Your Labor in the Lord Is not in Vain

There is a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip that depicts the two of them marching into the family living room early one morning. His mother is seated there in her favorite chair, sipping her morning coffee. She looks up at young Calvin, amused and amazed at how he is dressed. Calvin’s head is encased in a large space helmet. A cape is draped around his neck, falling across his shoulders, and is dragging on the floor. One hand is holding a flashlight and the other a baseball bat.

“What’s up today?” asks his mom. “Nothing, so far,” answers Calvin. “So far?” she questions.

“Well, you never know,” Calvin says, “Something could happen today.” As he marches off, he adds, “And if anything does, by golly, I’m going to be ready for it!”

In the last slide, Calvin’s mom exclaims, “I need a suit like that!”

So often, when we look at the world around us, we notice war and greed, and heartache, and we feel overwhelmed. We feel as though there is more need than we can ever meet. Even children notice it and want to respond.

The truth is we can’t do it all. We can’t meet all the needs in the world – no matter what kind of suit we put on each morning. But, we can each do our part. We can make a difference large or small. When we give our time, our energy, our money, our intelligence, our resources to serve others, even in small ways, we make the world a better place.

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Let us pray: Loving God, grant us faith even the size of a mustard seed that we would not ever lose hope. Instill in us a strong desire to join you in your healing, redeeming work. But, remind us that it is your work and that you are ever making all things new – even us. Amen.