When I was growing up, Saturday afternoons were dedicated to chores. At the time, a lot of what I was “asked” to do didn't make any sense. Why did I have to wash walls? Why did I have to pick weeds? Why did I have to remove things from shelves and dust? I mean, I could understand doing laundry, mowing the lawn or washing dishes, but the other things? They just didn't make sense to me.
My parents understood something I had missed at the time: “It’s not important what you do but how you do it, why you do it, and what you become while you do it.”
- How you do it: I learned that if I did the job well the first time, I wouldn't have to go back and do it again later.
- Why you do it: I learned that doing it gave me the discipline to take on other tasks even if I did not like them.
- What you become while you do it: I learned to have pride in what I do, because what I do is a reflection of my character.
How we approach things really is about our character. It’s important to demonstrate faithfulness in the tasks that have been set before us.
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in larger ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. If you are not faithful with other people’s things, they why should you be trusted with things of your own? " (Luke 16:10-12 , NLT)
In 2 Daniel, we learn that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were appointed to run the king's business. These men understood the how, the why, and the what you become. They understood that they were given leadership positions by the will of God. They understood that they were to serve God before serving the king. They also understood that since they were in a place that God had put them, they were destined to do great things!
Read Daniel 3:1-30 to see how God blessed the work of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego because they chose to honor God in their work.
