Wired to Work

“What you do, work at it with all your heart,
as working for the Lord, not for men.”
Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Bruce and I recently took a quick trip to the beach to celebrate successfully completing my breast cancer treatment. When we returned home, we unpacked our car, and I hurried to the grocery store to grab a few groceries. I quickly picked up several items and began the checkout process.

“Are you going to need carry out help today with your groceries?” the elderly cashier asked softly.

“Oh no,” I responded quickly. “I can manage, but thank you.”

The kind cashier turned her head slightly to her left as she said, “Are you sure?”

Looking to my right, I saw him. The “him” was a large young man who had his back to me. As soon as he turned, I instantly realized that he was an adult with special needs.

“You know what? I’ve changed my mind. I DO need some help with my groceries.” I said firmly.

The young man flashed a big smile as he bagged my groceries and repeatedly declared, “I like to work!”

Watching him work reminded me so much of James Bruce. Tim Challies, author of Seasons of Sorrow, recently wrote that more and more he associates his son Nick with his past and with his future, but not so much with his present. I am finding Challies’ observation to be true, but I still experience unexpected grief triggers. Watching that young clerk bag my groceries was definitely a “James Bruce” grief trigger.

Prior to his residential placement, James Bruce had fourteen years at United Ability, his adult sheltered workshop. Each afternoon when I picked him up, James Bruce would get into my car, buckle his seat belt, and tell me that he’d had a good day. Every day we had the same conversation.

“What did you do today?” I asked.

“I made money!” he answered proudly.

“But what did you do to make money?” I responded.

“I crushed up cans and wiped tables!” James Bruce answered excitedly.

One of the many blessings that United Ability gave James Bruce beyond the gift of place was the opportunity to work. Crushing cans, wiping tables, and working in the UA shredding shop were three tasks that James Bruce could do with some supervision. He was so excited when he received his first monthly paycheck. He made $4.63 after Social Security and taxes were deducted!

Back at Piggly Wiggly I led the way to my car, opened my trunk, and the young grocery clerk began loading my groceries. He was still extolling the virtues of working and how much he liked it. Looking in my wallet, I found five one-dollar bills and quickly folded them up.

 “Thank you so much for your help today, “ I said as I pressed the bills into his large hand.

He took the bills, closed my trunk, and walked to the front of my car. Turning his back slightly to me, I could still see him ruffling through the bills as he counted them. A big smile broke across his face as he headed back into the grocery store.

I started my car’s engine and then turned it off as I began to weep. Waves of grief combined with gratitude for what had just happened. This grief trigger was a reminder of both James Bruce’s life and death. It was also a reminder of how very much God taught me through James Bruce’s life.

One of the most important lessons was simply that work is a gift of God. Made in His image, we are wired to work. We function best when we have work to do. Our work is never to be a substitute for God, but our work is indeed a gift from God.

I used to think that work was punishment and the result of Adam and Eve’s rebellious sin against God in the Garden. But read the Bible carefully and you’ll find that God actually gave Adam work to do (Genesis 2:15) before he sinned.   Adam’s job was to work and care for the Garden of Eden. He began by naming all of the animals and birds. (Genesis 2:20) Adam’s work- and ours too- became much harder after the Fall. (Genesis 3:17-18)

Work well done brings blessing to us (Deuteronomy 14:23), good for others (Nehemiah 6:16), and glory to God (Psalm 115:1). We are wired to work, not for our glory, but for God’s! Whatever our task is today, let’s thank God for the gift of work and then do it well!