by R. Douglass Mahaffey
The Bible says that in whatsoever you do, you are to do it as unto God. This work week has been the most exhausting one I can remember in a long time. I do my best to stay busy in my little corner of the newspaper, but there are days and sometimes weeks where absolutely nothing happens. You have to get really creative as a reporter in times like this, or you suffer the consequences of only producing four or five stories that had better cover some space in the paper, or you catch it from all directions.
But when things seem to just keep happening, good, bad or indifferent, a reporter, just like any other profession, has to take it all in stride and accept it as it comes. Life can change on the dime for someone and BAM! A reporter is there covering it. To the reporter (so that his career choice doesn't drive him/her crazy) treats it as just another story. Good news usually gets shuffled into what the newspaper industry calls "fluff". It's the bad news that sells. It's the scandals, the underhanded dealings of crooked businessmen or politicians, the burglary or robbery that happened down the road, the car wreck that has shattered the lives of a loved one left behind; the reporter just tells the story.
In the life of a first responder, the tragedy that strikes a community through fire, serious injury, illness or death, or a criminal who has been apprehended, the first responder just responds with no thought for himself and with no personal attachment to the incident. They are there to serve and protect; nothing more, nothing less.
My mother always told me and my brother that if all we ever were was a ditch digger, at least dig a good ditch. There was no excuse to ever do anything half-hearted. She expected excellent effort in just cooking a meal. If it wasn't the best we ever cooked, "learn what you did wrong and improve upon it on the next attempt," she'd tell us. If the grade in school was only a C, "talk to your teacher and find out what it is you're doing wrong and learn to do it right," she'd say. One thing was for sure as far as school went, WE DID NOT WANT MOM GOING AND FINDING OUT FOR HERSELF FROM THE TEACHER! We were expected to take care of the matter and get it resolved ourselves. It was our futures we were building. She was the one that instilled in me to do everything in life as though we were doing it unto God.
As far as the hard day's work the younger generation today often hears of, but has to rarely experience due to the advancement of technology, I got a crash course in learning how the satisfaction of getting the job done felt. Rich Mullins wrote a song called "The Maker Of Noses" and recorded it on his "The World As Best As I Can Remember It" Volume 2 CD. It tells about the rest we will have in heaven when we are rewarded for the work that we have performed on earth for God. Some will search for that kind of rest their whole lives and unfortunately come up short on ever achieving it. Why don't we seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness? That is where the rest will be found. All those things will be added unto you, according to His riches in glory.
Today, I leave you with that Rich Mullins song, performed by the worship team of a place of worship called Powell Church. Enjoy.
R. Douglass Mahaffey - Founder and Publisher of The Wise Conservative.
