the throne.
Okay, that’s enough right. Get back in bed, old man. Nope, not yet.
The king took his son, the heir, and taught him. Reviewed all the wise things he’d taught him over a life of preparation. When the son was firmly on the throne, and the other son had abdicated his false claims to the crown, then King David, the giant killer and friend of God, retired.
Retired. It’s one of those weird re-words that doesn’t work. Re often means “again” – redo: do it again, rebuild: build it again, refrigerate: frigerate it again. Okay, refrigerate is another one that doesn’t quite work.
Retire. Maybe it means you spent thirty years getting tired, now, do it again. I doubt I’d get too many supporters for that definition.
Sometimes I picture it a different way. If you’ve ever watched a car race, you’ve seen a pit stop crew. Now I’m not mechanically minded, not even a little.
Last week I had to replace a rear turn signal bulb on my truck. It should have taken five minutes, but three hours and four trips to the parts store later I’d gotten so mad I broke the rear light assembly. I shoved it all back in and started once again to the parts store to return the new assembly I’d bought, the one that didn’t work. On my way to the store I absent-mindedly flipped on the turn signal – AND IT WORKED! If I’d have known breaking it would have fixed it I could have done that before I ever bought the new bulb.
Needless to say, I appreciate the skill and speed of the pit stop crew.
That race car can go round and round (never really getting anywhere in my opinion), driven hard, tires bald. It rolls into the pit stop and in a matter of seconds the pit stop crew has got the car re-tired. It’s ready to get back out there and do what it was created for.
I wonder if that’s God’s idea of retirement. He says, “Come to me you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
“Yes!” you might be thinking, especially if you’re close to retirement. You might be picturing a hammock under a shade tree or a recliner in the den. Sorry to mess up your daydreams, but God didn’t stop there.
“Take my yolk upon you….” A yolk is the work tool of the oxen. It allows two oxen to pull a load together.
“You want rest, relaxation?” God asks. “Come and work with me. That’s where you’ll find it.” Maybe in God’s eyes retirement is more about re-commissioning. God giving you time to do a new job, maybe a job with much greater impact than the career you spent the rest of your life working.
There was a man who started a new career at age sixty-nine, when most of his peers had already been retired for several years. He only worked the job for eight years, but he was better known for that post than for any other thing he did in his life. His name was Ronald Reagan.
It’s an impressive story, but all he did was serve as President of a country. You could help build the kingdom of God. When the time comes let God re-tire you so you can get back out there and do what you were created to do.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Redefining the Boss
Feet caked with mud, arms scratched, muscles aching, the man mashes straw into mud. His team is required to create a certain number of adobe bricks each day. It’s a hard, unrelenting job.
As he squishes in the mud, each stomp of his feet keeps the beat of the song in his heart. He thinks about the upcoming vacation and can’t help but smile. Even the shouts of the boss to hurry can’t get him riled today. He’s going to have a few days off.
A kernel of doubt enters his brain. “The big boss hasn’t Okayed the trip yet.” It was true. He was still awaiting final approval.
They had asked for time off to go and worship. The boss was a religious man. Granted, it was a different religion, but he understood the need for worship.
The doubt didn’t leave. It irritated him the way a sharp rock down in the mud would do to his foot. The difference: with the rock he could stick his hand down in the quagmire and pull it out. The feeling of uncertainty in his mind was more elusive.
How about you? Have you ever had a situation at work where you asked the boss for a favor? How about a favor that had to do with worship, or a Bible conference, or a Good-Friday service, did you have to wait for the boss to answer your request? It can be frustrating. Let’s look back at our story and see what happened.
The boss gave a resounding NO. No way. Not a chance.
The man was discouraged as he went to bed the night he heard. The next morning he had to drag himself to work. The day didn’t get better. The boss let his team know that there was a change.
“If you have enough time to go off to worship your God, you’ve got time to gather your own straw.”
