I spent the morning at our Medical clinic sorting out some computer glitches. I am not a computer expert, but I know my way around enough that I can usually troubleshoot simple networking problems or talk to a tech person and they can walk me through the solution. So I was able to get the problems fixed. Ah, the satisfaction there is in telling the staff their computers are fixed!

As I was working, I overheard one of our doctors deliver the news to a patient that she was pregnant. There was an ecstatic outburst of joy, then some tears  and happiness all around. I guess doctors enjoy doing that kind of work. Probably makes up for those days when the news for some patients is not all that good.

I went over to an auto repair shop and observed a young fellow diligently working on our Pontiac Sunfire. We just bought it last week and the darn thing started to stall on us. So the dealer is covering the cost of fixing it. Our young mechanic had it all apart, something to do with the transmission. I could see he was enjoying the hands on work of taking something apart and putting it back together again.

In the afternoon, I did some shopping at the Dollar store in our mall. I went in looking for a $2.00 phone jack splitter. I ended up buying $28.00 worth of odds and ends. As I wandered the isles, I thought about how this store had looked the previous time I was in it. Things had improved substantially. The merchandise was well presented. Each isle had a theme. There was the electronics isle. Then the stationary isle, etc. The store was not that big but it was well merchandised and the prices were very reasonable. So I said to the fellow at the till, "This store is well merchandised." He said, "Thanks, for noticing! We do our best!" And he really meant it. Sure, it is full of a lot of cheap stuff, but it was well organized and well presented. There was quality in it that I noticed. The guy cared about his work and it showed.

Jesus told a parable of two wise servants who stewarded their masters property well while he was away and one who did not. (Matt 25:14-30). The Masters commendation was 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' 

While commentators often interpret this parable in terms of the second coming of Christ and the job of preaching the gospel, those first century Jews who heard it understood that Israel had been given a job to do and that a day would come when the quality of that job would be accounted for.

Each of us have received to a greater or lesser extent the ability to do a job well. Whether it's fixing computer glitches, delivering good news, repairing broken cars or retailing cheap consumer goods, we all have a job to do and there is satisfaction in doing that job well.