She Carried His Suitcase

Marianne got up out of the driver’s seat and left our van.  I wondered where she was going and was amazed at what I saw. She walked about fifty feet away to a man pulling luggage out of his car.  She grabbed his suitcase rolled it to the van and lugged it up the stairs before depositing it in the luggage rack.  His bag was huge and she was probably in her sixties.  When he climbed into the vehicle with the rest of his gear, he seemed embarrassed that this slight, gray-haired woman carried his heaviest suitcase.  

As if reading his mind, Marianne announced to us all that she had been doing her job in Raleigh, North Carolina for thirty years.  She then asked us which airline we would be flying.  I have witnessed a lot of great drivers with car rental companies that are quick to help passengers with their luggage, but I have seldom seen a driver so observant who went to such lengths to serve her passengers.   Enterprise has an all-star on their team.
 
Meditation
Proverbs 14:23—There is profit in all hard work, but endless talk leads only to poverty.
 
My friend Jim was with me on that trip and as we disembarked at the airport we pulled Marianne aside and gave her a special gift while thanking her for her extraordinary service.  Her eyes filled with tears and she gave us each a big hug—hopefully we made her day; she certainly made ours.

Marianne reminded me of something the Apostle Paul wrote to his apprentice Timothy.  “Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden” (1 Ti.5:25).  Jesus when talking to His Father said, “I have glorified You on the earth by completing the work You gave Me to do” (John 17:4).  

​Hard work is both a positive testimony and a source of profit.  When we invest quality effort in whatever task we undertake, we bless others, we glorify God, and we may just feel the warm sensation of a job well done.
 
Inspiration
Hard work spotlights the character of people.  Some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.—Sam Ewing, former Major League Baseball player
 
©2014 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)