Over the past two years I have been working hard to obtain my Master's degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. My mind has been stretched and challenged in every class; however, the greatest lessons I have learned while in Seminary did not come from the classroom but rather while working at night as a janitor. I have worked as a janitor for the past two years. I have swept, mopped, vacuumed, dusted, unclogged toilets, replaced toilet paper, and cleaned more windows than I care to remember. Throughout the course of my time as a janitor I have learned seven lessons which I would like to share with you....
7) Laughter is the best medicine: I can remember nights when a toilet would overflow leaving toilet paper and other unmentionables covering the bathroom floor and I would have to clean everything up. I remember breaking down dozens of cardboard boxes every night. In the midst of all the crap and boxes sometimes all you can do is laugh. Life moves pretty fast and crap is sometimes found everywhere you turn; but remember; that no matter how much crap is in your life; laughter is truly the best medicine.
6) Hard work is good for the soul: There would be nights when I did not want to go into work. I wanted on several occasions to call into work and quit; however, I went to work because my family needed the income. I learned to take responsibility for my work. I took ownership for the building which I was entrusted to clean and I worked hard to ensure that each night that building was cleaned from top to bottom and ready for the next morning. I learned that most everything in life worth doing is hard; however, hard work is good for the soul.
5) Humility, Humility, Humility: God will use funny ways to humble His servants. I did very well in school and received high marks on all of my assignments. There would be days when I would feel as if I was the smartest man to ever attend Seminary, without fail on those days God would humble me. I was humbled through cleaning toilets and being looked down upon by the dentist's in the office. God used my job as a janitor to keep me humble and down to Earth.
4) Replace toilet paper so that it rolls up and over: I realize this is an age old debate and many good men and women disagree. Take it from a janitor who has changed thousands of toilet papers; if you want your toilet paper to last longer make sure it rolls up and over.
3) It's about towels not titles: Pastor Dwayne Carson used to always tell us at Liberty that it's about towels not titles. He wanted to emphasize the fact that our lives as leaders should be about serving others. I must always remember that no matter how many degrees I may obtain or my position of leadership I am not above cleaning toilets. As a leader I must get down on my hands and knees in order to clean toilets and serve those I am leading. It's about towels not titles!
2) All of life is sacred: When I first entered Seminary I wrongly believed that what I was doing throughout the week in school mattered more to God than my employment as a janitor. This thought was wrong! God cares about how well I clean. All of life is sacred. Abraham Kuyper said, "there is not one square inch on planet Earth over which the risen Jesus does not say mine." I learned to clean toilets to the glory of God!
1) Worship is a 24/7 matter: Worship is not merely, or even mainly, what I do on Sunday morning. Worship is a "24/7" matter. I learned that we worship God when we give ourselves to Him in service. We worship God when we show love to others, when we do our jobs faithfully and with integrity. God wants us always to be bringing glory to Him by the way we live. I learned to work hard as worship to God.
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