Sweeper of Streets

If you haven’t already read Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote on the picture of the broom above, click on it and give it a good slow read.

I can’t add much to Dr. King’s quote, except to make it personal for you: You don’t have to be a pastor or an influential business titan or a civic leader for your work to matter. What makes your work matter is how you approach it. If you can envision it as part of something much bigger than you – much bigger than making a buck or counting down to the weekend – you can make it matter. You and God, that is.

You and your work are invited into the Grand Story of God! Your work was part of the original plot. Jesus’ death on the cross has freed you to write every breath, moment and effort into that story.  And God will use all of it to renew and restore even the dirty streets back to himself.

In the scriptures, Isaiah, the prophet, is encouraging you with these words:

 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen
your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

So, do you sweep streets? Repair walls? Teach School? Wait Tables? Run a cash register? Operate a business? Manage a portfolio? Perform surgery? Pastor a church? Sculpt clay? Drive a tractor? Compose concertos? Care for your Kids?

Whatever you do, you are invited to embrace it in such a way that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and recognize your work as holy.

You can learn how this works through scripture, the guidance of God’s Spirit and through other people. If you’d like to join others in discovering holy impact among the everyday work of life, I invite you to check out our City Gates Cohorts. They aren’t the only path to discovery, but many people have found them to be priceless in the journey.