SERVING––A Sufficient Reward?

Serving––A Sufficient Reward?

Can serving be sufficient motivation for a work life? To answer in the affirmative you might think you need to be talking to a saint. Joseph in the novel, Baggage Burdens., is no saint, but for most of his adult life he was content in serving. What was his secret?

Joseph was a farmer.  That might suggest an advantage––laboring in nature, God’s creation, instead of the city, man’s creation.  The freedom to setting one’s working hours is attractive too. But those are only working conditions, all be it good ones.

The servant role begins with placing the seed in the soil. Providing water and extra nourishment to promote flower and fruit formation follow. The farmer adopts the role of a sheriff to prevent mineral-stealing weeds from creating a scarcity of plant food.

The farmer’s rewards initially come not at harvest time but when the first tiny leaf dares to poke its head out of the ground, like a scout looking to see if it is safe for the rest of the leaves to come forth. The small green leafed-hand paints a smile on the farmer’s face, as if the first number called on a lottery draw is his number. Accompanying leaves are like more numbers on the farmer’s lottery ticket. Then the plant’s flower––last number before a ticket holder is in the money. With each passing week and the development of the fruit the farmer sees his winnings grow, like more numbers on his ticket being called. If the farmer’s lucky the weather will provide a high quality high yield return. Up to the fall the time has been a joy.

Joseph and his friend, Thomas, are market farmers. That means their bliss isn’t limited to seeing how their crop develops and is harvested. Selling to repeat customers at the market carries its own rewards. Being eagerly greeted by returning patrons who are delighted to see him creates a friendly atmosphere. Learning about each other’s family and their passions and challenges builds strong bonds. Fellow vendors also look forward to seeing each other. How beneficial is such experiences? Joseph’s sense of loss comes when he hats change jobs. Missing the personal conversations with his market customers hurts. Thomas’ sense of loss (below) is experienced when he must retire.

“You don’t think I know Thomas is seventy-one. He’s finding it difficult to set up for the market. The last two Saturday mornings I dropped by and helped him. Closing isn’t so bad. He has less produce. I told him one day he will have to give it up. He hates too. He’ll miss his customers. They’re his friends. Thomas will miss the other vendors too. He knows the life history of most of the regulars.”

Joseph’s rich life isn’t found in material possessions as Jill, his wife, soon discovers after she marries him.  He owns a single bed; a card table to eat dinner and his cutlery is remnants from three different sets.

haiku capsules

                                                                            your planted seed sprouts.

                                                                            leaves, flowers, harvest follow.

farmer’s jackpot win!

market table display

repeat patrons’ glad greetings

a new family

Next blog: When Work Is a Means to an End