‘Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.’ 1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT

David said, ‘I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.’ (Psalm 84:10 NLT)

Joni Eareckson Tada writes: ‘Elsie runs a Christian home for young girls who’ve left lives of prostitution and drug dealing on the streets of Hollywood. She walks the streets, shares the Gospel, and leads these girls to Christ. If these new converts truly desire to change their lives and commit to new responsibilities, they’ve a place in Elsie’s home. Pam is one such convert… A Christian with a sweet spirit, she bears scars from knife fights and heroin needles. Her arms are marred with tattoos. I sensed her joy and deep appreciation when she explained her role… “I scrub the toilets and bathrooms… That’s my job and I love it!” This young woman was so grateful to have structure in her life, safety in her surroundings, and an honest-to-goodness job of service in Christ’s Kingdom… that a day of ministry in Elsie’s home was far better than a thousand days lived in the sordid pursuit of self-destructive pleasures… Her humble spirit towards her job… her delight in cleaning toilets sprang from a keen awareness of her role in the body of Christ. Few believers have a background like Pam’s, but every day each of us rolls our sleeves up to accomplish menial, basic tasks’ —fixing someone’s car, fixing holes in the road or fixing holes in your children’s clothes.

So, how’s your attitude towards menial work? When you ‘serve the Lord with gladness’ (Psalm 100:2 KJV), you find joy in everyday tasks because you remember who you’re working for.

SoulFood: Ezek 10–13, Luke 18:31–43, Ps 84, Pr 19:11

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©