Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?  And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did it to Me.'  ---Jesus, in Mathew 25: 37-40

     In a perfect world, our career paths should be neatly and carefully mapped out, each move leading strategically to a next rung on the ladder of income, influence and significance. In a perfect world, each of us would have jobs that contribute value to society, make us comfortable fiscally, are stress-free, and don't require us to work long hours. 

     But for most of us, that perfect world doesn't exist. The path seems more like zig-zag and desert-wandering than a straight-line journey. We wonder at times whether the effort we're making matters.  We worry that we've missed our calling, that magic place in our minds where everything we do makes us happy and pleases God. We wonder if we're missing the big thing God wants us to do because we're so occupied with our daily tasks. We look at others and see them as more useful to God.

     God created a world that functions on order; and requires labor for its tending. He created you and me to be a part of that order, to do that labor. Even when our acts at work don't seem to have eternal significance, their very rendering fulfills His original commission to humans to tend His creation. 

     What makes our labor holy, what makes it eternal, is not just the work but the state of our hearts while performing that work. When we comprehend that truth, then we realize washing dishes is as significant to the Kingdom as operating on a patient; driving a truck is as eternally triumphant as leading a company. Then, even in the zig-zags of our careers, when life seems more random than ordered, when it feels like we're running in thick mud with heavy boots, we can rest in the knowledge we're serving God as we labor faithfully and diligently.

     Faithful service takes many forms. Let that form be the work we do today.

--Randy Kilgore