While traveling in Montana recently, my wife and I stopped for lunch at a small town restaurant that seemed appealing. After we waited for several minutes, a waitress sauntered over, dropped menus in front of us, and then disappeared without a word of greeting. Her every movement told us that she intended to provide as little service to us as possible. Feeling unwelcome, we left.

I have always found it difficult to deal with such haphazard effort from myself or others. During my years as a teacher, I found it easy to be patient with students of marginal ability who struggled mightily to do satisfactory work. The students who drove me to frustration and sometimes anger were those of outstanding ability who tried to slide by with minimal effort. These students did not seem to care whether they did high quality work or not.

Anyone who is impatient with careless and sub-standard work should find it easy to understand God’s impatience with the priests condemned in our text in Malachi. They were trying to do as little as possible in their worship of God. God’s response to them stands as a warning to us. He does not make impossible demands of us. What He does expect of us is our whole-hearted effort.