Lily Work

Mr. Dampier, father of Paige, my late wife, admired skilled craftsmanship; he felt the same about any carefully crafted, completed task—be it a well presented dinner, an excellent Rotary Club project or an elegant garden. Heck, he even had a word of praise for an extra good sermon by his pastor; Mr. Dampier’s praise phrase was “lily work.”

The book of 1 Kings, describes in detail how Solomon built his magnificent Temple; Sturdy pillars were put in place, vital to the Temple’s structural integrity. In describing completion of this exceptional work, there is a strange comment; verse 22 says, ^“And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.” (Emphasis added). Mr. Dampier loved that verse—lily work; it spoke volumes!

That lily work did nothing to support the temple. lily work was not necessary—not even in the plans for the Temple. So, 1) why was the lily work placed there? And, 2) why, with fifty-nine verses meticulously describing construction details, was this minute detail added? Mr. Dampier said it defined elegance, the extra effort and loving care taken by the craftsmen. As the Cajuns like to say, it is giving a “lagniappe”. Poet, John Keats said, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever!”

Jesus took the idea further, to doing good, especially to those who do not deserve it. He said go the extra mile; when rebuffed, return good. In the aftermath of this Pandemic, I’ve heard people talk about positive things they did or experienced. And there are numbers of articles I have read documenting that extra mile (lily work) taken or given with resulting exponential benefits. What’s more, these efforts had nothing to do with a multiplier result…many said, “I just did what needed to be done!” In every instance where I found such effort, it exceeded what was needed or expected; lily work.

Working her way through college, Jennifer, my daughter waited tables at The Cloister, a five star restaurant and resort on Sea Island, GA. She learned that the housekeepers not only turned down beds, but also laid out a mint for each guest. Of course, I know the guests were paying a king’s’ ransom for staying there, but a mint on the pillow is that extra touch, going beyond. In Performance Reviews, businesses call it “exceeding expectations.” lily work.

At a farmer’s marked I met a man who lived in the”low rent district” of town with his sister. They lived on Social Security and made a little extra money by shelling peas and pecans for patrons. I took pecans for them them to shell that Paige would use in baking. Not only did I enjoy their friendship, but also one day they invited me to eat lunch with them. Their home was sparse and that invitation was unexpected. The lunch was meager yet I left there thinking, “That meal was delicious; not even the Cloister could surpass the experience; That meal was lily work!”

Among other things my grandmother left me, is a Barrister’s bookcase. It had been in a storage unit for decades. Dust, rust, and broken glass defined the unit. Mark, my friend, restores furniture, so I asked if he would take this project. In due time, it was done, and and he called me to his workshop. Not only is it now a beautifully finished piece of Oak furniture, but also Mark had done some research. Inside the cabinet, he found the the manufacturer’s original label. Searching the Internet, Mark discovered exciting details of the era of its construction, what one sold for back in the day, and its rarity today. lily work.

The Apostle Paul, wrote the book of Philippians from his jail cell. Though a prisoner, he is almost euphoric in his gratitude to the church at Philippi. Wouldn’t you expect a prisoner be anxious about his conditions, and bemoan his fate—especially if it portended death? Not so of Paul; there is good reason Paul praised the church at Philippi. Through their help, hope, and care—even from a distance—they exuded—lily work.