Daily Devotional for July 2, 2007

Proverbs 10
15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.
18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)

My mother and her husband are Workamping at an opera camp. Workampers are people who combine working with living in an RV (recreational vehicle). Quite often Workampers work in parks or campgrounds and receive camp space as part of their pay. For my mom and her husband, a camp space for their motorhome AND wages are part of the deal. They agreed to work six hours a day, providing maintenance and kitchen help to the staff who support attendees at a summer camp for opera students, located in northwest Arkansas.

Since the camp is a non-profit organization, the employer told them that they were welcome to “volunteer” more hours if they wished. And volunteer they have! Most every day, this couple works as much as eight hours…often more. They have vacuumed and scrubbed dormitories and cabins. They have repaired leaky toilets and crumbling gazebo railings and replaced windows in storage buildings. They have scrubbed the sneeze guard on the salad bar table, the drink dispensers, and the kitchen utensils and vacuumed and polished dozens of pianos. They have swept floors and served meals and answered emergency maintenance calls. And, because I know them, I know that they have both done all of this with a smile and a willing attitude. They are bone weary some days, but their heart is full.

You see, most of the attendees at this camp are young adults. And on Sundays, when my mom and her husband drive to a church nearby for services, some of these campers go along. Many others do not attend church, but they see the Godliness of this couple every day in how they interact with the students and staff and in how they conduct their workday. Even fixing leaky toilets or scrubbing sneeze guards on salad bars at an opera camp can be God’s work if it is done with the right spirit. And I know that both of these people take lots of time to stop and visit with the people at the camp… to get to know them, to share their thoughts and their faith. And the results of their efforts will be long lasting – far beyond the end of this summer camp. The “wages” these two people receive this summer will far exceed their actual paycheck. And I know those who were lucky enough to observe them will be forever touched by their example of work and faith. And that will be the best reward of all.

©2007 Debbie Robus