Wages (You Never Know)

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.  He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.  For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. - 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

File this under, “You never know.”

Sunday afternoon I had a brief encounter that not just made my day, but maybe my year.  I was at Lowes, picking up the final of three loads of bagged mulch that we purchased on sale.  I was standing looking at the twelve bags of mulch on the flat cart, had the hatchback to Susie’s Vue open; and I briefly reflected on how hot and filthy I was from handling the first 24 bags; at home I had to take them back out of the car and carry them up a small hill and stack them alongside of our house.

As I was standing there getting ready to start lifting and piling the bags into the car, this fellow came trotting over and said, “Here pastor, let me help you.”  Which he did.  We made short work out of loading the car.  Grateful for the help, I said “Thank you, and do I know you?”  He replied, “No, but five years ago you did my cousin’s funeral; not only was it beautiful, but your words got me back into church and I’ve been going steady ever since.  It’s been great!  I always wanted to thank you, but couldn’t even remember what church you were at, much less your name.”

“Well,” I said, “To that I just give God the glory.”  “So do I,” he responded, and just as abruptly as he arrived, he jogged back over to his truck where his wife and baby were waiting; they all waved heartily as they drove by.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

 Sometimes I feel that I’m not even planting or watering, but just bringing the seeds to the farm.

And that is OK.  You see it’s not about me.  God will grant me wages according my labor in due time. He will; though it was nice to get a glimpse and realize that God does use me sometimes in spite of myself.   And I give him the glory.

And file this under, “You never know.”