"When it only looks like I'm doing nothing" by Karen Rogers

Last week I had some concrete work done at my home. To comply with city ordinances, I had to move my trailer off the grass and onto an improved surface. The only available yard space was pretty hilly, and I decided that gravel wouldn’t stay put for long. So, I invested in a concrete pad which could be contoured to the slope. It cost more than I wanted to pay but it looks like it’s going to do the job. In a few more days, I’ll be able to move the trailer and tell myself that I’m being a responsible city resident – at least with regard to this one issue.

Working from home gave me plenty of opportunity to step outside and visit with the workers, Chad and Chris, several times during their two days with me. Watching them caused me to think about how much goes on below the surface of a simple concrete pad. In addition to the obvious measurements, tackling tree roots, and moving soil, there was a full day of preparation before it was time to call for the cement truck. Trenching, creating drainage points, setting piers, packing down soil, adding gravel, drilling rebar into the adjacent structure, measuring, leveling, laying and tying more rebar, more packing, more leveling, more measuring. There was a lot to be done and it was obvious Chad and Chris were skilled at it.

I enjoyed watching them work but do you know what I appreciated most of all? It was the moments when action paused. It was when Chris and Chad stopped, stepped back, and looked at what they’d done. They’d evaluate the big picture and make sure that what they saw was up to their standard. Their mental action was as meaningful to me as the muscle-flexing hours which consumed the rest of the day. Their quiet moments of thoughtful attention to their product showed me that these two men cared about the quality and longevity of what they had set their hands to. They took pride in what they produced, and they wanted it to be worthy of themselves, their employer, and of the homeowner who chose them.

Their example makes me consider times when I’ve rushed through tasks, not really giving them the attention they deserve. I know I’m not always going to be on my “A” game, but perhaps I really should pause more often – to think through what I’m doing and what the end result might be. A scripture I learned as a youth comes back to me. It’s a verse that challenges me to give my best effort, whether the job at hand is great or small.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters … Col. 3:23, NIV-UK

Surely, there will be plenty of future times when I can be more thoughtful and reflective about what I do – for the sake of doing it better, with all my heart. So, if one day you have occasion to see me staring vacantly into space, apparently doing nothing, it just might be that I’m doing more than meets the eye.