Is it ladies meetings and Sunday school?
Is it walking up and down the streets passing out thousands of tracts?
Is it leading Bible studies, puppet shows, chorus groups, VBS and Bible clubs?
Sometimes I get this picture in my head of what it is supposed to look like... what the pressures tell me it should be like... what I convince myself I must be doing in order to convince others I am doing it right.
Then God brings to my mind Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 4:17 "They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon."
This must have been the strangest wall building effort. A sword in one hand and a trowel in the other.
Ready to fight the enemy and yet also getting their hands dirty in the physical labor.
And so here I am. My Sword in one hand, ready for battle... studying, praying, preparing, meditating, memorizing.
And my trowel?
Sometimes my trowel is a serving tray of snacks. Sometimes it's a spatula. Sometimes it's furniture polish, glass cleaner, and a wash cloth.
Sometimes it's a load of laundry on the laundry line or homeschool books stacked a mile high. Sometimes it's wiping snotty noses and cleaning dirty ears and cheeks.
Sometimes my trowel is running an errand, typing a paper, answering an email.
The trowel doesn't look too glamorous. It isn't shiny like the Sword. It doesn't blaze through the battles ferociously. It's dirty. It's busy. It's often exhausting work. But it is building.
I must admit, it's harder to treasure the trowel. It's hard to see how my trowel is accomplishing much.
And yet the Lord has graciously placed the trowel in my hand. So as I flip that pancake on the stove, grade another homeschool paper, iron my husband's dress shirt, wash that cup, and carry spinach to my neighbor, I take joy in knowing the wall must be built and God has chosen to give me the privilege of doing my part.
3 comments:
Good analogy! Yep, the trowel isn't as shiny, but it gets the work done. Thank the Lord for all the missionary women in the world, doing what needs to be done, so that the gospel can be spread to those who need to hear! Thank you for a really good post.
Excellent post! We women sometimes get the idea we are not accomplishing any 'work for God' just working at home, but fail to realize how important that work is to the future of the ministry... if not the one we are presently in, then another somewhere. :)
Beautiful thoughts! One is as necessary as the other, even if there is not much glory in the trowel! Thanks for sharing!
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