Fixing Elevators

Hi there, and welcome to another daily encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading, titled, Fixing Elevators, was written by Sheridan Voisey. Sarah has a rare condition that causes her joints to dislocate, making her reliant on an electric wheelchair to get around. On her way to a meeting recently, Sarah rode her wheelchair to the train station but found the elevator broken, again. With no way of getting to the platform, she was told to take a taxi to another station 40 minutes away.

The taxi was called but never arrived. Sarah gave up and went home. Unfortunately, this is a regular occurrence for Sarah. Broken elevators stop her from boarding trains. Forgotten ramps leave her unable to get off them. Sometimes Sarah is treated as a nuisance by railway staff for needing assistance.

She's often close to tears. Out of the many biblical laws governing human relationships, love your neighbor as yourself is key. And while this love stops us from lying, stealing, and abusing others, it also changes how we work. Employees must be treated fairly, and we should all be generous to the poor. In Sarah's case, those who fix elevators and drag out ramps aren't doing inconsequential tasks but offering important service to others. If we treat work as just a means to a wage or other personal benefit, we will soon treat others as annoyances. But if we treat our jobs as opportunities to love, then the most everyday task becomes a holy enterprise.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Leviticus chapter 1 verses 9 through 18. Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind.

But fear your god, I am the Lord. Do not pervert justice. Do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great. But judge your neighbor fairly. Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life.

I am the Lord. Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people. But love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Now let's pray. Father a job is never just a job to you but an opportunity to love you and serve others. Help us to see our work as an opportunity to benefit others today. It's in Jesus name that we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.