A little over a month before heading to launch I posted a blog about what we’d do when we were in Costa Rica. Well, it turns out that blog was more about the intent and vision of the ministry rather than what our actual work ended up being. The ministry was in its off season when we met up with our contacts, so we helped complete work they had delayed for a while, which meant creating a walkway up the side of a mountain to a sanctuary. Some days we would machete the grass and overgrown plants, chainsaw a tree, dig a giant hole, or make concrete steps. The last two dominated our work the majority of our time.
They needed 73 meter by half-meter steps, each three inches thick. We also started excavating dirt for a 2 x 1.5 x 5 meter hole (eventually there will be four of these of varying lengths and depths). We did all of the digging with hoe, pick ax, shovel, and some tool that churned the dirt out in clumps. It. Was. Difficult. We got better as it as the weeks went by, but because we didn’t really understand the final product or the vision, it made it defeating. Some days were more difficult than others so over time we set goals as to what we wanted to get done. Whether it was reaching a certain length, or depth, or amount of time worked. The goals assisted us and gave us motivation. We had this entitlement issue well up every once in a while though. That told us our job wasn’t worth our time since we didn’t see any end in site or understand the complete plan.
One this I recognized is that in America when things get difficult, tough, not what we want, we tend to complain. And, rather than formulating a plan, we just complain. We have this entitled belief that our job should be spectacular and worthwhile and meaningful. And it’s not always that. Very rarely is anything in life ALWAYS that. Eventually, our life starts seeming boring or meaningless, or directionless if we don’t understand the final plan. Sometimes it’ll feel this way even when we do have it all together. When we find fulfillment in our job or something else that’s volatile, our life very often reflects our emotions around it. When work is great, life is great. When work sucks, so does life. And when we want out of our job, we also want out of life so we look for a drastic change to remedy the situation. Midlife crisis?
When life, joy, whatever you use to create fulfillment is based on something that’s rooted in success and a title you will next to never be fulfilled. There will be a higher title, more success to get. You can never stop and you will always be in pursuit, hoping it’s enough.
Whenever Tony would work with us, he always had a very joyous mindset. Never did he complain. Rather, he remained excited in preparation and committed in execution. To him it was worship. It was a partnership with God. Something the Lord had asked him to do. His approach work was in strong juxtaposition to how we approach work in America. It might help that he doesn’t have any options, true; it might help that it’s the only thing he knows, true. So what, though? He’s still human and susceptible to the same proclivities and emotions as us.
Tony approached work differently than Americans. Work is fulfilling to him, not his fulfillment. He didn’t find his source, his strength, his purpose in his work. Instead he found his fulfillment in God.
Here are some scriptures about fulfillment in the Lord.
Ps. 16:5 "The LORD is The Portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot."
Matt. 5:6 "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Lam. 3:24 "The LORD is my Portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him."
Ps. 22:26 "The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek Him: your heart shall live for ever."
Luke 1:53 "He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away."
Acts 14:17 "Nevertheless He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
