Several weeks ago I offered to help some friends with a painting project at their house. As I was getting my brushes and rollers and ladder in place and preparing to apply some pigment to those barren walls, the homeowner asked me a question. “Do you actually enjoy painting or do you just tolerate it?”
I guess I had never really thought about it that way before. As my mind raced through the many painting projects I have been a part of, I could confidently say yes. Yes, I do enjoy painting. I enjoy seeing the transformation from dull and drab to bright and sunny; from gaudy to warm and inviting. I get a kick out of smothering unwanted stains and blemishes with a fresh coat of primer. I relish in the tedious task of “cutting in” making crisp edges with my brush and also covering large areas with the liquid blanket in my roller. I love the smell of a freshly painted room. I have many fond memories of painting parties with family and friends over the years and I love seeing a job completed.
But for all the things I love about painting, there are other things that I don’t necessarily care for. I don’t particularly like the sore muscles that seem to appear the day after. I don’t enjoy cleaning brushes and pans, and I certainly don’t like cleaning rollers (they usually end up in the garbage). I don’t care for spilled paint or drips that I didn’t catch before they dried. And I don’t like getting to the bottom of the gallon when I am not quite done! However, the things that I don’t like are just as much a part of the painting project as the things that I do enjoy.
Paul tells us in Colossians 3:23 to “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people.” (NLT) This brings me back to my friend’s question. Do I enjoy or do I tolerate? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is my willingness. Am I willing to do the necessary tasks that I don’t care for along with the responsibilities that I do enjoy or do I do them half heartedly or maybe even a bit begrudgingly? Do I give 100% on both the important assignments and the menial duties?
“How you do one thing is how you do everything.” These words has been tumbling around in my head since October when I heard them at a women’s conference. I have found them challenging and also convicting. When I’ve been tempted to say “that’s good enough” I question my commitment and motives. When I’ve been inclined to cut corners on small things, my conscience has gone into overdrive.
How about you? Do you perform your responsibilities as if Jesus was signing your paycheck or do you skim along doing only as much as you can get by with? Do you work with the same gusto when someone else is watching as you do when you are the last person at work? Are you willing to go above and beyond the responsibilities of your job description, or do you tend to keep score when you pick up someone else’s slack? My prayer is that we could all say that we willing work for the Lord and give 100% in all that we do.
By the way, there have been several assignments “advertised” in the Archive for the last couple months with little to no interest from anyone to undertake them. I pray that soon, someone might be willing.
Erin Jacobsma