Do You Have Rocks In Your Head?
A man came across three masons who were working at chipping chunks of granite from large blocks. The first seemed unhappy at his job, chipping away and frequently looking at his watch. When the man asked what it was that he was doing, the first mason responded, rather curtly, “I’m hammering this stupid rock, and I can’t wait ’til 5 when I can go home.
A second mason, seemingly more interested in his work, was hammering diligently and when asked what it was that he was doing, answered, “Well, I’m molding this block of rock so that it can be used with others to construct a wall. It’s not bad work, but I’ll sure be glad when it’s done.”
A third mason was hammering at his block fervently, taking time to stand back and admire his work. He chipped off small pieces until he was satisfied that it was the best he could do. When he was questioned about his work he stopped, gazed skyward and proudly proclaimed, “I…am building a cathedral!”
How can we be inspired in our work, even in those mundane, monotonous tasks? The Apostle Paul wrote, “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”
What we do in our worklife is a reflection of our inner life, isn’t it? Jesus said we’d be known by our fruits. (Men don’t gather figs from a bramble bush.) Our work product reflects who we are, what we believe.
Solomon wrote “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” To be inspired in our work, we need a vision don’t we? We need to look at the big picture.
Margaret Thatcher said,“Watch your thoughts, for they will become actions. Watch your actions, for they’ll become… habits. Watch your habits for they will forge your character. Watch your character, for it will make your destiny.”
