Running Behind

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

"Man, relax, we gon' be fine." It was my first season as a landscaper and I was already telling the foreman to hurry up. As me and the other 'grunt' rushed through our mowing and trimming, I closely monitored Larry's pace. He seemed to enjoy slowly pruning or other meticulous jobs. Some racist corner of my mind said this Caribbean man needed to speed up to a Canadian work pace. Though we were always on time (even with the odd 'extended' break), I was convinced that was only due to my diligence and frenetic work.

Years later I was managing a small crew and some overzealous young punk started rushing me. I thought: 'Doesn't he realize I'm the only one that knows how to properly prune? He doesn't get that I have paperwork to do, supervisors to check in with and mental deadlines? We pay you to run wheelbarrows, not to think!'

I finally understood what Larry must have felt like. This 'punk' and my younger self both had a solid work ethic, but no sense of the overall picture. I guess that's a lot like life. There's a Hawaiian bible translation that calls God 'Da Boss', and that resonates with my story. I can only imagine what 'Da Boss' thinks when we pray for something, when we rush our plans, or complain about some circumstance that seems to make no sense. When God chose Moses to lead the Jews out of Egypt, Moses argued:

'Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.' Then the Lord's anger burned against Moses...(Exodus 4:13-14)

Years later those same people complained so much to Moses that he lost his temper:

"Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me…you will not bring this community into the land I give them." (Numbers 20:10-12)

Whether I feel unprepared to take on a big job or like the boss is taking his sweet time and it's time to break ground, I think I learned to trust others. More important, it got me thinking about trusting God. Even if He seems a little behind schedule.

For another story about a huge job site, an unlikely foreman, and a city full of 'trusting' workers, try Nehemiah 2-4 & 6

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