Not all work is pretty. Someone has to deal with the “stuff” that requires a stiff back, strong stomach, and a willingness to just get in and get it done! It is fashionable to talk about one’s blue collar roots but most live as far away from them as possible. The role that these tasks play in life isn’t going away. Hard, routine, and dirty work is here to stay. It is part of the fabric of life. In fact it is part of life itself.
There was a time where I thought “others” always took on life’s difficult work. It was a character shaping event when I sat for several hours learning to pound nails – didn’t somebody else do this for you? The reality of people being equal hit home when I saw my dad digging a ditch for a new sewer line. My “dad” was just the same as everyone else! By the time I was in early grade school I was convinced that everyone put their pants on the same way, struggled with similar problems, and stood equal before God. I didn’t realize just how hard the lessons of life that followed were going to reinforce the foundation that had been firmly put in place.
Far too often I meet those who see themselves as different, perhaps just a little special. I find it odd, wondering aloud to myself about what differentiates that particular individual from the rest of us. I also find myself sad because I know that this is yet another who will miss out on some of the most colorful parts of life!
When I reflect on life’s dirty work I realize that God has been pulling his fair share. In the past God was part of life to establish our opportunity to be recreated and restored; messy, ugly, and painful work is just the beginning of that story. In the future John saw “an Angel descending out of Heaven” (Revelation 20.1) to deal with the world’s ultimate garbage. No shirking responsibilities here!
Today is a fresh day. Anything needed?
