Dirty Jobs....someone has to do them.

What job makes you feel queasy on the inside? You know, those tasks that we would like to foist on someone else. Cleaning bathrooms, washing windows, cleaning grout in the shower, fixing sewer line blockages, driving Porsches, trimming thorny bushes.... (Wait, did you say driving Porsches?)

What would happen if we all stopped doing the dirty jobs and nobody lifted a hand to correct filthy broken stuff? Yikes! We would never experience clean bathrooms, sparkling windows, un-mildewy showers, flowing drains, Porsches that operate correctly, and finely shaped landscaping....(Wait, did you say correctly operating Porsches?)

Yesterday, our son 'had' to drive 5 different Porsche models on a 200 mile roundtrip. The mid-point stop was at Shady Maple restuarant... (I'm in the wrong profession!!) In three and a half days he will graduate from training and begin a career as a technician repairing Porsche autos. It sounds quite glorious and even a bit romantic to hold such a prestigious position. He will tell you that a lot of menial work and labor was involved in getting to where he is today. He wrenched on old cars and trucks. He sat in hours of classroom lectures. He lived apart from his family for almost two years. He experienced, cut knuckles, burns from welders and torches, and bruises from wrestling with heavy wheels and tires. He wouldn't trade one of those injuries for anything. He is enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Paying dues and investing sweat equity into our work will never be wasted resources. There will always be a reward for our labor. When we reach out to begin a relationship with another human being, it is the start of a journey that will contain many twists and turns, rocky moments, and trying seasons of struggle. Throughout the relationship, trust will hopefully be increasing.

Faith conversations are born out of a relationship that has been forged in the crucible of disagreements, proverbial cut knuckles, burns, and bruises. Patient endurance is one of the key ingredients in faithful resolve. The path of struggle can lead to another person coming to know Jesus as Lord. What is our reward? To know we have invested into God's kingdom and brought Jesus to another sister or brother! It is a tough (dirty) job and we all must do it! Go start a conversation with somebody today and share life together. Jesus awaits.

(Which one first? 911, Cayenne, Boxster, Macan, or Panamera? [Photo creds to Kenny.]

Enjoy the ride!!)