I just returned from a business trip to Spain, supporting Mobile World Congress. After not having a chance to blog for more than one week, I am happy to be back!
One of the most interesting things that happened to me while working the trade show was meeting a woman who worked cleaning the public bathrooms. (If you are looking for a public restroom, you need to look for signs that say WC.) Now, I’m not sure this is common practice in Spain, but this woman was present in the restroom at all times. It didn’t matter if men were in there – doing what men do. She was always there.
I started thinking about how she has to work under these conditions. Day after day, cleaning a room that is always full of men, and dare I say; not the best aromatic environment. The things that this woman has to do in order to support her family. This dirty job that someone has to do in order to have a bathroom that is clean and useable. To do this kind of manual labor, and to be able to go home to her family feeling the satisfaction of doing her best with the talents that she was given.
And that got me thinking about the work that you and I do. While we may not clean public restrooms, we all do some kind of manual labor. How do we approach that work? Do we see it as a way of glorifying God? Do we understand that God has given each of us certain talents and abilities to serve him and others? Do we accept those talents and use them to our best ability? Or do we whine and complain about those tasks that seem mundane and lifeless?
What I learned from the “restroom lady” is that we should not complain about the jobs that we have to do. Rather, we need to be thankful for the talents and skills that we have, and to praise and thank the Lord for these and all the things that we are given. We need to be proud of what we do, and to do our work to the best of our ability for the glory of God.
This Lent, may we continue to be made aware of our talents, and to use those talents for the good of others.
