I am an electrician by trade, but I have been on the estimating and project management side of contracting for about 24 years, so I have not had to strap on a tool belt for quite some time.
Just this past weekend I purposely scheduled myself to be on-site for a job. We were working with a long-time customer in their main substation, which provides power to the massive facility. It took a couple of long days and about four hours on the final day. On one of those days, we worked in the pouring rain for about five hours as a storm passed through the area. It took a crew of five electricians, a crane operator, and his men to get the job done. The facility was re-energized without any problems, and everyone went home in good spirits, which is one of the reasons I am sharing this part of my life. I was reminded and profoundly impacted by something that I have been learning over the past decade or so: to see with different eyes.
I was reminded of the value, worth, and dignity of working with your hands--hammering, shoveling, mixing concrete, pulling, lifting, and putting things together. (It should not be taken for granted and lost in the grand scheme of things that during the early years of Jesus' life, he too worked with his hands.)
At the end of a long day, your body hurts, and you're exhausted, you climb into a work van, and drive yourself home for the next sixty minutes or so. Then you get up very early the next morning and do it all over again. The value and dignity of your work reveals itself when the job is done and you stand back for a moment, looking at what you and your co-workers were able to accomplish. There is something about the demands of physical labor, striving alongside others, that provides a tangible sense of pride (not the self-absorbed kind), fulfillment, and a natural by-product that cannot be ignored: true human connection, friendship, and comradery. It is all a part of the beautiful "imago dei" [image of God] in every person.
I saw it with my own eyes those three days that we were together, and this is what I cannot push aside or neglect because of fear of what others may think or believe. I am a 64-year-old man now, and though my physical eyes are not as sharp as a young man's, my "spiritual eyes" are still learning to focus on revelation and mystery, and what it means to live in this world that is broken, but also good and profoundly beautiful in nature and humankind.
During those three days with my co-workers, the f-bomb was dropped non-stop, gossip was shared, sarcasm was laid on heavy, tempers flared a bit, and even a brief conversation about going to strip clubs. I did not, for a moment, regret being with those men. On the contrary, I was honored to be a part of their work and conversations throughout our time together. There was laughter, and sharing of knowledge and experience to get the job done. The common thread that kept everyone focused was our purpose: what to do and how to do it to get the facility back online as soon as possible.
On Friday night it was dark, and we were working by the light of battery-powered LEDs. I stood there for a moment in the middle of that quiet power station and realized that this was a holy experience. I was grateful for my co-workers and I would not miss the opportunity to tell them so. I began to tell them how thankful I was for each of them, and as my words flowed, tears flowed too. I was overcome by the moment as I expressed my love and appreciation for men I was proud to be with, and I was overcome by the reality of something far more beautiful and mysterious. Jesus is thankful for these men and loves them more than we can ever imagine. He is inside of those men, as he is in the entire human race. It is the real meaning of "Immanuel," God with us. To deny this is to deny the "imago dei." The image of God is the image of Christ. To deny this is to deny scriptures like Colossians 1 & Ephesians 4:5. The sting of consequence arises when we all walk away from the light of Christ that dwells within us (John 1:1-9), but in the end, co-suffering love will not be defeated.
It's time for all of us to reconsider with fresh eyes, and not be afraid of what we may find or encounter about the gospel or "good news." What does a person mean when they use terms such as "total depravity" or "original sin"? Some theological and denominational structures would regard my co-workers as having "no good thing within them." What if, on that Friday night described above, I told those men that they were all condemned sinners, totally depraved, and that they should stop with their foul-mouthed language, and turn to Jesus?
The question, for me, is this: What demonstrates true, unconditional grace and mercy. What is the proper timing to walk with another human being down the journey of life to the invitation of the light and love of Jesus? I choose to begin with perfect love, grace, mercy, and goodness. I choose to find common ground and a universal bond we all share.
WE ALL NEED YOU JESUS. Please lead us to the way, the truth, and the life. You are the light and life of every single human being Jesus, and you will not forsake your creation!!!
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