“What?” The man thought. “We already dig the clay from the hillside and carry the water from the river. If we have to have to gather the straw too we’ll never be able to make as many bricks.” Then he chuckled under his breath. “Serves the boss right – he won’t have as many bricks, the Jerk.”
Just then the boss said, “I’ll expect the same number of bricks as always. Failure to do so will bring about steep penalties.”
Unfair! Unjust! Why would God allow this to happen to people who were trying to worship him? He’s a loving God who wants to bless his children. How could he be so uncaring?
The man in the story and his team asked God very similar question. Their leader, Moses, questioned God’s actions – or inaction – as well. And, if you’re like me, you’ve probably questioned God in very similar ways when things didn’t go as you planned.
So, why didn’t God allow them to go and worship. I mean, that’s a good thing, a great thing, something he’s commanded us to do. Does God not really care?
In truth, God does care about us. That doesn’t mean blessing us is his first priority though, especially if by blessing us we mean giving us what we want. God’s first priority is that he is glorified before the world. Ezekiel 36:22-23 says, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name … I will vindicate the holiness of my great name which has been profaned among the nations … and the nations will know that I am the Lord….”
That’s what he was doing for Moses and children of Israel. After Moses questioned God’s inaction the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharoah….” (Exodus 6:1) He gave Moses a message for the people. Basically he said, “You wanted to go worship me for a few days and then come back to serve as slaves under Pharoah, but I’m going to way out do that dream. I’m going to take you to the land I promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I’m going to be your God and you, my children, will worship me there.”
Wow! God’s plan was a far greater blessing, and in the process of blessing the children of Israel he would glorify his name among all the nations. Before you get too excited, read the response of his people. Moses told them everything God had said, “but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.”
It would be easy for us to shake our heads at their attitude, but how often have I completely missed the real blessing God had planned because I was feeling sorry for myself. I was having a pity party because God didn’t do what I thought he should have.
When things don’t go your way lift your eyes to the hills – or those bright, white, fluorescent lights if you’re at work – and say like the Psalm, “My help comes from the Lord (the Boss), who made heaven and earth.” (121:2) You can watch his plan unfold. You can be the one glorifying his name before the nations.
As he squishes in the mud, each stomp of his feet keeps the beat of the song in his heart. He thinks about the upcoming vacation and can’t help but smile. Even the shouts of the boss to hurry can’t get him riled today. He’s going to have a few days off.
A kernel of doubt enters his brain. “The big boss hasn’t Okayed the trip yet.” It was true. He was still awaiting final approval.
They had asked for time off to go and worship. The boss was a religious man. Granted, it was a different religion, but he understood the need for worship.
The doubt didn’t leave. It irritated him the way a sharp rock down in the mud would do to his foot. The difference: with the rock he could stick his hand down in the quagmire and pull it out. The feeling of uncertainty in his mind was more elusive.
How about you? Have you ever had a situation at work where you asked the boss for a favor? How about a favor that had to do with worship, or a Bible conference, or a Good-Friday service, did you have to wait for the boss to answer your request? It can be frustrating. Let’s look back at our story and see what happened.
The boss gave a resounding NO. No way. Not a chance.
The man was discouraged as he went to bed the night he heard. The next morning he had to drag himself to work. The day didn’t get better. The boss let his team know that there was a change.
“If you have enough time to go off to worship your God, you’ve got time to gather your own straw.”
“What?” The man thought. “We already dig the clay from the hillside and carry the water from the river. If we have to have to gather the straw too we’ll never be able to make as many bricks.” Then he chuckled under his breath. “Serves the boss right – he won’t have as many bricks, the Jerk.”
Just then the boss said, “I’ll expect the same number of bricks as always. Failure to do so will bring about steep penalties.”
Unfair! Unjust! Why would God allow this to happen to people who were trying to worship him? He’s a loving God who wants to bless his children. How could he be so uncaring?
