Headlight Deere

My oldest son likes working the graveyard shift.

He has been in the Navy for going on 6 years and has become quite the 'Go to Guy' in his squadron of Avionic Electricians, (known as 'AE' in the Na-vy). Now the Shop and Shift Supervisor, his knowledge, expertise and rank have been worked for and looked to all over the country and the world...usually on the Night Shift.

For the most part...he likes it that way. He gets pulled from shift to shift, place to place and from pilot to pilot, sometimes working days, nights or both...either on land or at sea. No doubt, this young man is skilled AND adaptable!

Many, many years ago, my friend John was really good to me. He was an area Sales Rep for John Deere, and in a rural community, he was on the go and busy and then some. He became a Christian after we became friends. We celebrated the joy of being 'brothers' in the Lord as a bonus of our growing friendship. One day he backed a trailer into the driveway of our parsonage with a John Deere riding mower ready for drop off. He told me that I could use it as long as I was his pastor. I sure looked forward to being his pastor for a long time!

This mower had a great feature. It had headlights! I could mow at night if I wanted to...and I wanted to! Some days were just too long with responsibilities and family activities, so I would crank up the John Deere, pop on the headlights, and mow to my hearts delight. I was working the Night Shift on my high beam John Deere!

"As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no man can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." John 9:4-5

Look at that sentence structure one more time. The pronouns are not in agreement, or I am just confused? "Me" was sent. "We" are engaged in the work. Why does Jesus not do the 'work' Himself? Could it be that 'we' are just as sent as 'He'? For a Christian, that is certainly the truth behind the teaching. 'We' have this one and only life to get in on the living and lasting 'work' of God that involves loving people into His light. The opportunity for that is very real, and quite limited. Some chances will come only once. Some opportunities will fade away. Some open doors will close. 'We' have to be engaged while there is time and opportunity.

You may not get elected to anything, but you can be engaged in the 'work' that matters to God. You may hold no office, have limited resources, know just a few people, and think that you have nothing to offer to anyone...but if you have Christ, you have everything to offer to everyone. The time to be invested has a beginning, and according to Jesus, has a conclusion. There will come a time when the last chapter has been written and yours or others biographies have been lived to and earthly ending.

Jesus spoke these words as instruction to those who would pay attention that you have to live your life with a sense of quality control. You have to be sure that you are invested in the things that are in step with His agenda fleshed out through you. You have to be absolutely engaged in making the most of every chance to make a difference for His name's sake. 'Work' while you can! Labor over that which matters, knowing that there will be a 4th Quarter, a 9th Inning, a Finish Line, and an Epilogue.

You may have to 'work' the Night Shift with headlights on high beam. Be fully engaged when the kids need that nighttime book read and a Daddy led prayer. Keep at it when the boss is demanding and the task overwhelming. Stay the course through acts of kindness and words of blessing are being strained by the choking reality of disappointment. This is your 'day' to be about His 'work'. You may never pass that way again!

When I resigned the church in which I was John's pastor, he dropped by one afternoon with the truck and trailer one last time. Loading the John Deere with headlights, I realized that I would never again cut my lawn at night. My heart sank knowing that I would miss cutting the grass, riding along with my elementary pre-Navy son in my lap, making our way around the yard in the heat of the day or the cool of the night together...enjoying the ride with him at the wheel. We bonded some on the John Deere with headlights. What an opportunity!

Glad that I didn't miss that one!