George and the Janitor

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31

At my school we had a chapel, where we would have a short service every morning. I was in the choir and loved to start my day by singing. One of my favourite hymns back then was “Teach me, my God and King”, which I later found out is based on a poem by George Herbert called The Elixir. This poem comes to mind now during this year’s Stewardship focus as it links strongly to the message “Do it all for the Glory of God”.

I remember the vivid image in the third verse: “A man that looks on glass / On it may stay his eye; / Or if he pleaseth, through it pass, / And then the heav'n espy.” Imagine looking at a window and all you can see is the reflection. Then all of a sudden it dawns on you that you can look through the glass and see a wonderful scene beyond. This is like when we are performing a daily task, focusing only on the surface level, until we realize we can be giving glory to God in whatever we do!

Herbert later gives the specific example of sweeping a room - even this simple work can make God smile. There is a story that when President John F. Kennedy visited NASA, he approached a janitor and asked what his role was. The janitor proudly announced, “Mr. President, I’m helping to put a man on the moon”. When people around him may have only seen the surface level of him sweeping the floors, this janitor knew he was doing it for a greater purpose - and no doubt excelled in what he did as a result. What greater purpose for all of us then, than to do all for the glory of God!

Read George Herbert’s full poem below and reflect how you, like the NASA janitor, can bring a bigger sense of purpose into even the smallest action.

The Elixir by George Herbert

Teach me, my God and King,

         In all things Thee to see,

And what I do in anything

         To do it as for Thee.

         Not rudely, as a beast,

         To run into an action;

But still to make Thee prepossest,

         And give it his perfection.

         A man that looks on glass,

         On it may stay his eye;

Or if he pleaseth, through it pass,

         And then the heav'n espy.

         All may of Thee partake:

         Nothing can be so mean,

Which with his tincture—"for Thy sake"—

         Will not grow bright and clean.

         A servant with this clause

         Makes drudgery divine:

Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,

         Makes that and th' action fine.

         This is the famous stone

         That turneth all to gold;

For that which God doth touch and own

         Cannot for less be told.