The man in the story and his team asked God very similar question. Their leader, Moses, questioned God’s actions – or inaction – as well. And, if you’re like me, you’ve probably questioned God in very similar ways when things didn’t go as you planned.
So, why didn’t God allow them to go and worship. I mean, that’s a good thing, a great thing, something he’s commanded us to do. Does God not really care?
In truth, God does care about us. That doesn’t mean blessing us is his first priority though, especially if by blessing us we mean giving us what we want. God’s first priority is that he is glorified before the world. Ezekiel 36:22-23 says, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name … I will vindicate the holiness of my great name which has been profaned among the nations … and the nations will know that I am the Lord….”
That’s what he was doing for Moses and children of Israel. After Moses questioned God’s inaction the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharoah….” (Exodus 6:1) He gave Moses a message for the people. Basically he said, “You wanted to go worship me for a few days and then come back to serve as slaves under Pharoah, but I’m going to way out do that dream. I’m going to take you to the land I promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I’m going to be your God and you, my children, will worship me there.”
Wow! God’s plan was a far greater blessing, and in the process of blessing the children of Israel he would glorify his name among all the nations. Before you get too excited, read the response of his people. Moses told them everything God had said, “but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.”
It would be easy for us to shake our heads at their attitude, but how often have I completely missed the real blessing God had planned because I was feeling sorry for myself. I was having a pity party because God didn’t do what I thought he should have.
When things don’t go your way lift your eyes to the hills – or those bright, white, fluorescent lights if you’re at work – and say like the Psalm, “My help comes from the Lord (the Boss), who made heaven and earth.” (121:2) You can watch his plan unfold. You can be the one glorifying his name before the nations.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Redefining the Worker
The older man was harried as he prepared for the trip he didn’t want to take. One of his sons came in the room. “Son, I need you to go out to the field and work for me today. I must go on an unexpected trip, and there’s work to be done.”
The son grimaced. This was supposed to be his day off. “Dad, I’ve got plans. I can’t go out and work today.”
“Son, I’m depending on you.”
“This stinks,” the son replied as he stormed out of the room. He calmed down some as he walked through the house, and by the time he was outside he’d steeled himself for the work that lay before him in the field.
About the same time the man’s other son walked in on him. “Son, I need you to go out and work in the field today. I’ve had a change of plans.”
“No problem, Dad. I’ll get right out there.”
The father smiled as he watched the second son leave the room. The boy walked down the hallway and into his bedroom where he went back to bed. Now which of these sons did the will of his father?
WANTED: A major corporation is seeking a worker who is blameless and who does what is right. We are looking for an employee who speaks the truth from his heart. Someone who doesn’t slander or slur his fellow worker. Despising those who are evil is acceptable. Working well with those who fear the Lord is a must. This employee must keep his word even when it hurts. He who does these things will never be fired. (based on Psalm 15:1-5)
What if employers used God’s Word as the standard by which they hired employees? Would you have been given the job you now have? If your annual performance and promotions were based on that standard would you quickly rise in the company, or would your non-Christian workmates give you a run for your money?
Your boss might not know what God’s Word says, so your job description probably didn’t sound like the ad above. Most employers don’t look for employees by those standards. God does.
When he says, “Be holy (set apart, spiritually distinguishable) as I am holy.” He didn’t mean just at church. He was thinking specifically of you on your job … and at church … and everywhere else.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Col. 3:23) If we live by this, and if our work is our worship and our work place is a place where the Savior sits and speaks, then we have to live according to God’s standards. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed.... 2 Tim 2:15
Remember, your job is not really about you, right? It’s about bringing glory to God. So, how can we do that? How you can you live a holy life at work, a life that is so spiritually different that the world that people notice?
How about this: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29-30) There are two directives in this verse: 1) don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, and 2) build others up.
Unwholesome talk could consist of off-colored jokes in the break room, or it could be bashing the boss by the water-cooler. For you to bring glory to God, your words need to be helpful, to encourage, to lift up, to make the life of someone around you better. Help the haters. Encourage the inefficient. Love the losers. Build up the boss.
