In September of 1998, my husband and I traveled to China to adopt our daughter.
During our travels we were enamored with many street vendors and side shops run by local people trying to make a living on what resources that were available.
One day in particular we met a young man selling Chinese lanterns.
Now these lanterns were very artistically hand-woven, and obviously had taken many hours of labor to weave a finished product. As we stopped to chat with the vendor he began to talk more to us about how he had started his work. He was unable to work a regular job because of his disability; he needed something that he could do from his wheel chair. Then there was an issue of how he would have money for supplies. Hence the coke can and soda cans collected from the trash!
Yes, that's correct. He was weaving aluminum coke cans with his fingers. There were other varieties of colors also, from the different soda can flavors. These were truly a work of art! We purchased several of them and said our goodbyes to the man. However as we were leaving, he stopped us and said, "Oh, there is one more thing." So we turned around and went back to his vendor area.
The man held out a small, little booklet translated in English and Chinese. It was the story of Jesus. He shared how Jesus had changed his life and helped him to thrive in a difficult world. He asked us if we had put our trust and faith in the Christ.
Now I was blown away and somewhat shocked to hear this man openly sharing his faith in Jesus in a Communist country, the same government that had led the Tiananmen Square Massacre about ten years prior in Beijing, very close to where we were standing!! He told us that his life had a purpose and a mission. He had to share that purpose with others.
As we walked away again, I left this time with tears in my eyes. I prayed a prayer for the Lord to bless this man and that others would hear the Truth in his message.
My kudos to you today is to realize that your labor is never in vain. Whatever your life's work or daily routine, God can give you purpose. This man had quiet peace and assurance that what he was working at had meaning, which came through his greater purpose in sharing his faith. Happy Labor Day today and may you find fulfillment in whatever you put your hands to!
A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their toil. This is a gift of God. Ecclesiastes 2:24
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