Would You Clean A Latrine?

In my quite time this year one of the devotional tools I am using is a book called A World of Wonders by Doug Batchelor. It is a fascinating book chalked full of some of the most interesting stories, facts, and figures that one can imagine. The following is an adaptation from Day 49 in this devotional book. 

On the morning of Sept. 17, 1862 (during the Battle of Antietam which was one of the bloodiest battles and turning point in the Civil War) a Union commander named Colonel Hays ordered his men to the firing line before sunrise with no breakfast. I can’t imagine a morning without breakfast; breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. By afternoon the men were exhausted and famished. 

A 19 year old mess sergeant by the name of Billy heard about this predicament and took pity on the hungry men and loaded up a wagon with buckets of coffee and all the food the wagon could carry. Then he drove the wagon into the front lines under fire. The soldiers sent up a cheer for their new hero Billy. They hurriedly scarfed down the food and headed back to fight the advancing Confederates with renewed strength and vigor. 


When Colonel Hays (Rutherford B. Hayes who became the 19th President of the United States) heard about Billy’s heroic actions he recommended Billy (who was William McKinley who became the 25th President of the United States) be promoted to the rank of second lieutenant.  

Luke 16:10 says, "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much."  It is often used to measure the potential of a person becoming a future leader. Though the duties in front of us today may not seem great and often times even mundane  if we perform them faithfully it will soon become apparent to those around us that we can be trusted with greater things. And even if we're never given earthly recognition for our efforts, Paul reminds us that whatever we do, we should "do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men" (Col. 3:23). 

If we do that we can be confident that we’ll hear our Commander say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)