Yeah, he might really be an idiot, but he’s an idiot that your Savior went to the cross for. Jesus isn’t asking us to be nailed to a tree for our fellow workers, but he does ask us to die to our own pride. Those snide comments that make us feel part of the group or possibly even better about ourselves, they are anything but holy.
The Apostle Paul gave this instruction to workers, and these workers had it tougher than most of us. Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show them that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. (Titus 2:9-10) If Paul instructs slaves to act toward their masters in this way, how much more should we as free workers support our bosses?
Did you recognize the reason we should treat our bosses this way: so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive? We treat our leaders with respect so that God is made attractive. He is glorified.
The way you act at work reflects directly on God. If you are arrogant and unkind, God’s image is distorted, made ugly to the world. The more you imitate God, the more he is seen in his beauty. You, the worker, were created in the image of the God who speaks life to the world, who gave everything for those that despised him. Imitate him.
The son grimaced. This was supposed to be his day off. “Dad, I’ve got plans. I can’t go out and work today.”
“Son, I’m depending on you.”
“This stinks,” the son replied as he stormed out of the room. He calmed down some as he walked through the house, and by the time he was outside he’d steeled himself for the work that lay before him in the field.
About the same time the man’s other son walked in on him. “Son, I need you to go out and work in the field today. I’ve had a change of plans.”
“No problem, Dad. I’ll get right out there.”
The father smiled as he watched the second son leave the room. The boy walked down the hallway and into his bedroom where he went back to bed. Now which of these sons did the will of his father?
WANTED: A major corporation is seeking a worker who is blameless and who does what is right. We are looking for an employee who speaks the truth from his heart. Someone who doesn’t slander or slur his fellow worker. Despising those who are evil is acceptable. Working well with those who fear the Lord is a must. This employee must keep his word even when it hurts. He who does these things will never be fired. (based on Psalm 15:1-5)
What if employers used God’s Word as the standard by which they hired employees? Would you have been given the job you now have? If your annual performance and promotions were based on that standard would you quickly rise in the company, or would your non-Christian workmates give you a run for your money?
Your boss might not know what God’s Word says, so your job description probably didn’t sound like the ad above. Most employers don’t look for employees by those standards. God does.
When he says, “Be holy (set apart, spiritually distinguishable) as I am holy.” He didn’t mean just at church. He was thinking specifically of you on your job … and at church … and everywhere else.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Col. 3:23) If we live by this, and if our work is our worship and our work place is a place where the Savior sits and speaks, then we have to live according to God’s standards. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed.... 2 Tim 2:15
Remember, your job is not really about you, right? It’s about bringing glory to God. So, how can we do that? How you can you live a holy life at work, a life that is so spiritually different that the world that people notice?
How about this: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29-30) There are two directives in this verse: 1) don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, and 2) build others up.
Unwholesome talk could consist of off-colored jokes in the break room, or it could be bashing the boss by the water-cooler. For you to bring glory to God, your words need to be helpful, to encourage, to lift up, to make the life of someone around you better. Help the haters. Encourage the inefficient. Love the losers. Build up the boss.
Yeah, he might really be an idiot, but he’s an idiot that your Savior went to the cross for. Jesus isn’t asking us to be nailed to a tree for our fellow workers, but he does ask us to die to our own pride. Those snide comments that make us feel part of the group or possibly even better about ourselves, they are anything but holy.
The Apostle Paul gave this instruction to workers, and these workers had it tougher than most of us. Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show them that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. (Titus 2:9-10) If Paul instructs slaves to act toward their masters in this way, how much more should we as free workers support our bosses?
Did you recognize the reason we should treat our bosses this way: so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive? We treat our leaders with respect so that God is made attractive. He is glorified.
