day 124: Bone Tired

There is something about the daily slugging and grinding it out at work that just wears us down. My wife uses the saying sometimes that she is just "bone tired". I don't know where that comes from or really what it means, but I know the feeling when I am tired right down to the bone. Sometimes the end of the day or the end of the week can feel like we are barely pulling ourselves together enough to make it home and we collapse across the threshold looking for a few hours to not think about what is on our minds and to collect ourselves before we have to get up and go at it again tomorrow. The mental strain of working can take its toll on our physical well-being and we can find ourselves showing the signs of stress, fatigue and pressure. It is a vicious cycle and when all the human approaches like vacation, delagation, etc. are as exhausted as we are, we have to reach to a stronger force to get us through the next day or the rest of the week. Before we even get to that point we need to rejuvenate in the promises that God has given us. If there is anyone who knows the humanness of what we can and cannot bear it is Jesus. In Isaiah the prophet gives us hope and strength while still being open about the human condition. Isaiah 40:29-30 says, "He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted and young men will give up." Because we are human we have frailty and can be beaten down but God says first in this passage, that it is He that gives power to those who are "bone tired" and He will offer strength to those who are or become weak. Now is the time to latch onto those promises. He knows how the work we do can take it all out of us. He needs us to be strong to bring Him glory in our purpose, so we can count on him to power us back up in our time of need. So, go to Him today for a battery charge and don't be afraid to ask. He knows you are tired and He wants to help. Just take the initiative to reach to Him and then know that you can live out His promise of power and strength today, tomorrow and ongoing.

Reference: Isaiah 40:29-30 (New Living Testament)

day 123: The Paradox

There is an intriguing and fascinating paradox about finding and living our real purpose at work. Work is set up for us to "get ahead" and in many cases, set up purposefully for there to be a "horse race" for the next position. It is all set up for everyone to be jockeying for the promotion or the assignment that can move them up the ladder a rung. The best of the best organizations are written about because of their "deep bench of talent" and how great they are because they have multiple people ready at any given time to take over if there is a change with the boss. I spent many a year and a lot of energy and time doing just that for companies. There is nothing wrong with this per se as long as none of us fall into the trap of thinking that the next job, the next promotion, the next relocation, or the next assignment is what it is all about. If we become fixated on this then we have lost the perspective needed to live out our purpose in our work. Jesus gives us the "big picture" from the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew Chapter 5 verse 5 He says, "God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them". That's about as opposite as you can imagine from the individual development plan discussion you will have with your boss or your HR person this year. Can you imagine a conversation that started with, "What we need to work on this year is your gentleness and also figuring out how to move you down the pecking order a few notches." So how we work and how we are supposed to work is what George Barna calls a "paradox". He says in his book, Revolution, this about the paradox: "You win before you experience your initial skirmish. Faith triumphs overs competence. Spiritual power overwhelms physical force. Humility generates attention and appreciation. Holiness defeats worldly cleverness. Those who surrender their lives defeat the enemy who seeks to destroy them." We are all supposed to be part of the paradox. If we fall into the web of living to get ahead in our work then we get spun by the spider we may never find our way back out. If we fail to realize that the answer to the paradox is in the "how" and the "process" of of our work, instead of the "what" and the "accomplishments" then we will not be able to live out our purpose in our work. As we "spring" into the year, now would be a good time to look over the year so far and see where our time, our resources and our energy have been spent to date. For where those have gone we will find what our true priorities have been so far. The question for us all is can we find a way to live in the paradox that God has challenged us to live within? If we can, we may just find that we are closer to working our real purpose!

