God has gifted my husband with a mechanical mind. He enjoys working with his hands and figuring out problems. That is my husband. There are days he comes home with grease caked into his fingernails, or wreaking of fuel...those days he gets pointed directly to the shower before proceeding to do anything else! But, he enjoys his work, he gets great satisfaction from it. "Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward." Ecclesiastes 5:18.
But more than working with his hands, Corey much more enjoys working with his hands for a purpose...for God's glory. God has specifically and intentionally given him his skills, gifts and personality in order to equip him to do the good works laid out for him (Hebrews 13:21, Ephesians 2:10). That is true of us all. What are we good at, enjoy doing, and have been gifted in by the Lord?...we ought to do that...to the glory of God!
For my husband, this means pouring his life into his co-workers; getting into their lives, allowing them into his. We've seen much fruit from this...he is "in his element" in his workplace (if you know my husband, you know this to be true!). As a stay-at-home and homeschooling mom, this looks a bit differently for me. Most of my tasks require me to be home (as I have an important ministry to my husband and children). But, I still want to "love my neighbor." I personally love to bake and give gifts to people, I get great joy from doing this. So for me, I bake goodies and bring them to our neighbors, friends, employees, or whoever. I also like to surprise them with unexpected gifts just to let them know that I'm thinking about them. This is how God has made me, and I joyfully embrace serving Him in these ways. Complex, simple, big, small; our service to God isn't measured by these things; the reach of our service is in His control, not ours (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). We are to simply be faithful to do the little things set before us each day. What God chooses to do with our efforts is His decision. How freeing! We are freed up to enjoy serving Him with the abilities, gifts, and personality that He has formed within us, and we are wise to listen to King Solomon's exhortation: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." Ecclesiastes 9:10.
It is inspiring to watch my husband humbly and faithfully use his skills and personality to love his co-workers - he is being who God created him to be. This spurs me on to do the same.
"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Colossians 3:17
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