Paul Powell once told a story about two pulpwood cutters from east Texas who grew tired of cutting pulpwood and decided to go to Dallas and get another job. As they drove down the street, they saw a sign that said, “Love Field.” So they whipped their pulpwood truck into Love Field and drove to the main office.
One of the men said to his brother, “You stay in the truck and I’ll go in and see if I can get a job.” He went inside, found the man who was in charge of hiring, and said to him, “I want a job.” The man asked, “What can you do?” He replied, “I’m a pilot.”
The man said, “We need lots of those around here. You’ve got a job.” He hired him on the spot. The pulpwood cutter went back outside to the truck and said to his brother, “I got me a job. They hired me on the spot. Why don’t you go in and see if they have a job for you?”
His brother said, “Okay, you wait here in the truck, and I’ll go in and see if they will hire me.” He went inside and told the man, “I want a job.” The man asked, “What do you do?” He replied, “I’m a woodcutter.” The man said, “Fellow, this is an airline. We don’t need any woodcutters around here.”
The woodcutter then responded, “But, you just hired my brother.” The man General responded, “Yes, but he said he was a pilot.” The brother responded, “Well, how do you think he’s going to pile it if I don’t cut it?”
I had cause to be reminded of this story recently as I spent the better portion of a day piling it! A strong storm blew through and toppled a very tall tree in my son’s yard. Given that he is half my age, his hand/eye coordination makes him far more dexterous. Hence, he was elected chain saw operator; and I and the rest of the family were designated as the official “pile-its”.
It took better than half a day; but we finally converted the entirety of the enormous downed tree into ashes. In the end, the mess was cleared and the job was done. And a good job it was. So much so that over the next few days, relatives and neighbors alike all commented on the efficiency with which the process had been carried out, noting time and again how hard it must have been to saw up all that wood.
To my chagrin, not one time did any of them mention the burden that must have been involved in piling it all up and setting it ablaze. Oh well, such is life! Those who do the glamorous deeds are praised; while those who carry out the mundane tasks are so often overlooked.
Of course, I am being a bit facetious here. I’m sure everyone also recognized that cut wood still had to be gathered, transported, stacked, and burned. Still, there is an underlying truth in my wittiness.
In the New Testament Gospel of Luke (chapter 18), Jesus is approached by a wealthy man; and a discussion ensues. In the end, Jesus challenges him to make a great sacrifice by giving up his earthly possessions to follow him. To do so would have been a considerable feat, as he no doubt had substantial resources.
At this point, one of his disciples, Peter, who had previously been nothing more than a poor hand-to-mouth fisherman, chimes in and reminds the Lord that he and the other disciples had all given up everything to follow Him as well.
One gathers that Peter desires to know that his own sacrifice, even if seen as insignificant by comparison to that of others, still mattered. As if to reassure him, Jesus then asserts that any and every one who sacrifices on His behalf will one day be rewarded.
Rich man or poor man, it makes no matter. Glamorous or mundane, it makes no matter. Woodcutter or pile-it, it makes no matter. The Lord remembers whatever each of us has done. And He takes note of all who sacrifice on His behalf, no matter how much or how little that may seem to involve.
Remember that the next time you are tempted to think that your contribution has not mattered. No matter how big or how small, it takes all of us doing our respective part to see the big picture painted. And when the masterpiece is completed, the Artist Himself will make sure that each one involved in its production is duly recognized and rewarded.
JOKE SOURCE:
https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=146507, pp.60-61.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/luke/18.htm.
One of the men said to his brother, “You stay in the truck and I’ll go in and see if I can get a job.” He went inside, found the man who was in charge of hiring, and said to him, “I want a job.” The man asked, “What can you do?” He replied, “I’m a pilot.”
The man said, “We need lots of those around here. You’ve got a job.” He hired him on the spot. The pulpwood cutter went back outside to the truck and said to his brother, “I got me a job. They hired me on the spot. Why don’t you go in and see if they have a job for you?”
His brother said, “Okay, you wait here in the truck, and I’ll go in and see if they will hire me.” He went inside and told the man, “I want a job.” The man asked, “What do you do?” He replied, “I’m a woodcutter.” The man said, “Fellow, this is an airline. We don’t need any woodcutters around here.”
The woodcutter then responded, “But, you just hired my brother.” The man General responded, “Yes, but he said he was a pilot.” The brother responded, “Well, how do you think he’s going to pile it if I don’t cut it?”
I had cause to be reminded of this story recently as I spent the better portion of a day piling it! A strong storm blew through and toppled a very tall tree in my son’s yard. Given that he is half my age, his hand/eye coordination makes him far more dexterous. Hence, he was elected chain saw operator; and I and the rest of the family were designated as the official “pile-its”.
It took better than half a day; but we finally converted the entirety of the enormous downed tree into ashes. In the end, the mess was cleared and the job was done. And a good job it was. So much so that over the next few days, relatives and neighbors alike all commented on the efficiency with which the process had been carried out, noting time and again how hard it must have been to saw up all that wood.
To my chagrin, not one time did any of them mention the burden that must have been involved in piling it all up and setting it ablaze. Oh well, such is life! Those who do the glamorous deeds are praised; while those who carry out the mundane tasks are so often overlooked.
Of course, I am being a bit facetious here. I’m sure everyone also recognized that cut wood still had to be gathered, transported, stacked, and burned. Still, there is an underlying truth in my wittiness.
In the New Testament Gospel of Luke (chapter 18), Jesus is approached by a wealthy man; and a discussion ensues. In the end, Jesus challenges him to make a great sacrifice by giving up his earthly possessions to follow him. To do so would have been a considerable feat, as he no doubt had substantial resources.
At this point, one of his disciples, Peter, who had previously been nothing more than a poor hand-to-mouth fisherman, chimes in and reminds the Lord that he and the other disciples had all given up everything to follow Him as well.
One gathers that Peter desires to know that his own sacrifice, even if seen as insignificant by comparison to that of others, still mattered. As if to reassure him, Jesus then asserts that any and every one who sacrifices on His behalf will one day be rewarded.
Rich man or poor man, it makes no matter. Glamorous or mundane, it makes no matter. Woodcutter or pile-it, it makes no matter. The Lord remembers whatever each of us has done. And He takes note of all who sacrifice on His behalf, no matter how much or how little that may seem to involve.
Remember that the next time you are tempted to think that your contribution has not mattered. No matter how big or how small, it takes all of us doing our respective part to see the big picture painted. And when the masterpiece is completed, the Artist Himself will make sure that each one involved in its production is duly recognized and rewarded.
JOKE SOURCE:
https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=146507, pp.60-61.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/luke/18.htm.