The highway I take for my daily commute is under construction, expanding from two to four lanes on each side. Every morning I pass a couple hundred faceless construction workers in their bright neon yellow jackets. No matter how hot or cold the weather, they are actively working, with shovels or equipment, making progress slowly day by day. I look forward to the day when the task is finished and the lanes are open and constant traffic is relieved. Often I get the urge to smile, wave, or find some gesture to say thank you, but I don’t. Instead I pray for them each morning. For them to be protected from the heat or cold or from the exhaust of the traffic crawling or speeding past depending on the time of day. I pray they take pride in their work, and have a way to know that many of the drivers appreciate the work they’ve done.
There are great many faceless workers in our lives. Too often we don’t make eye contact; we may not even notice they are there. Perhaps we simply smile and say good morning at the ones we see daily even if we do not know their names. Take a moment today and this week to notice and pray for those people who work and serve to better our community.
