I just had lunch with a friend. Once of the things that we talked about was work. He spoke about his job which is retail. His job requires a lot of hours, a variety of skills, and constantly dealing with both employees and customers. He sees ministry opportunities that he tries to respond to. What was very refreshing was this statement, "I can see myself doing this the rest of my life."
I was thinking earlier about the different jobs that I’ve had. (Most of these were junior high/high school/college years.)
- Having a Dallas Morning News paper route (several years)
- Working all night at a Jack-in-the-Box (several years)
- Selling portraits door to door (several weeks)
- Working in the file room of Hunt Oil (several years)
- Working at the bun oven of Manor Bakery (one year)
- Loading trucks, driving a truck, and working as a supervisor with UPS (several years)
I am so thankful for these jobs. I am thankful for a variety of work experience. I have such vivid memories of days and night spent working. I learned so much. More than anything, I probably learned something about responsibility and persistence. I also learned to relate to a variety of different people.
Sometimes work is very gratifying. There are moments when I feel deeply satisfied as I am allowed to be creative and my gifts connect with the opportunities that are in front of me.
Sometimes work is tough. There are times when I am doing things that I just don’t enjoy.
Sometimes work is boring. There some aspects of my work that do not bring satisfaction.
Sometimes work is energy producing. There times when, at the end of the day, I feel energized, even though I feel very tired.
Sometimes work can feel deeply satisfying because you know that it is a part of your calling or vocation. You find yourself working, not just for money but for something higher. You find yourself working not just to please a boss but to please the one to whom we are all accountable.