Pastor’s Corner

Trivia:

Happy Saturday everyone. Today's trivia is asking, How many times a day does the minute and hour hand pass by each other? Is it 24, or 23, or 22 or maybe even only 20. Make your guess or if you have the time you can literally count the time. Ha!!!

Thanks Brenda for sharing the light humor at our Wednesday Study, we all enjoyed that levity. Sheldon and Richard were quick on the follow-up. Here is another light joke. Why are locksmiths allowed to stay open on Labor Day? Well of course it's because they are "key" people.

Challenge:

Ecclesiastes 9:10 "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going."

Here Solomon is emphasizing and lending us some very good advise to bear in mind and pass on to those we have been called upon to mentor.

In this verse he is emphasizing two concerns:

First:

When you decide upon the career path you are going to take, make sure you follow the way of

excellence. Now you may be asking just what skill determines us pursuing excellence?

The author makes that clear for us to recognize. Our career should be striving to be long lasting

(enduring), secondly it should be constantly attempting to developing and bettering our field

(enriching), thirdly, it should always be desiring to be improving with our experience (advancing),

finally it should be concerned with the future benefit for others, (betterment).

Second:

Every effort that we attempt should be carried out as a representative of bringing glory to God. Paul

made this same inference in Colossians 3:23 "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were

working for the Lord rather than for people." He pointed out these two qualities for us to pay careful

attention to.

The Bible willingly emphasizes and demonstrate a heart of servanthood, a desire to make your life

and work to bring betterment to others. Jesus in His life was consciously living this principle in

every way He could possibly live this out. For a good exercise stop and think of some examples

he left his disciples. Then comment on some of those qualities for us to all reflect on:

I'll start, He did this in the way He lead them in His leadership; to recognize children as a primary concern, "Let the little

children to come to me." The word used there even spoke of babies still in the womb.

Now, its your turn, why not leave us some rich truth?

Solomon also left us an important message "Do it (your work) with all your might," Paul added some insight on this in Romans 12:11 "Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically."

This is a lost art in most of todays world, "The minimum effort for a minimum wage" Unfortunately this is the common thought in the working world today. This is demonstrated when asked a question, rather than giving a courteous answer, such as "Thanks for asking that good question, etc."

When growing up we had a farmer who was very generous, but at the sametime was very sloppy in his work performance. He failed to properly maintain his equipment, took short cuts, while conducting his tasks with the minimum effort. He was a great baling wire mechanic, by that I mean, when a piece of his equipment failed to work he always had a roll of bailing wire around to make temporary repairs. This was a good trait for emergencies, but what was bad about this trait was that upon returning to the barn rather than repairing the part for endurance he left it wired up, and the result was when the next season came, sure enough that same part would collapse at the most inopportune time.

Unfortunately many times this also resulted in breaking other more vital parts on his equipment and this made it difficult to continue on in the harvest time efforts. Many times the farmers would harvest their crops together, in order to accomplish this massive challenge with greater efficiency. Sometimes this rush was due to a weather change which could bring harm to the crops.

One farmer may have a better, larger tractor so all would use his, another farmer had a newer, more efficient combine so they would all use his, etc. This farmer who was named "the mechanic" short for bailing wire Pete" his equipment was left off of the equipment list due to its inconsistency..

It seemed that most of his farming utensils including his barn, cattle lots, etc. were never part of the equipment used. He was allowed to participate in the co-op but just never trusted in his decisions which were made along the task plans. His son bought and farmed a spread next to his dads farm, but sadly he adamently was openly determined to never walk in his father's way..

SO GO WITH GOD for as we follow His instruction then His blessing will always bring joy and enrichment in all of our dealings. Go with God my friend and you will never regret it. Others will desire to mimic your acheivements, in order to benefit in your ways. As you serve the Lord, don't just follow the path of minimum acheivement, (least resistance), give the task your all. Remember, excellence, endurance, enrichment, and finally, advancement.