God's Glory Church

“And they carefully took care to live quietly, do their own business and earn with their own hands.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:11

At first I did not pay attention to him. I spent the night in a hotel and went down for breakfast. The hall was perfectly clean. The buffet table is set with dishes, the refrigerator is full, the cutlery is carefully stacked in the container. It couldn’t have been better.

And only then did I see him. An inconspicuous employee was adding something, wiping something, while not drawing attention to himself at all. The longer I looked at it, the more I admired it. He worked quickly, noticed everything. I am a veteran in the field of public catering and therefore evaluated his work from a professional point of view. Everything was perfect, he worked conscientiously, although hardly anyone looked at him except me.

While watching the worker, I remembered the words of the Apostle Paul, who persuaded the Thessalonians to “take care to live quietly, to do their own business and earn with their own hands… to… behave decently before strangers, and not to depend on anyone” (1 Thess. 4:11-12). Pavlo knew how a conscientious worker can win the respect of those around him, being a silent testimony of a changed life. After all, the Gospel gives meaning and purpose to any ministry, even one that seems insignificant in the eyes of people.

I don’t know if the man I watched was a Christian. But I am thankful that his quiet diligence reminded me to trust in God and work quietly, reflecting His faithfulness in all things.

How does faith affect your work? Why is diligence in the workplace a strong testimony?

Heavenly Father, help me to remember that there is no small work in Your Kingdom, and to serve You faithfully every day.

Author: Adam Holtz