DON’T FORGET THE CAMELS

I know this story is old. Nevertheless, I think it makes a point. Listen: I'M TIRED. For several years I've been blaming it on middle age, iron poor blood, lack of vitamins, air pollution, water pollution, saccharin, obesity, dieting, ear wax buildup, and a dozen other maladies.

But now I find out, tain't that. I'm tired because I'm overworked.

The population of this country is over 200 million.

·         Eighty‑four million are retired. That leaves 116 million to do the work.

·         There are 75 million in school, which leaves 41 million to do the work.

·         Of this total, there are 22 million employed by the government. That leaves 19 million to do the work.

·         Four million are in the armed forces, which leaves 15 million to do the work.

·         Take from that total the 14,800,000 people who work for the state and city governments and that leaves 200,000 to do the work.

·         There are 188,000 in hospitals, so that leaves 12,000 to do the work.

·         Now there are 11,998 people in prisons.

·         That leaves just 2 people to do the work. You and me. And you’re just sitting there listening to me read this. No wonder I'm tired.

 As you know, this is Labor Day weekend. I want to therefore talk to you about work, quality effort, and the pursuit of excellence. To be sure, I do not seek to add to the ranks of those we call "workaholics." This is not a call for more as much as it is a cry for BETTER!

It is my firm conviction that Christians should make the best employees,

·         the best students,

·         the best parents,

·         the best artisans,

·         and the best public servants.

Scripture backs me up; you'll see.

Now, having said that, I sense something bad in our beloved America.

An evil mindset seems to have settled down on us. I hear it in conversations. I see it manifested in the products that I buy. It is even evident in the test scores of our students. If this evil could be put into words it would be “I am going to do the least amount of work that I can and demand the greatest possible reward or pay for it.” As a result of this spirit, we Americans have witnessed a marked decline in the quality of nearly everything that we do. 

TIME magazine dealt with this in a cover story a few years back. The piece was entitled, "America the Inefficient, or Why Nothing Seems to Work Anymore in the United States." The article then gave illustration after illustration of no-count products, poor workmanship, and warranties that weren't worth the paper they were written on.

The author then went on to note that “for many years America was noted around the world for its efficiency and the quality of its products and its honesty, and the fact that men prided themselves in what they had made. But in the last several years that has changed. There's a feeling all over the world now that our country has lost this characteristic. There have been complaints coming from everywhere that we cannot be trusted. We are coming to be known as America the inefficient and deceptive."

This is truly sad. It is a cause for national shame. What I am saying is captured in this little story. “How long did John Smith work for you?” a former employer was asked.  “About four hours" was the quick reply. “Why he told me that he had been there for some time.” “Oh yes”, answered the gentleman, “he was here for two years but you didn't ask that, you asked how long did he work.”

Someone else observed that many people quit looking for work as soon as they find a job. This is true. On the other hand, some people would do anything to be able to do nothing. 

A personnel manager rejected a job applicant because the firm was overstaffed. But the would-be employee persisted, "The little bit of work I'd do won't even be noticed!"

One of my favorite examples of sheer laziness is contained in the story of an old mountaineer and his wife who were sitting in front of the fireplace one evening just whiling away the time. After a long silence, the wife said: "Jed, I think it's raining. Get up and to outside and see." The old mountaineer continued to gaze into the fire for a second, sighed, then said, "Aw, Ma, why don't we just call in the dog and see if he's wet." 

Now to Scripture

The wise Solomon noted, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

Solomon also wrote in Proverbs 18:9: “One who is slack in his work is (a) brother to one who destroys.”

The word “WORK” is no stranger to Scripture. In fact, the word is found 372 times in The New International Version beginning with the account of creation in Genesis Chapter One. Along with the word "work" the word "good" is found seven times in this first chapter as well. It seems as if the Lord not only wanted it recorded that He worked, He also wanted it known that His work was GOOD. Actually the word translated "good" means “rich, better or excellent.”

The key word of the book of Hebrews is BETTER. The words "perfect and heavenly" also are prominent. The writer sought to prove that the works and person of Jesus were BETTER than the person and works of---

·         The prophets,

·         The angels,

·         Moses,

·         as well as the Old Testament Priesthood.

Hebrews points out that Jesus offers a BETTER REVELATION, POSITION, COVENANT, SACRIFICE, AND POWER.

The point is, both the Father and the Son set the example in their pursuit of excellence!

Jesus then taught this principle is His Sermon on the Mount. The Lord says in Matthew 5:41, “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” In those days the law allowed a Roman soldier to draft someone to carry his pack for him for one mile. The pack was heavy. The roads were rough. The job was always an imposition. Then, too, these soldiers were, as a rule, hated. These men enforced the iron-fisted rule of Rome. Jesus was simply drawing for us a picture of a hated, evil and demanding boss who was wanting more than he justly deserved. Jesus said, “don't just go the one mile, go two!” Tell the fellow, “this second mile is on me. I'm into excellence. My faith in Jesus Christ demands that I do more than is expected. I do this to the glory of my Lord.”

Believe it or not, such a message wasn't any more popular then than it is now.  Nonetheless, the Gospel isn't always meant to be convenient. 

