Are You Diligent?

My daughter is in that toddler stage. You know the one: the pulling-things-off-the-counter, scribbling-on-the-wall, face-smeared-in-peanut-butter stage. (Where did she even get that peanut butter? Oh, yes. From the puppy’s treat toy!) All this to say, my daughter is a busy one-and-a-half-year-old!

She received a set of toy kitchen pots and pans for Christmas. Still, when we’re in the kitchen, she earnestly pulls out the real set, places the pans around herself on the floor, and then looks for something to fill them. Fortunately, I’ve moved her usual go-to croutons out of her reach. Now she asks for ice, and I happily oblige, watching as she transfers pieces of ice from one pan to another. She uses my stainless-steel spoon, borrowing another real kitchen tool.

This is her work.

As I watch her, the word diligent comes to mind. Although she’s only mimicking the cooking process, this is serious stuff for her. Many would call it play, but through her play, she is truly focused on her movements.

She is diligent.

This reminds me of the verse, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23 ESV). And I think, Am I being that diligent with my work?

I’ve had many jobs and titles throughout the years, but my current job can be described as keeper of the home fires, domestic engineer, or as society calls me, “stay-at-home mom.” This is a role I both embrace and disdain. I love being with my kids and watching them grow, but some days the monotony of the routine makes me wonder if I’m losing my patience—permanently. It seems as though everyone in my household needs something only I can provide, including my dog. Did anyone feed her today? Will this endless job of motherhood swallow me up?

In Colossians 3:23, Paul is speaking directly to slaves. Slavery was common in the Roman Empire. The work conditions of slaves rested solely on their owners’ discretion, which means slaves could be treated well or abused. So the idea that Christians are to have a wider vision, pleasing their Father in heaven and not just their earthly master, is enlightening.

Was this message just for first-century Christian slaves? Earlier in the same chapter, Paul shares similar sentiments for the entire Colossian church, which contemporary Christians can take to heart. Paul says that no matter what we’re doing, our attitudes and actions should point to Jesus. By working diligently, no matter the circumstances, we show others Christ—something Paul knew all about as he penned a letter to the church in Colossus from jail.

Verses 16 and 17 say, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (ESV, emphasis mine).

I admit it. I built the very things I feel so exasperated about. I created this “house of cards.” I also know my current work is for just a season—but an important season. God gave me this beautiful, messy, frustrating, rewarding job, and I should do every diaper change, every meal prep, and every exhausting clean-up as “unto the Lord.” I am not alone in this battle.

• God has promised never to leave me. (Hebrews 13:5)
• God has promised to give wisdom when I ask. (James 1:5)
• God has promised his strength. (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)

When all that is put into perspective, I’m humbled. I look at my own situation and attitudes, and I know I can do better. I’m even more humbled when I think of contemporary Christians all around the world. Is my Christian sister in Kenya sweeping her house today, praising God that she has a home? Is my Christian brother tending his crop in Guatemala, thanking God for good weather and the opportunity to support his family? How can I work as unto God and not let the emotions of the moment take control?

And so, I work around my daughter until she abandons her project on the floor for a book she spots in the corner. Then, with gratitude in my heart, I pick up the pots and pans and mop the melted ice off the floor. I know that through her “mess,” my daughter is using her fine motor skills, discriminating size by matching the lids to their pots, and using her imagination to cook “yummy food.” As for me, I’m learning to honor God in whatever I do—even as a stay-at-home mom.

What work will you do today?

Ashley Shannon is a wife, mother, and self-appointed adventure curator. As a lifelong learner, she enjoys exploring the coastal South where she lives and painting her experience of motherhood with words.

Photograph © The Creative Exchange, used with permission