I have always loved this poem. In fact, when I was a teenager, I took a blank book and pasted a bunch of poems into it–and this was one of them. I read it over and over, so many times that I memorized it without meaning to. It reminds me that even if we think our time and our effort and our lives are small and insignificant, Heavenly Father still sees us. When we truly love him, He knows.
Father, Where Shall I Work Today?
by Meade McGuire
“Father, where shall I work today?”
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then He pointed out a tiny spot
And said, “Tend that for me.”I answered quickly, “Oh no; not that!
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done;
Not that little place for me.”And the word He spoke, it was not stern;
He answered me tenderly:
“Ah, little one, search that heart of thine.
Art thou working for them or for me?
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.”
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then He pointed out a tiny spot
And said, “Tend that for me.”I answered quickly, “Oh no; not that!
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done;
Not that little place for me.”And the word He spoke, it was not stern;
He answered me tenderly:
“Ah, little one, search that heart of thine.
Art thou working for them or for me?
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.”