The way you act at work reflects directly on God. If you are arrogant and unkind, God’s image is distorted, made ugly to the world. The more you imitate God, the more he is seen in his beauty. You, the worker, were created in the image of the God who speaks life to the world, who gave everything for those that despised him. Imitate him.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Redefining the Tough Day at the Office
Dust caked the workers sweat soaked faces. Blood from busted knuckles had congealed with the white powder making putrid gray-brown crumbles on their hands. Their eyes were hollow; any hope had faded to despair. They were forever trapped in this endless endeavor.
The stones they carried held no precious minerals, no jewels. They were just rocks, ugly gray rocks. They seemed to have tumbled in a heap without end.
They carried the rocks and stacked them. They piled them one on another, load after load, stacking them – carry and stack, cart and pile. But the structure didn’t get any bigger.
“We can’t go on. It’s too much. We’re never going to finish. We give up.”
That was their cry to Nehemiah, their leader. This cry didn’t come at the beginning of the wall building project. Oh no, like many projects it started with gusto. In fact right before we read about this moment in Nehemiah chapter four the author had told us: So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
What happened? The story moved from the people had a mind to work to: The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall. And this all happened in four verses.
I know exactly what happened. It happens in my backyard all the time. I get a great idea for a project in the backyard, and with little thought to how difficult the task will be I begin. I’m excited. I know this is going to be the best looking walkway, flower garden, vegetable garden, rock wall – oh, I can’t remember all of the projects I’ve started. With gusto, I might add.
Unfortunately, they are seldom finished, at least in a timely manner. I run out of steam. My back starts to feel the stress of bending over. Muscles I only work a few times a year start to scream, “What are you doing? Are you insane? We can’t finish this by ourselves.”
The children of Israel had reached that dreaded spot, the one that brings me to my knees, the halfway point. It’s a terrible place. You’ve gone too far to turn back, but the end seems to be forever away still.
Often the time we are at our weakest, is when we are halfway through something. Sometimes we know it. Sometimes we don’t.
When we know we’re there, we may be able to muster the strength to carry on. But, what about those time when we just don’t think we’re going to make it? What can we do then?
All of us will face those moments. You may face a moment like that in your marriage, in raising your kids, or in your career. So, what do you do?
Quit. No, you may feel like that, but we can look back at Nehemiah’s story and find the solution. We have to refocus.
The children of Israel were sure they couldn’t continue on. They were being threatened by outside forces. They complained about all the rubble around them. Problems were everywhere, and they were tired on top of all that.
The wall they were rebuilding was the wall of protection around the city. King Nebuchadnezzar’s army had pulled the old wall down, rock from rock, into the huge pile of rubble that they were now climbing over. It was a mess.
But the mess was much smaller than it had been when they started. They were using those very same rocks that had been the old wall to build the new wall, and now the wall was half its height. The rubble they were complaining about was the very storehouse that was supplying their needs.
That’s often the case when we are struggling. Our biggest problems are also a source for our success, but how do we see them for what they are? How do we take our eyes off the rubble?
We follow the advice of Nehemiah. He didn’t explain to them that there was less rubble than when they started. He didn’t say, “Cheer up. We’ve come a long way.”
Have you ever done that? When someone is having one of those really tough days, they’ve reached a halfway point, and you say something pithy. “Oh, things aren’t really as bad as you think.” Usually the result is less than positive. I know, I do it to my wife all the time. You’d think I’d learn.
Nehemiah was obviously smarter than me, so he didn’t focus on the rubble. He didn’t focus on the job either. That would be the route many leaders would take. “Remember, we’ve got a job to do. It’s an important job. We need everyone on their A-game.” Pep rallies for the defeated aren’t too successful.
He didn’t remind them of all he had done to help them out. “Listen people, I went before King Artaxerxes, risking my own life to come here and lead you all. I made sure we had lumber for the doorposts and gates. I mean, come on. If I can do all this for you, you can keep going until the job’s done.” No, he didn’t focus their attention on his fearless leadership.
Nehemiah did what you and I need to do. He focused them back on God. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome.
