Workers

​It was a bright and hot Saturday outside Palm Springs as my family wandered through the Living Desert.  Inside one of the exhibits we encountered a fascinating tunnel system full of Heterocephalus glabers—naked mole rats.   These pale rodents are the only known mammals that live in a eusocial (truly social) system.  All members of the group huddle together when sleeping in colonies that may consist of 20-300 creatures.  Like bees, ants and termites, naked mole rats divide into classes of hierarchy.  First in order is the dominant queen who may have up to five litters in a year with 1-27 newborns.  Next, there are one to three breeding males followed by two to three soldiers who protect and care for the colony.  Finally, there are many workers.  These asexual workers exist to dig the tunnels and find food.  A mole rat can live 15-20 years in captivity and has the strongest jaw muscles for a mammal its size.[1]   

​The queen spends her life having sex with three studs to populate a colony guarded by buff rats.  In a world infatuated with caste systems and hierarchy the cry is, “Pity the poor workers!”  But, if it were not for them the queen and her entourage would not survive!  Even God requires workers.  God’s need has always been for people committed to obeying Him and doing what He wills.  Instead of supernaturally positing truth in the hearts of all mankind, God uses people to spread His message.
 
Meditation
2 Corinthians 1:24--I do not mean that we have control of  your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand by faith.
 
If you are doing what God wants you to do, then you are surrounded by opportunities to expand His kingdom.  Why be enamored with the position or status of others and bemoan your own circumstances?  You can make an eternal difference right where you are by determining to let God work through you today and tomorrow.  Heaven will be full of stories from people we never heard of wearing radiant crowns for their faithful work in the valleys where light was sparse, fog was thick and suffering a familiar acquaintance.  May you be a worker who hears the Lord’s commendation—“Well done!”  
 
Inspiration
The first requirement of the worker is discipline voluntarily entered into.  It is easy to be passionate, easy to be thrilled by spiritual influences, but it takes a heart in love with Jesus Christ to put the feet in His footprints and to square the life to a steady “going up to Jerusalem” with Him.—Oswald Chambers in Approved Unto God
 
©2003 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)


[1]http://www.lpzoo.com/tour/factsheets/mammals/naked_mole_rat.html