·         It speaks of sacrifice.

·         It demands extra effort. 

·         It is a call to give one’s all!

As many of you know, I dearly love the book of Genesis. I have spent years teaching though the book. Of Genesis’ fifty chapters, chapter 24 is probably my favorite. I have spent as long as ten weeks teaching on this one passage alone. The verses contain the account of Abraham's quest for a bride for his son Isaac. The story fits well into this message this morning. It vividly illustrates the second effort that I am calling for today. If you have read my devotional commentary on Genesis, you will recognize this account.

Abraham, at this point, is very old. His wife Sarah has only recently died. Maybe these two things coincided to make him very much aware of the fact that he had failed to make arrangements for a bride for his son. Isaac at this time was nearly forty years old. In those days and in that land, it was the responsibility of the father to look after such matters. This no doubt sounds pretty strange to us, but, nonetheless, it was how things were done back then. Stranger still was the fact that Abraham didn't really attend to this important matter himself. He rather entrusted the task to his servant. 

The servant immediately starts to work on his assignment. He organizes a caravan of porters and camels. Each animal is loaded with supplies for the journey as well as with valuable gifts for the new bride. Notice now verse 10: “Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master.”

I can almost read the brother’s mind. What kind of lady is going to leave her family, her homeland, and accept the hand of a man in marriage whom she hasn't even seen or met? Understandably, the servant prays. Notice verses 12-14: “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I'll water your camels too’ ‑ let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.’”

There is no way of telling just how many wells there were in that land. Nor are we told if he stopped only once or if he had to visit numerous wells. Then, too, we are not aware of how many girls told him to go water his own camels when he asked for assistance. But, finally, a very beautiful young lady named Rebekah comes to draw water. It was evening. The day was nearly over. She was no doubt tired. Life was not so easy back then. She fills her own water pot and is about to turn to leave when the servant steps forward and says: (verse 17) “Please give me a little water from your jar.’ ‘Drink, my lord,’ she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, ‘I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking.’ So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.’” 

Notice, the servant only asked “for a little water.”  She could have gotten by with that. She didn't know that this was a test. But no. She was different. She was committed to excellence. I can prove it.

Do you know how much a camel drinks? IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE! The encyclopedia notes that a thirsty camel can drink from 20-30 gallons of water in little over ten minutes. Remember, we are talking about ten camels here in this story! Then, too, other ladies were there drawing water for their own needs. Rebekah had to wait her turn. Do you remember, from the Scriptures, how she rushed about? The well was deep and the bucket was heavy, but, nonetheless, she said, “I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking.”

Is it any wonder that the Bible records, in verse 26, “the man bowed down and worshipped the LORD, saying, ‘Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey.’”

His prayer had been answered. Rebekah was the one who was to become the bride of Isaac. And how did the servant know that she was the one? It was by her willingness to say, “Yes, I'll do what you have asked of me, but I will also go the second mile. I will even do more than you requested.”

Would you like to commit yourself to such excellence? If so, please allow me to share with you three quick and simple steps

1.         REALIZE THAT QUALITY BEGINS WITH THE LITTLE THINGS

Booker T. Washington once said, "Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way." Lou Holz, the former head football coach at Notre Dame, is a stickler for detail. He does it this way: The team has a road game at Purdue. They've been instructed to wear coats and ties to the stadium because they'll be closely observed as representatives of the University of Notre Dame. They're waiting to board the bus to go to the stadium for the game. They wait. Coach Holz shows up. Doesn't say a word. Just goes down the line and looks them over. And over. Finally he goes up to one of the players, smiles, reaches up and straightens the player's tie, and then nods to the driver of the bus. Not until then is the door to the bus opened and the team permitted to load up. He hasn't said a word, but the message is clear. If you're going to be winners, guys, look like a winner. The little things mean a lot.

Bud Grant, the former coach of the Vikings, was another great coach and motivator.  He had another gimmick that he used to teach this principle. The very first drill at the very first practice of every Viking training camp was the same: Grant personally demonstrated and the players practiced how to line up properly for the playing of the national anthem. They got the message: Excellence comes out in the little words, the little actions, as well as the extra things that one does. 

·         If you are diligent with the way you spend your minutes at work, your supervisor will more than likely trust you with more and greater responsibility.

·         If you are honest with your pennies, nickels and dimes, you will never steal fives, tens and twenties.

·         If you are too honest to cheat on a math exam, you are no doubt too honest to cheat Uncle Sam on taxes.

Tom Peters, in his book A PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE notes that in business excellence is decided by the way a secretary answers the phone, by the way the clerk handles your package, by the way some people --- who may seem unimportant in the whole scheme of the company --- treat you as a customer. The author keeps implying all through the book that it is excellence in small things, in the minor details, that makes a picture of excellence for the whole company.

This is oh so true for a church as well.

·         How are the children treated?

·         Are the grounds kept up?

·         Do we keep the trash emptied?

·         Are phone calls returned?

Excellence is realized inch by inch!

Is it any wonder that the Bible speaks of God's concern for:

·         one little lamb?

·         one lost coin?

·         one fallen sparrow?

