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Elaine and Cadence, Cruising. October, 2010.
[I’m humbled that TheHighCalling.org chose to include this post in its weekly list of resources.–SSL, June 6 2011]
Why do I Work?
Last month I discovered a significant error I’d committed at work a few months earlier. While researching a problem that had surfaced, I discovered that back in January, I had failed to forward a critical email to my boss. That failure could materially impact the outcome of the current problem.
I forwarded the message to her when I found it, adding, “You can fire me now. I just saw this.”
My boss gave me grace instead of a pink slip.
I did not expect that she would fire me for this mistake. But she could have.
Then I read Bradley J. Moore’s post You’re Not Being Funny Enough. Bradley writes about professional performance anxiety; as I read his words, I realized that, this recent incident notwithstanding, I don’t worry about whether I’m “good enough” at my job.
All the same, my discovery that I’d made a major mistake led me to consider why I value working–and my job.
Our Street. July, 2009.
My thoughts went first to our stuff: Our home, our boat, the means to indulge our grandchildren now and then. My paycheck helps provide for us, especially as we live in expensive Southern California. If I didn’t work outside our home, we could manage on my husband’s income, but we’d need to make some serious adjustments to our lifestyle.
When I considered my work more deeply, I realized that I love my job. I’m paid to think, to solve problems, to find efficient solutions to tasks. I work with kind people. Ethics are important in my company. It’s a great place to work.
Ayden and Me. July, 2010.
But like a late-night infomercial, the deal gets better. That thinking and problem-solving and solution-creating is challenging. Sometimes the work is really hard.
Our office culture calls for godliness, though it isn’t described that way in the employee handbook. Whether I’m addressing a major challenge or focused on a routine task, I am expected to work in a way that honors God.
And that privilege can’t be reflected in a paycheck.
10 Do not trust in oppressionAnd do not vainly hope in robbery;If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.
11 Once God has spoken;
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God;
12 And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord,
For You recompense a man according to his work.
Psalm 62:10-12 (NASB)
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