FIRST GLIMPSE: Smarter, Not Harder

“Hand me that piece of crown.”

“That what?”

“That piece of crown molding.” At my blank look, Tim chuckled and pointed. “That one, right there—the funny looking, angled board.”

Two days into a summer construction job with my carpenter cousins Tim and John, I was just beginning to learn how much I didn’t know about carpentry...or hard work. The South Carolina low country sun broiled my already sunburned neck and shoulders as Tim patiently reviewed the types of molding and trim we would use for the beautiful, new home on the jobsite. Then, he shared five simple words that permanently changed the way I think: “We work smarter, not harder.”

As the crew’s new gopher (go-for), Tim explained, it was my job to stay one step ahead of everyone else. After learning the different types of tools and materials, I needed to be aware constantly of what was coming next, to have tools and materials ready-at-hand for the skilled carpenters. If I did my job right, their work would continue uninterrupted—quickly, smoothly, efficiently—smarter, not harder.

I wish I could say I tripled production for Tim and John that summer, but my patient cousins often found themselves waiting for the new kid. I got lost on the way to pick up supplies, cut boards too long or short, “trimmed” a power cord in my haste, and ruined the finish on two sets of (expensive) retractable pocket doors by nailing them into the wall. That humbling summer taught me several valuable lessons: 1) learning a new skill is never easy; 2) good construction is measured in results and inspections, not sweat; and 3) the carpentry skills in my family skipped a generation.

Over the decades, I have come to value the living analogy of stewardship I experienced with Tim and John. And, while I still strive to work smarter, not harder, I have come to understand that working biblically sometimes flies in the face of norms and expectations. After all, we…

• Take Sabbath Rest (Mark 2:27). Write off one workday a week? Seems impossible, especially for those serving bi-vocational ministry roles. Yet, when we honor God’s command, He stretches working hours, helps us identify priorities, and refreshes our spirits for each new challenge.
  

• Plan First (Luke 14:28). It is biblical to pause to plan. I wish I had a dollar for every time Tim and John told me to “measure twice; cut once.” Smart work thinks ahead, identifies possible outcomes and consequences, and plots an efficient course to completion. This is the essence
  of stewardship.
  

• Don’t Worry About Results (Matthew 16:17-18; Philippians 1:6). The best part of joining God’s construction crew is that He accepts full responsibility for building His Kingdom. Unlike a jobsite, where results are measured in quick, quality structures, God simply calls His workers to faithfulness. He has promised to complete His work—in us, through us, and for eternity.
  

Now that’s smarter, not harder!

About the Columnist: Eric K. Thomsen is managing editor of ONE Magazine and president of the Evangelical Press Association. Email: eric@nafwb.org.