One Sunday morning a couple of years ago, my church announced a new program discussing “Faith in the Workplace.” Although I had never thought much about this subject, I was intrigued and decided to check it out, along with many other career-oriented congregants.
My church is located in a bucolic, historically-preserved town that happens to be a stone’s throw from the pharmaceutical Mecca of the Northeast, and is also within commuting distance from both New York City and Philadelphia. Needless to say, we are a church community filled with our fair share of corporate management-types.
Once the appointed day arrived and the group had settled in to their seats, the speaker opened the session by asking a very simple question:
“What is the purpose of your work?”
A very simple question, indeed. However, this particular cross-section of intelligent, successful, ambitious men and women from my very sophisticated church were immediately stumped, and sat in embarrassing silence for a few moments.
The speaker prodded us a bit, and one by one we began to speak up, mumbling something in hopes of having the right answer.
“Um, to provide for my family?” offered one brave soul, rather tentatively.
“To make money,” another coughed out.
“To be a good steward!” shouted one suck-up from the back, who was really only repeating something he had heard in last week’s sermon.
The speaker was quick to chastise us for our limited spiritual vision, and pointed out that the purpose of our work was instead to glorify God.
The purpose of my work is to glorify God?
I knew that. I had just forgotten about it.
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Photo by Kicki.
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