unworthy

Weather over the weekend left us without power for about 24 hours... a generator helped (a lot)... but during that time it became overloaded... a family with high expectations... pushing past the envelope of its load... led to the rearranging of refrigerators and freezers... and a house in disarray...

Today... Monday... began... 6:30am... making coffee... unloading the dishwasher... the usual... but then... knowing the help for the elder-in-law would be arriving soon... a need to bring the disarray back to order... disrupted my usual...

An empty refrigerator... back on and running... required cleaning... the work began... it was during this time... my heart became self-focused...

Around me the activity of husband... and son... preparing for their days... in front of the TV... eating breakfast... going off to dress... then leave... with no notice of me... rubber gloves... suds... water dripping off counters... down cabinets... no thanks... no sympathy... for the unpleasant task of cleaning... reordering...

A thought flashed through my mind... the heart of a story... a parable I had to search out...

"Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, 'Sit down and eat'? Wouldn't you be more likely to say, 'Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I've finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper'? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what's expected of him? It's the same with you. When you've done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, 'The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.'"               --- Jesus, Luke 17:7-10, Msg (my emphasis)

ESV translates verse 10... So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty.'"

Me... an unworthy servant.... convicted of... wicked expectations... a heart stirred... feeling put out... wanting to be praised... for doing the ordinary... the required... my duty... the role that is mine as the homemaker...

The refrigerator only required such a clean... because it is a duty I don't do often... the mess so messy because of my negligence... and my heart wants to be praised for doing a dirty job that's only so dirty because I don't do it as I should...

Wicked... unworthy... praise is not to be expected for doing our duty... the required...

The same is true of our walk of faith... doing the things God calls us to... everyday... we should not expect... or even deserve... thanks... a rest... or special treatment...

We are servants... do your duty well... with joy... diligence... and without a thought to self...