“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” – Colossians 3:23

While on my lunch break a few weeks back, I was sitting in my car listening to the radio. A talk show host was quoting a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that I had never heard before. He was speaking to a class of sixth graders when he said the following:  

“And when you discover what you will be in your life, set out to do it as if God Almighty called you at this particular moment in history to do it. Don’t just set out to do a good job. Set out to do such a good job that the living, the dead, or the unborn couldn’t do it any better. If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music . . . Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.”¹  

The quote moved me and I immediately began to thank the Lord for His call on my life. I told Him how grateful I was for my calling to be a wife and an eventual mother. But then the Lord gently reminded me that I was on my lunch break for a full-time job at a great company. Have you ever had the Lord speak to you in that still, small Voice, and yet felt shaken to your core? This was one of those times for me.  

You see, in my mind, in recent months, my job had become a dreaded stepping stone to being able to be a stay-at-home wife. I struggled through every day, feeling much like a martyr for my long commute and my high-stress role. However, I am so thankful for that moment with the Lord in my car. That day He made it abundantly clear to me how influential I can be for Him in this job until He moves me. I can shine my light, work diligently, honor my boss, and most importantly, honor the Lord.  

I walked back to my desk with a genuine smile on my face for the first time in weeks, if not months. The very next day, I had the privilege to talk to a customer who desperately needed to hear someone was praying for her. How thankful I am that the Lord showed me I needed an attitude adjustment the day before I got that call, or I might have missed a crucial opportunity!  

Do you find yourself “in between” one place in life and another? Are you viewing your current state as a stepping stone to a certain goal or stage in life yet ahead of you? Take a moment and thank the Lord for the very place you are in today. The blessing is right where you are!