2 Timothy 2:15

Put Your Heart Into It

A workman that needeth not to be ashamed. 2 Timothy 2:15.

In the fifteenth century there lived in the city of Florence two great sculptors, Brunelleschi and Donatello. Brunelleschi designed and partly executed the beautiful dome of Florence Cathedral. This dome is one of the finest bits of architecture in Europe. It took forty years to build, and although it was not finished till fifteen years after Brunelleschi's death, so perfect were his plans and so wonderful his methods that those who followed after him had not the slightest difficulty in completing his work.

Donatello confined himself chiefly to the carving of statues. His statues are famous all the world over, and one of them a statue of St. George clothed in mail is so life-like that when Michael Angelo saw it he shouted “March!”

Brunelleschi and Donatello were firm friends although Brunelleschi was older by nearly ten years. When Donatello was fifteen they went to Rome together, the boy to study his art, the older man to make copies and plans of the famous buildings in the city so that he might have material for the designing of his wonderful dome.

Now Donatello at this time conceived the idea of carving a life-size figure of Christ on the Cross. He carved it in wood, and when he had finished his task he sent for his friend that he might have his criticism of the work. But when Brunelleschi saw the statue he told the boy that he had carved the figure like a laborer, and that when he was engaged on such a task he must put all his heart and soul into it, and all his skill. Thereupon Donatello challenged his friend to do better, and Brunelleschi accepted the challenge.

For weeks he labored with wonderful love and skill, until the statue stood complete. Then he went to Donatello's rooms and invited him to dine with him. He was carrying the materials for the dinner and these he handed to the boy, telling him to go on before and he would follow.

When Brunelleschi arrived home he found Donatello standing in front of the statue gazing in rapt wonder. On the floor were smashed eggs and other remains of what should have been the dinner.

Brunelleschi reproached his friend for spoiling the meal, but the other turned upon him, “What does it matter?” he cried, “I have had feast enough! You have carved the figure of Christ like an artist; mine is the work of a day-laborer.”

Do you know, boys and girls, that Donatello discovered a wonderful secret that day I wonder if you have discovered it yet? the secret that the work that is most worth doing, the only work that is worth doing is the work into which we put all our heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. Shall I tell you why? I think there are two reasons.

1. First, because it makes the work more pleasant. You are not carving statues, boys and girls, you are just wrestling with multiplication tables, or Latin verbs, or problems in algebra. Or perhaps you are starting life as an errand boy; and you have to sweep out the shop, and clean the windows, and polish the brasses, and tidy up after other people.

Well, these things don't seem very glorious, but you can make them glorious. There are two ways you can do your work. You can just get through it because it has to be got through, or you can put your heart into it. You can take a pride in having your verbs correct or getting into the inner meaning of your problems. You can take a pride in having your windows cleaner than anybody else's and your brasses brighter. And when you do that your work will become a joy, not just a labor.

There was a boy, once, who was sent from school into a lawyer's office. He thought law was the driest subject under the sun, and he grumbled so much about it that the other clerks nicknamed him “Grumbling Geoffrey.”

One day the lawyer, who was a friend of Geoffrey's father, sent for the boy and gave him a bit of sound advice. He told him, among other things, that there were just two kinds of workers in the world those who worked to live and those who lived to work. The first class worked just for bread and butter; the second loved their work and made it their hobby. And there was no question as to which class got the most pleasure out of their work.

Well, Geoffrey was possessed of a good deal of common sense in spite of his grumbling. He had been trying the “work to live” plan and that had failed, so he thought he would try the other for a change. He began to ask questions about what he was doing, to take notice of the letters and deeds he had to copy, to dip into law-books. Later the subject began to interest him, and he got more fascinated as time went on. If any legal question cropped up at home, he was always ready to discuss it and give his advice.

One day a friend said to him, “It's a dreary subject law, isn't it?” “Dreary,” said Geoffrey, “why, it's the most interesting subject in the world.”

2. But there is a bigger reason why we should put our heart into our work, and that is because by so doing we do better work. The work that is done with a grudge is never done well. It is done scantily and shabbily and often without thoroughness. It won't stand inspection. It is often not even nice to look at from a distance.

And, boys and girls, remember that the work you are doing is the work Christ has given you to do, and He is worthy of our very best. He gave the best for us. Should we not give our best for Him?

On the top of a hill at Athens stands the ruins of the Parthenon one of the most beautiful temples in the world. It was built more than four hundred years before Christ in honor of the goddess Athena Parthenos. Round the walls of this temple were wonderful carved figures. The backs of these statues were placed against the wall and were never meant to be seen, and yet they were as carefully carved as the fronts, “for,” said the sculptor, “they are for the goddess.”

The work you are doing, boys and girls, the character you are carving as you work, is for a far greater than any heathen goddess. Your work may be very plain and humble, but it is what Jesus wants you to do for Him. Take pains to do it in the very best way you can, study to show yourself “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.” Then some day you will hear His glad “Well done I”