January 27

Daily Duty

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them. — Luke 2:20 BSB

The shepherds might have been so captivated by the vision of the Christ-child that they wouldn’t have wanted to return to their ordinary work. Some people, in their moments of spiritual ecstasy, feel reluctant to return to the mundane tasks of daily life. Peter, for example, wanted to stay on the Mount of Transfiguration, thinking that ordinary life would be too dull after such a glorious experience. And surely, no human eyes had ever beheld a more glorious vision than what the shepherds saw that night. Yet, they went back to their humble work, and they were likely just as faithful as they had been before.

There’s a valuable lesson here. All our spiritual experiences should make us more diligent and faithful in the ordinary duties of life. A true devotional experience doesn’t lead us away from our responsibilities. The closer we get to Christ, the better we should perform all our tasks. Our love for God and communion with Him should never make us neglectful of the work we’re called to do.

God gives us moments of spiritual rapture—glimpses of His glory and foretastes of heaven—to strengthen us for our everyday duties. It would be a tragedy if these experiences made us less fit for the realities of life. Instead, we should carry the brightness of those heavenly moments into our daily lives, so that others may be encouraged and blessed by it. Our time with Christ should leave a glow of joy on our faces as we return to life’s dusty paths.