Dishes Are Done

Colossians 3:23-24

As a child I grew up doing simple chores around the house. I would wash the dishes, mow the lawn, feed the chickens, milk the goats, and a host of other menial tasks that needed to be done. I remember that I didn’t always like doing the work, but I was raised to not think of what was being asked of me, just to do it to the best of my ability. I got my first job at eight years old; I delivered newspapers to the houses and apartments in a neighboring block. I would ride my bike the mile and a half with all the newspapers filling the bag hung over my shoulders, thinking how much the Sunday and Wednesday papers weighed and how light the rest of the week’s papers were in comparison.

My friends in school would wonder why I always had money to buy the things I wanted and they didn’t. Some would ask what my parents gave me for an allowance, but I didn’t get an allowance, I told them all the money I had, I earned delivering those papers. As I grew older, I got different jobs, but usually with the same results, I would have money to buy what I wanted, and many of my friends wouldn’t.

I have since grown up, got married and have a daughter of my own, when she was twelve, she thought I was being mean and unfair to ask her to do the dishes and other simple chores around the house. I was given another shock when my wife and I were teaching the Junior High Sunday School Class at our church. Nearly every one of the kids in the class believed that their parents were having them do chores around the house because they were mean and lazy.

How many times do we resent God for asking us to simply do the work shown in His Word? Do we also think God is being mean or lazy for asking us to witness and share His great Love for us to the world?

I had a conversation with my daughter about perspective, and shared that when we are in the middle of going through something, we only see what we are going through, (I held my hand up to her face, so all she could see was my hand). We see how difficult the situation is, we see that it will cost us time and energy, and we put that resentment on the one who has asked us to do it. When we pray for God to give us His Perspective, (usually by putting others needs above our own and praying for them, instead of for ourselves). Then we see, He has a plan for us to share in the joy of the Payday that His Salvation has promised at the Great Last Day, (I then pulled my hand away letting her see me and the room around her). The more we pray for others and put their needs above our own, the more we are shown God’s Perspective. He will share with us a greater understanding of why we are doing what we are doing. God will not reveal every reason for what we are going through, but He will reveal enough for us to trust He has the best plan, if we are obedient to follow it to His Glory

God tells to do every task, menial or otherwise with joy, as unto the LORD, and He will reward our labors right here where we are, and also in the hereafter. Paul’s exact words on this are,

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (NKJV)