Reference: Matthew 5:5 (New Living Testament)

day 122: Titular Power...Not

Work is so hierarchically based that I have seen people walk away from a great, high paying, well respected job because they felt that they just had to have the next highest title. They were keeping score in their career by the title that they carried on their business card. We are all to some extent, who are in management, affected by this. We go from Manager to Senior Manager and we feel good about it. The changing of one letter from a consonant to a vowel with SVP to EVP is a big deal. But, in the scheme of things we all know that people who lean on their title or the stripes on their shoulders to get things done and to gain respect within the organization, are the not the people who end being followed and respected. Yes, there are certain companies who have made the title that someone holds so critical that you feel you must reach the next level to get anything done, but that's not even true in those companies. How someone operates with others and treats those who work for them and around them can usually bust through all of the politics of titles. As we strive to bring purpose to our work and be the example that Christ wants us to be, we would be wise to forget about the title and level as the overall goal. When we get fixated on these things we lose perspective and when that happens we begin to lose who we are. Jesus gathered together the twelve most amazing men we could imagine and he did so not by walking up and passing out a business card that said, "Son of God", he just was himself, without title, and said, "Come, be my disciple!" and these men followed him. Jesus was far from being about title and power. He was the opposite with humility and shrouded purpose. George Barna says in his book Revolution, "Think about His choices and how He responded to various circumstances. He was baptized by someone whose very salvation was dependent upon being forgiven by Jesus. He refused to accept title or even simple accolades. He did nothing to call attention to Himself; in fact, He generally shunned the spotlight and avoided situations that would bring notoriety and acclaim. He consistently exhorted people to demonstrate humility and to realize that their stature is determined by God, not by what they or others say." Yet, we strive and work for that next title, for that next accolade thinking that with one more rung up the ladder everything becomes better. No doubt, sometimes it does, but the point is that this cannot be the overriding goal and purpose. So today, reflect on this and think if getting ahead has become too important to you. If you are honest with yourself and it has, then take a good hard look at the best role model we could ever have and see how He managed to change the world without having held even one title.

Reference: Luke 5:27-28 (New Living Testament)

day 121: Office Vibes

When you walk into someones office you can almost get the "vibe" of who they are even before you meet the person. The pictures, the decorations, the furniture, the sayings on the wall, are all outward representations and testimonies of who that person wants you to believe they are. Sometimes, those representations are not real. At one of the places I worked, the story was well known that there was a person who had his office decorated extensively with any and everything you could imagine about his alma mater, Penn State University. He was all about The Nittany Lions and everyone he worked with couldn't help but know it. It wasn't until years later that it was found out that he never went to college. Not to Penn State or anywhere. Everyone was shocked. So, not always will what one's office says be what is real. On the other hand, I was once privileged to be able to have a meeting with Quincy Jones in his home, where he takes most of his meetings. While we were waiting we were treated to being able to look at the pictures, awards, and artifacts that he keeps in his living room. When he showed up for his meeting to us, he was already "larger than life" from everything we had been honored to see and read. And, of course, Q is the real deal. The point is that what we hang on our walls at work (literally and metaphorically) tells much about us and can make that first and longest lasting impression. As I think about the offices that we keep, how many of us use that space to tell the full story of who we are? This posting of Purposed Working is not like the usual ones where I have a Bible reference to pass along. Instead, I felt it on my heart to pass along something that was given to us in church last week. It is the ancient celtic prayer that St. Patrick wore on his breastplate - the only office that he likely had. If this touches you, this may be something you would consider hanging in your own office:

"Be Christ this day my strong protector; against poison and burning, against drowning and wounding, through reward wide and plenty, Christ beside me, Christ before me; Christ behind me, Christ within me; Christ beneath me; Christ above me; Christ to the right of me; Christ to the left of me; Christ in my lying, my sitting, my rising; Christ of all who know me, Christ of all who meet me, Christ in eye of all who see me, Christ in ear of all who hear me."

