And A Side of Fries With That

I have worked since I was twelve in one way or another, all the way through high school and college, mostly mindless work that paid small change.  Babysitting jobs cashed in at fifty cents an hour, and minimum wage was two bucks.  My dad was unemployed for part of that time, and my mom taught violin lessons in the living room.  So when I landed my first real job, I was overjoyed, even though it was at the bottom rung of a business magazine.   All my creative energies were put to the test by writing blurbs about exciting new building products from nail guns to sump pumps.  At the very least, it was my challenge and job to make them sound that way.   My "office" was a small cubicle, situated between a secretary who smoked all day and the copy editor who spent most of her day chatting on the phone. I had an old steel desk, a manual typewriter and a black dial telephone.

The offices were located in an old building in downtown Chicago with an antiquated elevator system.  Each car was occupied by a uniformed operator who opened and shut the cage-type doors at each requested floor.  It didn't really matter which car you entered, one was not faster than another, but the other editors and I would always hurry to get on George's.  He laughed.  He told stories.  He had the best jokes, a great way to start and end the day.  And he knew all our names.  His good attitude affected us all.

Anyone can do a job;   it is what you bring with it that makes the difference.

On the third floor of the building was an old-fashioned delicatessen.  The sandwiches were good and filling, but the fries that came with it were world class.  I brought my lunch in a brown paper bag on most days to save money, but about every two weeks, I would splurge and purchase a sandwich on the third floor.  Sometimes I just ordered a side of fries.  They were that good.

We are called to do our work with all excellence.  But God also calls us to do whatever our task with a good attitude.  A side of fries, so to speak.  Recently a subcontractor completed some repair work on our house.  He did a good job, but his grumbling and complaining marred what he did.  His work came with a side of sour grapes.   When God calls for excellence in what we do, it includes all the sides.

A good attitude always imparts goodness to others in infinite dimensions.

Author and pastor Chuck Swindoll once spoke on how attitude infects all that we do: 
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."

A good attitude tells everything about you -- how you see yourself, how you see others, and how you view God.  It impacts everything...and everyone.

Do a great job... and put a side of joy with that.

Whatever your task,
work heartily,
as serving the LORD and not men...

                            Colossians 3.2