Skookum Sidonians

“You ever cut corners in your job?”  That was the question the nurse asked me when I was about to donate plasma a number of years ago.  It was late, she was tired and obviously ready to process the last client of the day.  I shook my head no.  After a nervous laugh and a sly smile, she said I could proceed to the next station without answering the long list of questions she was supposed to ask.  I silently got up and walked out of her office.  I can’t blame her, I’ve been there too.  

Monotony.  Do you remember the movie “Groundhog Day”?  It’s a movie where the lead actor is forced to live the same day over and over.  I’ve had times in my life it felt like that.  Day after day, same old thing.  Have you ever been there?  Where staring at a wall seems more exciting than going to work.  Days that the only thing you dread more than driving to your job is arriving there.  I’ve actually sat in my car for minutes trying to muster up the willpower to open the car door and walk through the doors to a job I despised.  It’s not pretty, but it’s true.  

Swing, chop.  Swing, chop.  Swing, chop.  How would you like to cut down trees with an ax for a living?  Very few jobs could be more monotonous than that.  Ever heard of the Sidonians?  In 1 Kings 5, King Solomon found himself in a time of peace.  “But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side.  There is neither adversary nor misfortune.”  (1 Kings 5:4)  He decided that it would be a good time to build a house for the name of the Lord his God as the Lord promised his father King David, that he (Solomon) would.  So he sent word to Hiram, king of Tyre to request the assistance of his servants.  “Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me.  And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”  (5:6)  

I’ve cut down trees with a chainsaw before and it’s not something I would want to do on a regular basis.  Cutting them down with an ax can’t be any more pleasant.  Yet, here were these Sidonians who took what would seem to be a monotonous task and were famous for their expertise at it.  So much so that a King requested their service for building the house of the Lord.  

What if we, as believers, were known for our skill in our jobs like the Sidonians were for felling trees?  What if when people were looking for a (insert your job here), they said there is no one who knows how to do that like (insert your name here).  Here’s the catch, the Sidonians had no idea that one day their expertise would give them opportunity to take part in such a magnificent project.  They strived for excellence when excellence wasn’t required.  

As you go to work tomorrow, whether you are a school teacher, police office, cafeteria cook, flight attendant, stay-at-home mom, or architect... strive for excellence.  Don’t cut corners, fell trees! And give God the glory!  

-dp