·         the dot above the letter “i” and the crossbar in the letter “t”?

Without attention given to the little things, the big things eventually cease to matter.  The little foxes destroy the vines.

2.         EXCELLENCE COMES WITH HARD WORK

I once asked Dr. James Hamill, then pastor of the largest Assembly of God church in America, what was the secret of his success. His answer was short and simple.  "Work, work, work."

Think back to the disciples. Jesus offered them:

·         a cross,

·         persecution,

·         rejection,

·         homelessness,

·         and finally death.

Work, hardship and sacrifice were their common bonds. And yet, they went for it with a passion. Theirs is a testimony of excellence.

Although some of them lacked in formal education, social graces, and political clout, they, nonetheless, turned the world upside down for Jesus.

Jesus had commanded them to “work while it was day.” They did. He told them to “occupy until His return.” Again, they did. I find it interesting that the Jews accused the disciples of numerous sins and violations of the law. Remember, they were charged with breaking the Sabbath? Then too, they were criticized for eating with unwashed hands. However, I find it interesting that they were never ever accused of being lazy!

I say to each of you this morning, you will never accomplish anything great for Christ while sitting on your hands. 

·         Get up.

·         Get ready.

·         Get going.

·         Get busy.

·         Time is short; night is coming.

There is work to do.

A commitment to excellence is a commitment to hard work.

3.         SACRIFICE

Excellence will demand nothing less. Excellence, you see, never comes easy.

Let me be honest with you, I wish I could sing like Carman and play the piano like Dino. But, to be very honest, I can't. I made a choice not to excel in these areas many years ago. You heard me right.

Both of these gentlemen made a commitment to their art that demanded a level of sacrifice that I was unwilling to make. I can play "Are You Sleeping?" on the piano. I can also sing a little, however, let me assure you, no one has ever asked me if I was a recording artist. Anyone can tell that without asking.

While in college, I took piano lessons for a few weeks. It simply wasn’t my thing though. I hated the practice. I wasn’t willing to pay the price in terms of time and effort. I quit. Yet today, I prefer to work on other things. I want to be a great pastor and preacher. Although I am no where near my goal, those are the areas where I am willing to make sacrifices. 

Are you aware of the fact that the ancient Greek sculptors were in the habit of tearing the nails from their thumbs in order that they might detect with the quick of their flesh even a minute rough spot? That's right. If any flaw could be discovered even by this exaggerated process, the marble was not smooth enough for them. 

Greatness was not a slight little whim with these people, it was their dominant desire! So great was their desire, they were willing to pay whatever the cost, forget the sacrifice!

Look with me as we note Paul's personal sacrifice for the cause of Christ –

2 Corinthians 6:4-10: “...great endurance; troubles, hardships and distresses; beatings, imprison-ments and riots; hard work, sleepless nights and hunger.... Through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”

Then too, look at the price Moses paid to be Israel’s great deliverer.

·         Look at Job.

·         Noah.

·         Jesus.

·         Peter.

·         The men and women found in Hebrews 11 – the great Fall of Fame of Faith.

Yet what would these people have accomplished if we were to subtract from their lives the personal sacrifices they made?

Return with me again to the story found in Genesis 24. as soon as Rebekah said, “I'll draw water for your camels too,” a spiritual principle kicked in -- Since the lady gave more than she was asked to give, she received back more than she had expected to receive.

That is the way the Lord operates.

Little did she realize that evening at the well the rewards that awaited her due to her second effort.

1.       She proved to be the Lord's personal answer to Abraham's prayers.

2.       She was likewise the answer to the servant's prayers.

3.       She was to be blessed with an excellent husband. (This was probably in answer to her own prayers.)

4.       She was soon to be showered with the beautiful and expensive gifts that were on the very camels she was caring for.

5.       Her story and name is forever captured in the Word of God. Again, what an honor.

6.       She came under the blessings of God’s covenant with Abraham.

7.       But the greatest honor has to be that she was one of the direct ancestors to our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Think about it, if you will. When she choose excellence in service instead of mediocrity, tremendous blessings became hers. I believe there is a lesson in this for each one of us here this morning.

Have you heard the story of the three negative-thinking ladies who lived on a Louisiana bayou? They complained everyday, “we've got it so bad living here on this here old smelly bayou. There ain't no opportunities. Others are living in the city when they have unlimited opportunities. Us? We ain't got nothing.” This was their complaint day after day after day. Once, a lady from down the road came to visit these three woe-begotten souls. After listening to their sad laments, she told them, “Nonsense!  You want opportunity? You've got opportunity! You live on the bayou. The bayou leads to the river. The river leads to the gulf. The gulf leads to the ocean. You can go anywhere you want from right here where you are!”

You can too. Each of us are at the well this morning. Will it be business as usual, “here's the bucket, sir, help yourself?” Or will you like Rebekah reach to extend yourself beyond the expected. Are you willing to pursue excellence? “Sir, may I water your camels also?”

IF SO, REMEMBER TO COMMIT YOURSELF:

·         TO DOING THE LITTLE THINGS.

·         TO WORK HARD.

·         TO SACRIFICE.