Exodus 36:14-19: a reflection

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.

In the building of the tabernacle, alongside the beautiful inner curtains, the workers made plainer coverings: curtains of goats' hair, and coverings of rams' skins and sea cow hides, to go over the whole as a protective outer layer. These outer coverings were not beautiful, not seen by those who entered; they were plain, humble, hidden beneath by the finer work, and above by their own plainness. Yet they were essential, protecting the beautiful interior beneath. Humble, unseen, they did essential work.

Notice the role of these plain outer coverings: humble and unseen, yet essential. They were not the beautiful part; they were plain goats' hair and animal skins, hidden from view, doing the unglamorous work of protecting what lay beneath. No one entering the tabernacle would admire them; they were unseen, unnoticed. Yet without them, the beautiful interior would have been exposed and damaged. The humble, unseen coverings were essential, though they received no admiration; their work was necessary, though unnoticed.

That is worth taking to heart, for much of the most necessary service is humble and unseen, receiving no admiration. We can want the visible, admired roles, and despise the humble, unseen service that no one notices; but the plain outer coverings, unseen and unadmired, were essential to the tabernacle. Much of the work that matters most is like those coverings: humble, unnoticed, unglamorous, yet essential. Do not despise the humble, unseen service you may be called to, because it receives no admiration; like the plain coverings of the tabernacle, unseen service can be essential, doing necessary work though unnoticed. Be willing to do the humble, unseen work that no one admires, as the plain outer coverings did their essential work unseen; for the service that matters is not always the visible, admired kind, but often the humble, unnoticed work that, like those coverings, is essential though it receives no praise.

Lord, in the building of the tabernacle, alongside the beautiful inner curtains, the workers made plainer coverings: curtains of goats' hair, and coverings of rams' skins and hides, to go over the whole as a protective outer layer. These outer coverings were not beautiful, not seen by those who entered; they were plain, humble, hidden. Yet they were essential, protecting the beautiful interior beneath. Humble, unseen, they did essential work. Show me the role of these plain outer coverings: humble and unseen, yet essential. They were not the beautiful part; they were plain, hidden from view, doing the unglamorous work of protecting what lay beneath. No one entering would admire them. Yet without them, the beautiful interior would have been exposed and damaged. The humble, unseen coverings were essential, though they received no admiration. Take that to my heart, for much of the most necessary service is humble and unseen, receiving no admiration. I can want the visible, admired roles, and despise the humble, unseen service that no one notices; but the plain coverings were essential. Much of the work that matters most is humble, unnoticed, yet essential. Keep me from despising the humble, unseen service I may be called to, because it receives no admiration; unseen service can be essential. Help me be willing to do the humble, unseen work that no one admires, Lord, as the plain coverings did their essential work unseen; for the service that matters is often the humble, unnoticed work.