Be In These Things

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men…” (Colossians 3:23).

Let me tell you about a man named Vincent. Vincent works for United Airlines, and was the steward on a flight I took recently from Louisville to Chicago. I have never seen an airline attendant throw himself into his work like this man did.

When Vincent wasn’t giving information to us passengers over the PA system, he was serving us. He warmly greeted each of us personally as we walked onto the plane. He helped those who were struggling stowing away their luggage. When the plane was delayed from taking off for a few minutes, Vincent put us at ease by not only telling us why, but by also adding a little comic relief to his remarks.

After serving all 50 of us a beverage, Vincent came back by and asked if we needed a refill. He kept us updated on our flight. In fact, because we were late in taking off, he came through the cabin toward the end of the flight, paper printout in hand, informing each passenger where his/her gate would be for their connecting flight. (A helpful piece of information when one is in a hurry at O’hare International Airport.)

He constantly kept us at ease with his comedy. One of the last things he told us, as we descended from the clouds, was of the spotless record of the pilot. “However,” he cautioned, “I did overhear the pilot making a bet with the co-pilot as to whether he could land this thing with his eyes closed.” We all roared.

By the time we landed, one felt as if he had known Vincent for quite some time. As we disembarked, he looked each of us squarely in the eye and warmly thanked us for flying United. Well--- of course. What else would you expect from this man? Folks, this attendant was consumed with his job.

As I later pondered the example of this man… (during the next flight, when we were served by a stewardess who was, comparatively, bored with her job)… I couldn’t help but think about MY own example as a disciple of the Lord’s.

Do people see ME as one who has thrown himself into the work of Jesus? After telling a young evangelist to “be an example to the believers” and to “give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:15), Paul told him to “meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them,” or literally, “be in these things” (Vincent Word Studies). Timothy was to be wholly engrossed in his work. Am I?

Are YOU? The Scriptures speak of those who were “full of good works;” of others who “devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints” (Acts 9:36; 1 Corinthians 16:15). Are we not charged with doing the same? (Romans 12:13; 2 Corinthians 8:5)

Our Lord from the very beginning indicated that the citizens in His kingdom would go the “second mile” toward those who spitefully treat them (Matthew 5:41-42). What, then, must we conclude should be our attitude toward every other facet of our kingdom life? Jesus didn’t leave us to wonder: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).

When people look at me and you, do they see people who are merely ’putting time in,’ who are doing what they think is just enough to ’get by’? Or do they see those who are absorbed in and consumed with Jesus? Give it some thought.


--Mike Noble