Eager Hands

Ecclesiastes 9:10a "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might;"

Mike Rowe hosted a television show for nine years called Dirty Jobs, and let me tell you, there are some pretty dirty jobs out there!  Dirty jobs that require someone willing to do them. Jobs that if not done, would hurt ourselves and our environment.

Sometimes jobs, or chores that we need to do on a daily basis can cause us to grow weary.  I can give you a list of plenty of things I have to do daily around the house, or weekly, that I would love to never have to do again.  I'm sure you could too, but life doesn't work that way.  Someone has to be willing to work.  Someone has to be willing to do the dirty jobs.

I was reading about the woman in Proverbs 31 the other day, and there were several verses about this woman's hands that spoke to my heart:

Proverbs 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

Proverbs 31 19-20 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.  She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

Proverbs 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:31 Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

The woman in Proverbs 31 was not afraid of hard work.  In fact, she willingly rolled up her sleeves and fulfilled the tasks before her.

Websters dictionary defines willingly as:  Inclined or favorably disposed in mind, ready, prompt to act, accepted by choice or without reluctance!

Ever since reading about this woman's eagerness to help, eagerness to fulfill her duty, and eagerness to work, I decided that I would ask God to give me eager hands before tackling my not-so-favorite-chores.

I will tell you that God answered my prayer.  He gave me the motivation to do my work and He made my work lighter.

I think the Proverbs 31 woman knew the secret for her Service:  

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ."

Colossians 3:23,24

Lord, give me eager hands to do my responsibilities with joy, and to help others with kindness, knowing that everything I do, I do for you...

        But that's just me!

"I am only one, but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.

And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

    Edward Everett Hale

"There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do little things."  D.L Moody