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Context No. 2213 of 4322 · Exodus

Context · Reflection

Exodus 36:14-19: in context

14He made curtains of goats’ hair for a covering over the tabernacle. He made them eleven curtains. 15The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits the width of each curtain. The eleven curtains had one measure. 16He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. 17He made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the coupling, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which was outermost in the second coupling. 18He made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together, that it might be a unit. 19He made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.

Among the detailed work of building the tabernacle, the craftsmen make its outer coverings: curtains of goats' hair, coupled together with clasps, and over them a covering of rams' skins dyed red, and above that a covering of hides. These outer layers were plain and largely unseen, unlike the beautiful inner curtains of fine linen with their embroidered cherubim. The outer coverings were not admired for their beauty; their work was to cover and protect the whole, shielding the tabernacle from the weather, holding it together, unseen and unglamorous.

There is a quiet dignity in these outer coverings worth noticing. The beautiful, richly worked inner curtains were the ones seen and admired within the tabernacle. But over them lay these plainer coverings, goats' hair and hides, which no one admired for their beauty, whose work was simply to protect and hold the whole together. They were the unseen, humble, protective layer, doing the unglamorous work of shielding what was beautiful and precious within. Without them, the beautiful interior would have been exposed and damaged; the plain coverings mattered as much as the beautiful curtains, though they received none of the admiration. This holds a picture of the value of unseen, humble, protective work. Much of the work that matters most is like these outer coverings: plain, unglamorous, unseen, unadmired, and yet essential, protecting and supporting what is more visible and admired. There is the work no one notices, the service that receives no praise, the humble labor that shields and holds things together behind the scenes. Such work is not less valuable for being unseen; like the tabernacle's outer coverings, it protects and sustains, and the whole depends on it, though it wins no admiration. The parts of the body that seem less honorable, Paul says, are given greater honor; and the humble, unseen, protective work is precious in God's eyes, though overlooked by others. This dignifies the unglamorous service many of us give. Much of our work may be like the outer coverings: unseen, unadmired, protective, the humble labor that shields and supports without recognition. And it is not therefore worthless; it is essential, and it is seen by God. Whatever you do, Paul says, work heartily, as for the Lord; and the Lord sees the unseen work, values the humble labor, honors the protective service that others overlook. This calls us to value and give ourselves faithfully to unseen, humble work. The tabernacle's plain outer coverings, unadmired but essential, protected and held together what was precious within; and much of our own most valuable work is like them, unseen and unglamorous, yet protective and needed, precious in the eyes of the God who sees the hidden labor and honors the humble service that others overlook.

Do I feel that my work counts for little because it is unseen, humble, and unadmired, the unglamorous labor that shields and supports without recognition, and can the tabernacle's plain outer coverings, unadmired but essential to protecting what was precious within, teach me that unseen, humble, protective work is not therefore worthless but needed and valued, precious in the eyes of the God who sees the hidden labor and honors the humble service that others overlook?

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