A job vs a calling
“Whoever wishes to be great among you must become your slave? For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to be served” (Matthew 20:26-28).
My family and I used to go to our hometown every few months to visit my mother in an elder care nursing facility for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. We often comment that it is easy to distinguish between those who view their work as a job versus those who view it as a vocation.
There’s a woman we all love. Her name is Caroline. We knew that if Caroline was on duty, our mother would be well taken care of. Caroline is an example of someone who is doing her job because she truly loves what she does. Caroline’s work involves caring for difficult patients who often have little appreciation for what she does and often requiring disabled patients to clean urine and bathe them. When Caroline was asked about her attitude about her job, her response was quite remarkable, “I enjoy it.” What an amazing response. We take back his comment.
Caroline was recognized as Caregiver of the Year by her organization. She didn’t do her job because she wanted that recognition. Instead, it was the fruit of living out her calling to be a caregiver.
Caroline is a stark contrast to the others working at the same facility. It is often difficult to get them to provide your loved one’s basic care needs. The requests are met with resistance. The attitude with which they do their work is essential rather than an inspiration for service.
This attitude can be seen in almost any business field. Whether you go to a department store, talk to a customer service agent, or get your tires changed, it’s easy to distinguish those who are doing their jobs versus those who are collecting a paycheck.
Which person are you in this story? Pray that you will see your work as a calling and an opportunity to express the life of Jesus through your work life.