Have a blessed day!

day 120: Our Shields

The security guards that protect our work buildings and protect us throughout the day while we are at work many times are given a badge to wear or stitch onto their uniforms. The badge is the miniature symbol of a shield. The shield is what warriors and knights carried to protect themselves when in battle. We all go to work each day with our own shields drawn that we have created and we carry them around with us all day long. Those shields are made up of sometimes impenetrable emotions and defensiveness. Sometimes they are made up of a routine set of 50 questions we always ask that keep people from asking us something we don't want to answer. Sometimes our shields will just be our posture and the look on our faces that tell everyone around us that we are not to be approached. Regardless, we all carry our shields. The question is, "are we carrying the shield that God wants us to carry?" In Ephesians 6:16, we are told: "In every battle you will need faith as your shield...". We all need our shields to make it through the battles and the rough patches that we have with the other people at work. But, we need to be sure that our shield sends the right message to the others at work. In the Sunday School class I teach (4th and 5th graders) we are currently making shields each week and we are decorating those shields with symbols that would represent who we are and what we want other people to see about ourselves. These symbols on shields have throughout time been part of the message to fight off others. When the knight would hold up the shield with the representation of the ferocious lion carved into the metal the other party could not help but be struck by the message of courage and fierceness that was about to come their way. We should all realize that we do the same each and every day and that the shield that others see is reflective of who we are. So, today can we each think about the shields that we put up and ensure that that what everyone else sees is the shield of God's faith, carved and decorated with the symbols of the Christlike demeanor and attitude that reinforces, not detracts from our purpose.

Reference: Ephesians 6:16 (New Living Testament)

day 119: Endurance

The apostle Paul would have made a great employee. He brought the experience of having worked for the other guy, he was a great leader with courage and conviction, he was a teacher with care and concern for building up and mentoring others, he was a road-warrior with no worries of travel or baggage to slow him down, he was not a complainer even in the toughest of times and situations , he could either be a team player or an individual contributor whatever the situation demanded, and he followed without question the mandate of his leader. Don't we wish we could fill our companies with lots and lots of Pauls? What Paul also understood about work, and for sure he was a worker, was that in order to fulfill and finish anything that is hard, it takes time and endurance. He was big on the message of endurance and the importance of being able to withstand and outlast the confrontations, the weariness, and the things in life that erode and wear us down. He had a broad perspective of these things and was able to rise above them. In Hebrews 12:1 Paul talks about how to find the endurance that we all need to be able to run and finish the race well: "...let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." In order to have the endurance to finish well, we have to strip off the weights that wear us down. Like the experienced backpacker who knows that if she/he is going to get to the summit or the place that they desire, they have to carry as little weight as they can to make it there. Too much weight and they never make it. We need to think the same way. In order for us to run this race we call a career well, and finish strong in the example that we want to be, we have to find our endurance and we need to shed those things that slow and weigh us down. We each should think through what those things are and then take them off of our backs and cast them aside. It may be that it is time to remove that grudge with a co-worker, or get rid of that worry and concern about what someone else thinks, or eliminate the pride that gets in the way of allowing a question to be asked that would make the job easier for everyone. There are likely lots of weights that can be left behind or left at home before we go to work, if we would just take enough time to think about it in this way. Paul gave us a great example of how to be a worker with purpose and conviction. We can start with his writings to see what it is that we can do to be better and more purposed in the work we do. And for sure, today would be a great day to start that leg of the race.

Reference: Hebrews 12:1 (New Living Testament)

day 118: Faith Trumps Hope

As we go through the work day we hope for many things. We hope that the sale comes through, we hope that the meeting will go well, we hope for the project to get done on time, we hope for that promotion, we hope that the company will stay strong enough to weather through the economic conditions. We do a lot of hoping. But how often do we take our hopes (and our concerns) about work to God and through prayer invite Him into solutions and problems? If we did, and when we do, then we can turn our hopes into more, we can turn our hopes into faith. And, as we know, faith can make things happen. It is not in the procedures and lexicon of most businesses to pray over the work to be done. If it was, imagine for a moment what things might be different. If the day started with a simple prayer to cover the people and activities at hand, if nothing else the tone and the attitude throughout the day would be so much more uplifting. It would be hard to walk out of prayer and then go battle in the Board room. But unless you are in the ministry or blessed to work in a place where your faith is welcomed and encouraged, these prayers will have to be said by yourself or with a small group of believers within the company. Still, we know that the earnest prayers of a righteous person will be heard and we can then turn our hope into faith. Hebrews 11:1 says: "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." So today, when others use the word "hope", allow that to be a reminder and cue that we should stop ourselves and offer what we are working on up to God to help us i what we are doing. And then we can smile inside and know that what others hope for, we can instead expect to happen through our faith. That assurance should make each of us want to take God to work with us each and every day, suiting us up for whatever the challenges of the day or week may bring.

