I was having dinner one evening at a food court. The cleaner lady came by and asked the people sitting at the other table if she could clear the empty plates. They waved their hands sort of permission given. They did not look at the cleaner nor thank her for clearing the utensils. It was like she was some lowly servant not worthy of a second look. A simple thank you would have been good.

I wondered if they were Christians. If they were, I would be very sad. It is not a matter of theology but just a simple thing of manners or being a human, just simple decency. If we cannot even live out simple decency, then forget about living a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Brothers and sisters, in our daily lives, let us live and work to the praise and glory of God. Put aside your ‘great learning’ and live with love and care for the human being near you. All workers are equally important and deserve dignity as much as anyone. In terms of dignity and worth, there is no real distinction in good and honest work. We are doing different jobs according to our different abilities at the moment. There is no one to say that we are stuck forever in the same place. Put in the hard work and diligence, and you can move to the next ‘perceived’ better position.

Hard and honest work deserve our appreciation. Can you imagine if there is no one to clear out the trash from your surrounding daily? What if everyone wants to be doctors or lawyers, and no one desire to be farmers? Then there will be a shortage of food. Then the law of the jungle prevails and there will be no need for lawyers.

Let us learn to appreciate one another for the hard work that they do. A simple thank you or smile would be quite sufficient. No one says that you need to have a big celebration to commemorate such work. Daily appreciation of such work is an encouragement of itself. And we become better people at that.

If we cannot be faithful in little things, it is difficult to be faithful in the big things. That is because they are even more difficult.

God bless,
In Christ’s service,

Barry Leong

我在一个傍晚到食阁用晚餐。一个清洁女工经过并问隔壁桌的客人她是否可以收拾桌上的空盘。他们以手势表示允许。他们没有看清洁工一眼，也没有感谢她清理碗碟。她似乎只是一个不值得一瞥的卑微仆人。一句简单的谢谢其实还是好的。

我不知道他们是不是基督徒。如果他们是，那么我会非常难过。这无关乎神学课题，却关乎礼貌或作人的基本道理，这是基本的诚意。如果我们不能行出基本的诚意，那么就别提活出与耶稣基督福音相称的生命了。

弟兄姐妹，在我们日常的生活中，让我们以生活和工作赞美及荣耀上帝。将你们的“伟大学习”搁置一旁，为你们周围的人活出爱和关怀。所有的工人都同等重要，也像任何人一样配得尊敬。论及尊严和价值，在美好及诚实的工作上并无真正的优越等级。目前我们就是按着个人不同的能力在做不同的工作。没有人可以说我们将永远停留在原本的岗位。只要努力和勤奋，你们可以转移到下一个“所期待”的更好职位。

辛勤又诚实的工作配得我们的赞赏。你们能否想象没有人为你们清理周遭每一天的垃圾会是怎么样的？倘若每一个人都要成为医生或律师，而没有人愿意成为农夫？那么粮食就会短缺。若出现弱肉强食的情况，律师也无用武之地了。

让我们学习赞赏彼此的辛劳工作。一句简单的谢谢或微笑就足够了。没有人说你们必须大事庆祝以记念这些工作。每一天对这些事工的赞赏就是对事工的鼓励。这也将使我们成为更好的人。

如果我们不能在小事上忠心，就很难在大事上忠心，因为它们其实是更加艰难的。

上帝赐福，
主里同工的，

Barry Leong