Nasty Nasty Nasty
There is just something therapeutic about doing chores. As many of you know, my one big chore at home is doing the dishes. I loathe doing the dishes. Just the thought of leftover food on a wet plate just grosses me out! If I were a super hero, dirty dishes would be my arch nemesis. The other day, after a day full of chores I said to my beautiful wife that I have found that doing the dishes and other chores brings balance in my life. For me I need them because it makes me feel normal…I dont have to be Pastor Sam at home….I can be Sam – the defender of the kitchen sink!
It allows me to slow down and just focus on doing the dishes, or cleaning the bathroom (which I need to do today!). It becomes therapy for me and it allows for God to bring me rest….yes I said rest! I have come to understand that doing dishes or putting away clothes is just as spiritual as preaching a sermon or counseling with someone. There is rest in doing work. Just like I get joy in preaching a sermon or doing some other Many people find pride in there work, which is great, but God also brings us rest and joy. Work brings stability, normalcy, and security, but when we begin to dedicate that same work to the Lord we will find rest and joy.
Paul writes in his letter to the Colossians, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Col 3:23)
I am convinced that we separate our work – we have things we do at work, we have things we do for the Lord, and we have those dirty dishes that stare at us as if they are daring us to do the impossible. There are people who just like me hate to do the dishes, the laundry, the cleaning, the cooking, the cleaning up after the cooking, you get the picture (i’m not sure if I have met anyone who likes doing chores). There are also people who hate their job, cant stand waking up in the morning to go to work, hate their boss, their co-workers, and their customers….we get this way when we feel stuck. There are also those folks that refuse to do only so much for the Lord and his church. No more, no less. Like God and the pastor should just be grateful that they showed up on Sunday.
Now imagine with me if everything we did was for the Lord. I mean every chore, every time I have to change a diaper, or wipe my kids, every project at work, every dish, every toilet….I’m preaching to myself here…..I am not perfect, I dont have this all down. But I see a pattern in my life and in the lives of people around me that we seem to choose in our own mind what pleases God and we try really hard at those things, when in fact God is pleased with a life that dedicates all to Him. I believe that it is there that we find rest.
