Work that Matters ... is Tiring

As I was driving through northern Florida yesterday on my way to Ft. Pierce's airport, I heard a news report on the radio that struck me as being about the dumbest thing I'd ever heard.  The "journalist" was reporting that "researchers" had studied the last meal requests of Death Row inmates and concluded that the meals they wanted were made up of "comfort foods" like french fries and ice cream and were heavy on meat.  This was the conclusion after the "researchers" had studied 193 such meal requests.

What in the world?  I was shocked to learn that no Death Row inmates had gone for the low-carb, healthy options.  Not a single request for brussels sprouts, either, apparently. 

Seriously?  Someone was paid to study something so worthless?  And someone was paid to announce the results over the radio airwaves?  I just hope no tax money was involved ... but I have a sneaking suspicion.

Can't you just imagine those researchers coming home after a long day of pouring over menus and drawing conclusions and saying to the spouse, "Whew!  I am just exhausted and emotionally spent"?

I want to spend my life doing work that matters; don't you?  I am reminded this morning, though, that work that matters is tiring.  And sometimes when there's so much resistance, we are tempted to give up and go for the easy work, like researching last meals.  It's tempting to think that if there's resistance, we must be outside of God's will or maybe we just aren't doing it right.

A familiar passage in Galatians hit me afresh this morning:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  Gal 6:9-10

Points that strike me:

1) Paul wouldn't have to say "let's not become weary" if doing good was not NORMALLY very tiring stuff.

2)  The harvest comes "at the proper time" - and the farmer is not in control of the timing of the harvest, is he?

3)  The harvest only comes (in God's timing) ONLY if we do not give up.  How many good works have been started only to be abandoned by those who grew too tired. 

Let's do important work and let's do it with the strength and stamina that the Spirit provides.