Stinky Jobs

I have a good friend who had a stinky job.

The boss often acted cold and indifferent, or worse, hostile toward him.

Promotions came to others, not necessarily because they worked better but because they were natives of that country.

My friend had emigrated from a third-world country.

He moaned when he talked about his job, but he usually tried to do well, all the while knowing that others with less experience and education would be promoted. He stayed down around entry level.

Excellent Attitude

How do you keep an excellent attitude when doing your best won’t get you any further than goofing off?

Life holds its share of disagreeable things for all of us.

Dad used to make us work in the garden.

“I don’t want to, Daddy!”

“Yeah, but you’re going to want to eat when this garden gets ripe.”

Are you kidding? Green beans? Onions? Yuk!

I have to confess that I didn’t always chase stray weeds with all of my heart.

The coach had us do wind sprints at the end of football practice. I couldn’t see the necessity of running unless I was chasing someone who had a ball, or unless I had a ball and they were chasing me.

Coach saw the need, though, and if I listen really hard, I can still hear his voice,

“C’mon, run! We’re gonna be out here all night if you boys don’t pick it up!”

Misery!

How can you have an excellent attitude when you’re doing something you don’t want to do?

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).

You mean the Lord watches how I do everything?

He sees my attitude around that lousy boss. He observes how husbands and wives respond to each other. He checks out my attitude at church. He watches me when I’m pouting and feeling sorry for myself. He hears me when I’m griping on the telephone.

We all have to do things that we don’t particularly want to do. In fact, it’s often those who do disagreeable things well, with a good heart, who do the most for the Lord. Teams who run wind sprints all-out in practice, play with much more strength than their adversaries, when the game is on the line in the fourth quarter.

It’s time for an attitude check.

How are you handling the disagreeable part of your life?

Are you griping, bellyaching? Or are you saying, “Lord, I don’t particularly like this person or this job [Or whatever situation you’re facing]. But I have to do it, so I’m going to do it for You. And I’ll do it with all my heart, with excellence. But You must help me change my attitude.”

That good attitude changes drudgery into joy.