Underwater Ceramic Technician

I read from Our Daily Bread Devotional this morning about job titles. The one I can’t forget in a hurry is the Underwater Ceramic Technician (i.e. a person who washes dishes at a restaurant). Others include Transparency Enhancement Facilitator – person that cleans windows, Media Distribution Officer – newspaper vendor, Environmental Hygienist – a street sweeper. A big name for a not so big role, right?

Most times people don’t think their role/job is good enough until it has the important-sounding title. What is of primary importance is the purpose for the role and what we set out to accomplish. It matters little what title we hold. All the parts of the body are necessary for the body to function properly. No part is better than another though it be prominent or not.

These gifts and abilities are for …the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for edifying the body of Christ, till we all come to the unit of the faith. (Eph. 4;12-13). We should never minimize the importance of our attitude toward temporary, earthly things. It is easy and quit tempting, to spend far too much time and energy pursuing the wealth of this world. In the light of eternity, a life spent on serving material wealth amounts to a wasted life.

How do you view your possessions, money, accesses, knowledge, abilities and pursuits? Consider them closely and honestly, then ask these serious questions: does my attitude about these things place them ahead of my relationship with God? Will my pursuit of these things bring glory or shame to God? Is God applauding my approach to acquiring these possessions? Does my pursuit of material things compromise my pursuit of God? How have I used these …for the edifying of the body of Christ?

For a steward (which everyone alive is), everything we are just caretakers of what has been given to us to look after - possessions, money, accesses, knowledge, abilities, pursuits, etc. We should regard all the resources we possess to be things God allows us to have. God owns everything; we are simply managers in this world. Rather than squared and be selfish with them, faithful stewards seek to use them wisely. We are required to keep in view that this is not our wealth, but God’s.

Make your love for God and pursuit of His kingdom the top priority. And in all other priorities, see yourself not as a possessor of things but as a steward of those things. A commitment to the attitude of a steward will bring us a sense of joy and purpose for our possessions. It should instill a feeling of peace and contentment into our minds.