Daily Devotional For Sunday, March 24, 2024

Yesterday we looked at doing tasks or responsibilities that we either do not like to do or think are beneath us. Learning to appreciate doing such tasks is a lesson on servanthood and humility. I can’t speak for you, I am so glad there are people who work to pick up our weekly garbage whether it is rainy, sunny, hot and humid or frigid and cold.  Or the workers who show up when your sewer line is backed up. Yes, it is messy and stinks to high heavens but at least they show up to unstop it. 

Unfortunately we all tend to put the cardiovascular surgeon on a higher respect list than we do the sewer treatment repairman. Both are unclogging something and both are necessary and should be have equal respect. Yet, for some people, they are the masters of giving excuses as to why they cant help, serve, or do anything. Have you ever notice how industrious ants are?

Can you imagine what would happen in an ant colony is there was anarchy and revolt. The colony would die. In most ant colonies, you have the queen, who is head of the colony, she lays the eggs. You have also worker ants, who dig nests with their jaws. They use their saliva to make the walls inside the colony hard and they carry the extra dirt outside the colony. You have scout ants that find food for the colony. They also make sure that other ants can find food. How do they do this? They produce a scent trail for the other ants in their colony to follow. You have soldier ants, much larger-headed ants that protect the colony from predators. 

Look at Proverbs 30:25, “Ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer” (ESV). Not only are ants industrious, they can wreck havoc on a house depending on the type of ant they are. 

Years ago when we were living in Louisville, KY, we bought our first home at 7406 Sideoats Drive in Orchard Grass Hills, KY. We had some good friends come up from Old Hickory, TN to stay the weekend with us. Later that evening, Ron decided to go take a shower. His wife, Reta, Audrey and I, were downstairs in the family room. All of a sudden we heard this sound like something heavy at hit the bathtub floor. A few minutes later, Ron came down holding the soap holder in his hand from the wall on the shower and said, “I think you’ve got a problem. Come and look at this.” We walked upstairs and looked and not only had the soap holder come off the shower wall, but also tiles and there were what seemed like thousands of carpenter ants everywhere. It is amazing how much damage those little carpenter ants can did and can do. We had to get an exterminator as well as file an insurance claim and get repairs done. Unfortunately, that was our only shower. That made it tough for the weekend and afterwards until it was all repaired. 

You know something? I don’t believe I heard or saw one carpenter ant saying or holding a sign saying, “This is beneath me to do. I’m on strike. The rest of you serve me because I deserve it.” Ants don’t do that because they understand what will happen. Nor did we say, “Well, this is beneath me to get this fixed.” We jumped right on it. 

Here in Wilmington we have to deal with another kind of ant: fire ants. Whew! Those little fellows can pack a punch with their bite. Talk about being territorial — they will swarm your legs and arms quicker than you can blink. They don’t care who you are. They attack indiscriminately. You can always tell where they are by the amount of dirt they have pushed out of their colonies. They serve their colony faithfully and protectively.

My wonderful wife of almost 38 years has been teaching public school children for 44 years. She is finally retiring this June, but on her wall in her classroom is this sign that reads: “Make an effort, not an excuse.” Consider these excused The Washington Post had that listed excuses for why employees were late to work:

“The rain, a pileup on the freeway—"the boss has heard them all," said Gene Marks in The Washington Post. Excuses for being late to work are essentially the same in every industry, according to a Career Builder survey of more than 1000 HR managers. The most common reasons for employee tardiness are pretty familiar, with traffic (51 percent), oversleeping (31 percent), and weather (28 percent) topping a managers' list.

But among the most unique excuses bosses have heard: "I was here, but fell asleep in the parking lot," "my fake eyelashes were stuck together," and "an astrologer warned me of a car accident on a major highway, so I took all back roads. "Another that raised eyebrows: 'I had morning sickness'"—that was from a male employee. The article noted, "One things for sure: innovation is not dead in America” (Source: Gene Marks, "The Boss Has Heard Them All: The Craziest Late-to-work Excuses," The Washington Post (3-26-18).

