I think I’d like to get paid to love people.
When I was in college I worked up at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA of the Rockies for the summer. I was in a discipleship program where we learned a lot about Jesus and living like he lived and loving like he loved. Our program only made up a fourth of the staff. The rest of the staff came from around the world. It was a blast. My job was cleaning out toilet bowls and making beds. It was far from glamorous. I didn’t get the cool job like working at the gift shop or doing crafts with kids or working with the horses. It was housekeeping for me. You can have some good conversations while making beds!
Before we even got to the job site, where we lived all summer we had homework to do. That was super smart because they knew our jobs would be mundane at best. They had us study what it means to serve and love people. To do all your work as if you are doing it for God. In that time I memorized a verse that encouraged me to do everything without complaining or arguing. I learned that summer mindset matters no matter the job.
Have you seen a dynamic at work between a boss and an employee where the employee doesn’t want to make money for his boss? The boss has been fair, but not generous. A young employee may need a good example of how to be fair. But, I cannot help but wonder if the boss was both generous and fair if that would create a cycle of good will where the employee would WANT to work hard for the boss. Is the boss-employee relationship on the path of fairness or has the employee-boss relationship taken the road of stinginess and greed?
What if, when possible the boss had an abundant mindset and paid the employee extra when they could? What if the employee made the boss as much money as possible?
Have you heard an employee grumbling and complaining? Perhaps this is just immaturity, a person learning the grit of working hard. Perhaps there is a need for a feedback system where a boss or employee can work through issues in a positive productive way. Creative workspaces must have safe and productive feedback loops that focus on teamwork, innovation, and results. Feedback is different from complaining, grumbling, and arguing. If you can't relate to this at work maybe there's another place you see this dynamic showing up.
Jesus tells us to be generous and not to worry about things like money. There will always be bosses and there will always be workers. When I am a worker do I grumble and complain or do I work generously? As a boss, how do I treat my employees? Do I use what I have been given to infuse hope and build up?
How am I burying my talents instead of using them?
Write down or draw one way you can use your gifts to be like Jesus to the world this week. Bring the Kingdom of God to earth. You are made in the image of God. He is with you. SHINE.
TIME TALENT TREASURE
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 ESV
I think in everything we do we have the opportunity to love people really well. That’s the model Jesus set for us, He was ridiculously generous in love and fish. It seems like every time Jesus fed people there were leftovers.
Cheering for you,
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