If the mission of our job is bring glory to God. If our work is not really about us, but truly about him, then he has to be where our eyes, our mind, our hearts are focused. You want to push through the tough times, focus on the Lord, who is great and awesome.
The stones they carried held no precious minerals, no jewels. They were just rocks, ugly gray rocks. They seemed to have tumbled in a heap without end.
They carried the rocks and stacked them. They piled them one on another, load after load, stacking them – carry and stack, cart and pile. But the structure didn’t get any bigger.
“We can’t go on. It’s too much. We’re never going to finish. We give up.”
That was their cry to Nehemiah, their leader. This cry didn’t come at the beginning of the wall building project. Oh no, like many projects it started with gusto. In fact right before we read about this moment in Nehemiah chapter four the author had told us: So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
What happened? The story moved from the people had a mind to work to: The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall. And this all happened in four verses.
I know exactly what happened. It happens in my backyard all the time. I get a great idea for a project in the backyard, and with little thought to how difficult the task will be I begin. I’m excited. I know this is going to be the best looking walkway, flower garden, vegetable garden, rock wall – oh, I can’t remember all of the projects I’ve started. With gusto, I might add.
Unfortunately, they are seldom finished, at least in a timely manner. I run out of steam. My back starts to feel the stress of bending over. Muscles I only work a few times a year start to scream, “What are you doing? Are you insane? We can’t finish this by ourselves.”
The children of Israel had reached that dreaded spot, the one that brings me to my knees, the halfway point. It’s a terrible place. You’ve gone too far to turn back, but the end seems to be forever away still.
Often the time we are at our weakest, is when we are halfway through something. Sometimes we know it. Sometimes we don’t.
When we know we’re there, we may be able to muster the strength to carry on. But, what about those time when we just don’t think we’re going to make it? What can we do then?
All of us will face those moments. You may face a moment like that in your marriage, in raising your kids, or in your career. So, what do you do?
Quit. No, you may feel like that, but we can look back at Nehemiah’s story and find the solution. We have to refocus.
The children of Israel were sure they couldn’t continue on. They were being threatened by outside forces. They complained about all the rubble around them. Problems were everywhere, and they were tired on top of all that.
The wall they were rebuilding was the wall of protection around the city. King Nebuchadnezzar’s army had pulled the old wall down, rock from rock, into the huge pile of rubble that they were now climbing over. It was a mess.
But the mess was much smaller than it had been when they started. They were using those very same rocks that had been the old wall to build the new wall, and now the wall was half its height. The rubble they were complaining about was the very storehouse that was supplying their needs.
That’s often the case when we are struggling. Our biggest problems are also a source for our success, but how do we see them for what they are? How do we take our eyes off the rubble?
We follow the advice of Nehemiah. He didn’t explain to them that there was less rubble than when they started. He didn’t say, “Cheer up. We’ve come a long way.”
Have you ever done that? When someone is having one of those really tough days, they’ve reached a halfway point, and you say something pithy. “Oh, things aren’t really as bad as you think.” Usually the result is less than positive. I know, I do it to my wife all the time. You’d think I’d learn.
Nehemiah was obviously smarter than me, so he didn’t focus on the rubble. He didn’t focus on the job either. That would be the route many leaders would take. “Remember, we’ve got a job to do. It’s an important job. We need everyone on their A-game.” Pep rallies for the defeated aren’t too successful.
He didn’t remind them of all he had done to help them out. “Listen people, I went before King Artaxerxes, risking my own life to come here and lead you all. I made sure we had lumber for the doorposts and gates. I mean, come on. If I can do all this for you, you can keep going until the job’s done.” No, he didn’t focus their attention on his fearless leadership.
Nehemiah did what you and I need to do. He focused them back on God. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome.
If the mission of our job is bring glory to God. If our work is not really about us, but truly about him, then he has to be where our eyes, our mind, our hearts are focused. You want to push through the tough times, focus on the Lord, who is great and awesome.
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