My first paid job was as a busboy at Red Lobster. Cleaning tables, picking up dirty plates and used silverware others, is not the most sought out job, but I did it. I also worked in a cotton mill later in high school and college to get money to pay for my NC State tuition, dorm and food. I had a work scholarship for NC State in a little make shift hamburger place they had. It was not as lofty as being Chancellor or NC State, but it helped pay my college bills. Fortunately, I have never really had an attitude that any job is beneath me. No matter the job, the position, whether public or at a church, I’ll do it. Why? I do it for the Lord.

John Wooden was one of the best basketball coaches ever. He had the nickname the “Wizard of Westwood.” He won ten National Collegiate Athletic Association national championships in a 12-year period as head coach for the UCLA Bruins, including a record seven in a row. He lived to be 99-years-old (died June 4, 2010) and even received one of our nation’s highest awards: The Presidential Medal of Freedom Award. He was also known for his quotes. Here are two I want to share with you:

• • "Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." 
  • "Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them.”

Today is Sunday — the Lord’s Day as we say. It is supposed to be a day of rest for some of us. It isn’t for me. I work on Sundays. I take Mondays to rest. But even when you’re your taking rest, we do not take rest from the Lord. Tonight, at our church, we are decorating our facilities for “The Experience.” This is a sensory walk-through experience to relive on a small scale the last few hours of Jesus life. It starts in the Garden of Gethsemane and ends with the Empty Tomb. We will start at 5 PM and end at 7 PM. Food will be provided so why not consider coming out and helping us with this. You will have fun, food, fellowship and mature your faith with others. 

Dr. Howard Hendricks taught at Dallas Baptist Theological Seminary for years. He has authored numerous books and was in high demand as a speaker during his lifetime. He was 88-years-old when he died. He tells this story that ought to convict all of us:

“I was ministering in Fourth Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. We had a Thursday morning father-son breakfast, six-thirty. It was to be over by quarter of eight. There were many people from the military, quite a few people from various government offices, some craftsmen, laborers of various kind--really quite a mix.

After I had finished speaking and the meeting was dismissed, I looked over to my right, and there was Senator Mark Hatfield, stacking chairs and picking up napkins that had fallen on the floor. Ladies and gentlemen, if you are impressed that you are a United States senator, you don't stack chairs and pick up napkins. If you are impressed that you are God's gift to the body of Christ as the great preacher of this age, you don't stoop to serve. If you are impressed that, really, you are the greatest thing that ever happened to your local church, you do not serve. You live to be served” (Source: Howard Hendricks, "The Problem of Discrimination," Preaching Today, Tape No. 76). 

Questions To Consider

1. Looking back over your life, have you ever done a job or task or had a responsibility that you thought was beneath you? What was it and how did you respond to it?
2. When you are at a task, do you give it your all or do you hold back some? Why or why not?
3. Read Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (grave), to which you are going” (ESV). What does this verse say your attitude should be for the Lord? What do you need to do to get your attitude there? How can you apply this passage to your life this week, especially in those areas you might think are beneath you?
4. Will you come tonight and help us decorate for The Experience we are hosting on Friday, March 29 from 6-9 PM? 
5. What is the most common excuse you give as to why you can’t help at your church when they ask for your help? Would you consider making an effort the next time? Why or why not?

Scripture To Meditate On: Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, (24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (ESV).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I can be the king or queen of excuses for what I sit back and do not help — especially at my church. You died on the cross to create Your church — something I am a part of in my life. I don’t want to be just a member of the church — only taking and not giving. I want to be a vendor of my church — giving something back that benefits the kingdom of God and my church. Jesus, You said in Acts 20:35, “It is better to give than receive,” and I want to give to You by giving to my church. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! — Pastor Kelly