Pleasing the Lord

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” Col 3:23

An Italian duke came upon a workman one day who seemed to be taking infinite care and pains in his work. He asked the laborer, “For what will the box that you are making be used?”
“Flowers will be planted in it, sir.”

Amused, the Duke continued, “It will be filled with dirt.
Why take such pains to make each joint and surface perfect?”

“I love perfect things,” the man replied.

“Ah, wasted effort! No one will observe its perfection. A mere flower box does not require such perfection.”

“But my spirit does;” insisted the man, “do you suppose that the Carpenter of Nazareth ever made anything less perfect than He could?”

Angrily, the Duke replied, “Sacrilege! Your impudence deserves a flogging. What is your name?”

The reply came - “Michelangelo.”