Everyone wants to change the world

An old saying goes, “Everyone wants to change the world but no one wants to help mom with the dishes”. A while back Donna asked me a probing question when I was coming out of the kitchen. She said, “Why is it when men do the dishes, they have to announce to the world that they have done the dishes?” I do not think my dear wife was indicting all the males in the world. I think she was politely making the one man she lives with ponder his ways.

It’s easy to admire the spectacular … swoon at the magnificent … applaud the remarkable and bask in the glorious. I’m learning that almost any success in bigger things takes years of commitment in small things. Slow and steady usually wins the race. Legacies aren’t built in a day but in small, steady steps. Faithfulness counts. Faithfulness matters in marriages, emergency rooms, research labs, pulpits, parenting, friendship, law-making and pandemics.

I have been marveling at the faithfulness of the Prophet Samuel. I admit he had a few highlights in his life. As a kid, he uttered the famous words, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” Nice job Samuel! He doesn’t appear again in scripture until he is mature and calling people to repentance. A revival, of sorts, comes. Once again, nice job Samuel. You expect more epic mountaintop events, but you discover the text says, “Samuel grew old.” Where did life go? What happened over all those decades? Two verses give a hint, “Samuel continues as Israel’s leader all the days of his life. From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.”

No spectacular victories, no parting of the seas, no miraculous events. Just a circuit of faithfulness. Year after year. Month after month. Making the rounds. Spiritual direction. Shepherding the flock. Discernment. Into his 40’s…50’s…60’s. Same thing. Same places. Boredom. Monotony. Repetition. No one memorizes these verses, yet faithfulness, steadiness and consistency win the day. I want to be like Samuel. I want to keep showing up. I want to be faithful. Don’t you?

Speaking of faithfulness … My salute to My Wife, Doctors, Nurses, Grocers, Teachers, Garbage Collectors, Truckers, Pharmacists, Farmers, First Responders, Bank Workers, Military Personnel, Mail Carriers, Factory Workers, Air Traffic Controllers, Volunteers, Plumbers and Drain Cleaners, Food Banks, Medical Researchers, Amazon Warehouse workers, Scientists, Moms and Dads and Everyone who is rising to meet the challenges of our times. My sincere appreciation.

Dr. Michael Sprague is the Louisiana State Chaplain with the Capitol Commission and President of Grace Adventures. Michael lives with his wonderful wife Donna and resides in Mandeville, LA. His motto is “Bet the Farm on God.” You can find more information about Michael here.