Don’t Slow Down

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:13

When I was in college, I worked on construction jobs during the summers. My brother-in-law worked with Monsanto Chemical Company, and he recommended me for a job as a day laborer in a chemical plant. I went on the “college crew.” That meant we would do some of the dirtiest work that you could ever imagine in that chemical plant. Among all the guys working at the plant, one group was made up of college students. And then there was another group of older guys who had been day laborers all of their lives.

They would often pair the younger guys with the older guys. One day, I got paired with an older guy. They took us outside the plant to a dirt tank. They told us to dig a trench, in a certain direction, to a certain depth. And with that, they gave each of us a shovel and took off. I jumped in and began to shovel and get after it. An older worker looked at me and said, “Slow down, slow down.” I said, “I'm going as slowly as I can, but I want to get this over with.” He said, “Man, we have to make this last all day because, if we don't, they'll put us on another job. So, slow down.” I couldn't. I wanted to finish that trench.

He looked at me again and said, “Slow down. You're making me look bad.” I said, “There's no one out here. He said, “Just slow down.” I said, “I can't. I want to finish the job. There's dirt that needs to be moved.” He looked at me and just shook his head.

There will be some people in your life who will say, “Slow down. You don't have to be so off the wall serving Jesus. You don't have to be so full of energy. You need to calm down, sit in the back, stay seated, and be blessed. When you start to serve, you will make me look bad. Slow down.”

God doesn't want you to slow down. He doesn't want you to rest on your blessed assurance. He wants you to serve and be involved. Represent Him, count for Him, and live for His Son, Jesus. Will you choose to live like that today, or will you listen to those who are trying to slow you down?