READ: COLOSSIANS 3: 23-24
Work hard cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people. (V. 23)
Robert Lewis in “Winning at Work,” stated that men spend 60-65% of their lifetimes at work. He further indicated that according to a Gallup survey, 80% of men feel miscast in their jobs. In short, men spend a lot of time working for their paychecks but feel no real significance is attached to their efforts.
During my early police career, I spent numerous hours answering calls as a Patrol First Responder. There were times you felt like you made a difference, but other times you felt like a robot on an assembly line as you went back to the same location for the same event (domestic abuse is a great example). When the tax coffers began to shrink and resources became scarce, the department began to embrace the concept of problem oriented, community policing. We received problem solving training and were empowered to rectify situations using our best judgment, talents and available resources. Newly hired crime analysts began using call data, crime reports and citizen information to identify crime patterns and suspects. Traffic crash and enforcement data was being used to identify “hotspots” that required stepped-up enforcement. We were assigned to geographic areas and encouraged to work as a team with a singular enforcement focus. Suddenly we all felt like our individual and collective efforts were making a substantial difference in community safety that was verified by statistical analysis.
Make no mistake, every job has its ups and downs. Even with the department’s conversion to an aggressive style of community policing and problem solving, there were times when you wondered if you were not wasting your time and energy dealing with an issue that seemed to be never ending. Paul reminds us in Colossians that it’s God who put us into our jobs and to honor him we should give our best in every situation. It’s important to remember, that in the eyes of God, no job or assignment is ever insignificant!
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION AND PRAYER
Now is the appropriate time to ask the question, “Do I have a passion for my job—am I enthused about waking up and going to work today?” After prayerful consideration, some may need to make the courageous move to another vocation while others are content and fulfilled where they are currently planted. Never forget–your work matters to God, the ultimate CEO.
Dear Jesus, help me use my time at work to bring honor and glory to you. You have created me to be a significant part of your Kingdom!