One of my favorite quotes that has been on my mind a lot lately came from the lips of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well. If you can't be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. Be the best little shrub on the side of the hill. Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are."
It's easy for me to get in the mindset of "Oh I'm just a stay-at-home mom" or "What am I doing with my life?" And when I start to think like this, it's so easy to become discontented and discouraged. The words of Dr. King constantly remind me, as Jesus does, that there is infinite value in being a mother. The key is, giving glory to the Lord by giving 100% of my best effort to whatever role God has placed me in right at this moment. None of our efforts go unnoticed by our Heavenly father even if they are overlooked on earth today. Every load of laundry, every diaper change, every mess cleaned up, every tear kissed away, every meal prepared, IT MATTERS!
So whether you are a mom, a student, a secretary, a waitress, an engineer, or well, a street sweeper give glory to God today by giving it your best and thanking Him for entrusting you with such a tremendous role.
This is so good Rachel.
ReplyDeleteI have to remind myself often that God has called me to this time of learning to care for people when they are in a vulnerable place - what an honor!
This is great encouragement!!
Love it. Great reminder Rach!
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