“For we are laborers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9).

Craig Bower, an executive accountant, was an office worker all his life. He and his wife Martha retired early to move near their family. The pastor in town didn’t have anything for Craig to do, and with the grandkids back in school, Craig decided to walk across the road and meet his new neighbor. It turns out that the very morning Craig came to meet him, Charlie Patterson was so overwhelmed with running the crop farm by himself that he was ready to put a ‘for sale’ sign on the farm. Craig and Charlie hit it off, and it was decided that Craig would work for a cup of coffee once in a while. He really needed something to do! Though he knew nothing about farming, he was willing to learn. “You don’t look like much of a farmer wearing dress pants and a sweater,” Charlie snickered. “You don’t look like an accountant of the executive administration in those bib overalls, dear neighbor,” Craig cracked right back at him. It was agreed that Craig would buy some work clothes and start the next morning. At 6:30 “farmer” Craig walked into the barn. After exchanging greetings and general conversation, Charlie asked, “Well Craig. Have you ever driven a tractor?” Craig’s answer was “No!” After a few minutes of instruction and explanation, Charlie told Craig, “Okay. Now climb on up there, start it up, let up on the clutch and just back it straight out of the barn.” Sure enough it started just like Charlie said. As Craig started to take his left foot off the clutch, his foot slipped, the tractor popped, the front end flew up in the air, and the tractor roared backward. Apparently in the few seconds of mayhem, Craig turned the wheels. As the tractor was backing up, before Craig could stop it, his left tires hit part of the barn door and knocked it off track. He was so embarrassed. A shaken Craig turned the tractor off and just sat behind the wheel in defeat. A laughing-so-hard-that-he-started-to-choke Charlie climbed up on the tractor and suggested, “Why don’t you ride along with me for a little while this morning? Then I will put you on the second tractor and you can drive it.” Craig apologized three times as the men rode the large tractor down to the field. What Craig didn’t know was how significant their move would be as he and his wife settled in across from Charlie Patterson’s farm.

For today: If you are willing to do whatever the Lord wants you to do, it will amaze you what His assignments will be.