Nobody's watching

I'm painting the two guest bedrooms we have at the YWAM Brisbane property. The rooms are used by guest speakers for DTSs (Discipleship Training Schools), former YWAMers passing through, or YWAMers' families. My parents just stayed in the rooms during their visit to Australia in May.

As hospitality ministry leader, I want people who walk into those rooms to feel relaxed, or like they've just walked into a comforting cottage. But right now, the rooms desperately need some freshening up: paint, window coverings, carpet. So that's been my goal for the past few weeks.

While painting a window frame I was struck by how shabby the last paint job was done. The wall colour, a yellowish-brown, covered much of the sides of the frame. I can see how it might be easy to just want to get the job done as quick as possible, especially when the room isn't your own.

But I'm now convinced that what you do when nobody's watching is the truest example of who you are. Of course cutting corners usually doesn't hurt anybody. But our Father in Heaven knows our intentions, and in fact our selfishness, when we choose the easy way out. Even if it's something as small as painting a room.

I've been thinking about this fact a lot lately, because it's very easy to go through my day and do whatever I want. My day-to-day tasks are really my own. The only ones who know how well I do my job are me, and God. So do I give each day 75%? Or what about 100%? Or even 110% of my effort each time I do something?

At the end of the day I want to know that God, above any other person, is pleased by my efforts. I want to hear Him say "well done good and faithful servant" for the big things and especially the little things that I do.

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...your Father, who sees what is done in secret... Matthew 6:6 (NIV)