Less than Glamorous

Our staff has been sharing this topic a lot lately. We aren’t complaining, or tired, or anything like that. But each department here has tasks to do that are repetitive. The housekeeping ladies clean the same cabins and hotel rooms from week to week. The kitchen staff prepare meals each weekend and continue to mop and keep the dining hall clean. As the weather warms up, maintenance crew will tackle the never-ending job of weedeating and mowing. The recreation manager keeps the game room stocked and the sports balls aired and collected beneath the pavilion. Sometimes parts of our job at camp can seem repetitive. Many times our work duties are unseen and many of them are not glamorous at all. You can imagine how many toilets across campus get cleaned each week in the busy summer camp season!

But our staff do these tasks tirelessly and with great attitudes. They “get it.” We remind each other often that the work we do makes a difference because lives are changed at camp. We are removing distractions so that guests and campers can hear God’s voice clearly while they are within these gates. Our maintenance director shared this week that recently he reminded himself that “people get saved here” when he realized he was feeling tired at work. He said remembering that statement motivated him and made his work come alive again.

Colossians 3:23 says to “do everything as unto the Lord.”  Some translations say “work heartily” or “work with all of your heart.” I know for a fact that this verse is an encouragement to camp staffs everywhere. And it is the same in our personal Christian walk. We have routines and tasks that are mundane. Sometimes our life events aren’t anything special. We run errands, we go to work, we cook for our families. God can bless the humble heart and servant-attitude. Even when things are less than glamorous, God is willing to work in us and transform us if we allow Him.