Momma said, “If you’re going to do it—do it right!” I heard this so many times in my life from childhood through adulthood that I still hear her voice, like a recording in my mind.  My mom, an executive secretary for an oil company in Oklahoma City, worked hard to do the tasks she was given to do—correctly and neatly—going beyond what was required of her.

As a young college student on summer break, her company asked if I would be the front reception in my time off until they could find a replacement.  Mom encouraged me to do it even though I had no experience.  “I’ll teach you,” she said, it’s not that hard. (Yes, to her maybe!) Indeed, she taught me not only to do it but to do it right.  I thought I would merely be answering the phone; but many other details were involved in greeting clients at the door with a smile to give a good first impression to making sure the oil field executive salespeople had all the information needed to do their job.  There were so many details I didn’t know existed until I got into the work. Soon, I became more comfortable doing the tasks as I developed skills beyond what I had before coming to the job. 

What I learned most from mom was how she did her work!  She was the ultimate professional in all she did and gave all she had to the work so others could accomplish their work.  As a support to the executives; she knew at any given moment where all her bosses would be in the field or enroute to anther field.  She was amazing not only in the work but how she related to all other workers in the office.  I watched others have a deep respect for my mom who “did it right” so the work was done well by all. 

Observing my mom at work, caused my respect and pride for her to grow deeply within my heart.  She became “wonder woman” to me!  Her work and spiritual habits were engrained in me as I would later be led of God to do works beyond what my abilities could muster.  Her favorite scripture that guided her life was, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 From office work to church work to being a mom and wife, all at the same time; she trusted, obeyed what God said was right and good from His Word, giving her best to Him.  She sought to fulfill what the Lord required of her, “seek justice, move mercy, and walk humbly with God.” (Micah 6:8) I’m sure mom was receive with God’s “well done, good and faithful servant.”

Before he died, King David told his son, Solomon; “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.”  (1 Chronicles 28:20)

2 Chronicles aligns with the directions given to Moses from God centuries earlier about what the Tabernacle, (Tent of Meeting) should look like and what materials to use for all the tools to be used in the burnt offering sacrifices. King David did not “reinvent the wheel” in his design for the Temple.  But King Solomon embellished what the directions!

King Solomon leads all the artisans of the temple work with the words of his father.  “Do the work—right!” He goes over and beyond what is required of him because of all the resources his father provided for the work, along with skilled people to do the work! 

2 Chronicles 4

The Temple’s Furnishings

He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high. ² He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. ³ Below the rim, figures of bulls encircled it—ten to a cubit. The bulls were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

⁴ The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. ⁵ It was a handbreadth in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held three thousand baths.

⁶ He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing.

⁷ He made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.

⁸ He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. He also made a hundred gold sprinkling bowls.

⁹ He made the courtyard of the priests, and the large court and the doors for the court, and overlaid the doors with bronze. ¹⁰ He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner.

¹¹ And Huram also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls.

So Huram finished the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of God: ¹² the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; the two sets of network decorating the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; ¹³ the four hundred pomegranates for the two sets of network (two rows of pomegranates for each network, decorating the bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars); ¹⁴ the stands with their basins; ¹⁵ the Sea and the twelve bulls under it; ¹⁶ the pots, shovels, meat forks and all related articles.

All the objects that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for the temple of the Lord were of polished bronze. ¹⁷ The king had them cast in clay molds in the plain of the Jordan between Sukkoth and Zarethan. ¹⁸ All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze could not be calculated.

¹⁹ Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God’s temple: the golden altar; the tables on which was the bread of the Presence; ²⁰ the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed; ²¹ the gold floral work and lamps and tongs (they were solid gold); ²² the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God knows what we need to do His work His way. When God guides; He always provides all we need to accomplish His work He has invited us to join Him in doing. But to do the work well; we must go to Him daily for each step of the work. Going to God daily for instructions develops our attitudes in the work.  We must BE with God before Doing anything for God.

At any time, did the details overwhelm King Solomon who oversaw all the work of the artisans?  The furnishings of the temple were important to the priests, for without the divinely ordained furniture, they couldn’t do their ministry or please the Lord.  How did King Solomon know how important each detail was unless he was taught by his father who learned by reading God’s Law?

The tabernacle that Moses constructed had only one table for the loaves of bread and one golden lampstand with seven lamps on it, but the temple had ten golden tables and ten golden lampstands in the Holy Place, five each along the north wall and five along the south wall. The lamps provided the light needed for the ministry in the Holy Place.  King Soloman did indeed go beyond what God had given to Moses to accomplish; but he had the resources to do it!  Each day and age is different but truth does not change.  God knows exactly what His People need when they need it most. God uses everything in our lives (good and bad) to grow our relationship with Him more intimately and resolutely.  We learn from experience, that it isn’t as much about accomplishing all the work given to us in all the right ways in every detail; but more about Who we learn from and become as we fully trust and obey God with all our hearts, minds, and souls.

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ⁸ Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.” Ephesians 6:5-8 NLT

Written by Paul to the church in Ephesus; the word “slaves” undoubtedly refers to Christian servants, but we can certainly apply these words to Christian employees with bosses today. Doing a good job is the will of God! Christianity knows nothing of sacred and secular. A Christian can perform any good work as a ministry to Christ, to the glory of God no matter what our vocation in life! For this reason, the worker must do his/her job “as though employed by God Himself,” since we are serving Christ, the will of God.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

Ah, Mom, I get why you said it so often; “If you’re going to do the work, do it right—as unto God!”  It wasn’t to please you but God!

Lord,

Thank you for memories of past lessons that still apply today.  Thank you for leading us to your purpose with attention to detail so all is done to give you glory!  Cleanse our hearts and renew our minds daily so that our attitudes in the work are pure and enthusiastic!  Refresh us with your tender mercies that encourage to give you our best. And may the joy of your salvation at work within us put a smile on our faces as we do your will.  To you be the glory!

In Jesus Name, Amen