Reference: Hebrews 11:1 (New Living Testament)

day 117: Few Words Will Do

Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet Act 3, scene 2, 222–230 these words for Queen Gertrude: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks". That statement has been twisted and turned to be used many ways to make the point that those who talk too much can end up being thought of as trying too hard to make a point, or full of themselves, or trying to weave and spin a story to cover a lie. Or sometimes, all of the above. I have always been cautious of the person who "goes on and on" as I have found that many words can spill lots of beans and just create more drama and worry than is necessary. Not to mention, that I remember as a kid when I would try and spin a story to my parents to cover myself I would make the story bigger and bigger thinking that they would think "if all of that happenned, "it must be true". I just assumed that my parents never read Shakespeare. :) So, we should be cautious of others and also cautious of ourselves with the number of words we use to make a point if we want gain the highest credibility and respect. The Bible states this also in Proverbs 17:27: "A truly wise person uses few words...". As we go through the work day and we strive for efficiency, productivity and clarity in our work and purpose, we should take measure of this passage. Those that are wise learn to use few words. By default that means that they also listen since they aren't talking. The instructions guide for wisdom that we find in Proverbs is chocked full. Starting now to pick, choose and limit our words will put us on that wisdom path and as we know, everyone respects those who are wise.

Reference: Proverbs 17:27 (New Living Testament)

day 116: Turf Wars

It's right there. Right there on the tip of our tongue. It's ready to come out with a sting that could turn into fury. It's the words that would cause a fight. At some point or another we all feel those words rising up inside of us as we disagree over a contentious point of discussion at work. We can get ourselves all worked up over the silliest of things. It could be just a differing thought on how something should get done or a disagreement on who should go do the work. In the business world, these are sometimes called "turf wars"; the act of someone stepping over their own boundaries of what they are supposed to be doing and taking on the work of someone else without being invited to do so. People do it all the time and why it can be so infuriating versus helpful is that the person who typically is crossing over is doing so to show others that they could do the job better than the next person. It is a self-glory move. When that most would upset me was when someone would do that to me when I knew that that they weren't doing so well in their own area of responsibilities and they were just using this is a deflection away from the attention on where they were failing. Regardless of the motive, these are some of the things that can cause strong emotions at work and make us stray from our purpose. Needless to say that we are not to be dragged down into this activity. Proverbs 17:14 says: "Beginning a quarrel is like opening up a floodgate, so drop the matter before a dispute break out." These are wise words. If we can stop ourselves short of the quarrel then there really is no turf war to be fought. It takes two to quarrel or fight, so all we have to do is rise above it all, hold our emotions in place and deal with the issue in a straightforward, non-combative way. More often than not that will mean not responding in the moment but instead picking the right time and place to bring forward the concern when our emotions are in check and the other person won't feel defensive. Believe me, this is not easy as our (my) first instinct is to deal with it now and take the offense. A deep breath, a walk outside, a good night's sleep, and a long prayer will do wonders for not starting or fueling the fight. As you go through today watch for the moments and the feelings inside of you that could come to a boil if you let them, and then don't let them. Instead, remember that we are not to be the quarrellers, we are to be the peacemakers.

Reference: Proverbs 17:14 (New Living Testament)

day 115: It's A Matter Of Focus

In the business world we do lots of things to try and bring focus to our enterprises and to our work. We create multiple year, forward-looking strategic plans with vision and mission statements that inspire and delineate who and what we are all about. We then turn those strategic plans into annual operating plans that provide even greater clarity to what it is that we are to be doing for the year and within the four quarters of a fiscal year. Many organizations will go even further and distill those documents down into individual roles and responsibilities to ensure that everyone in the company is aligned and all rowing in the same direction. All of this is done to provide focus. Focus is what makes things get done, or not. We all know when we are in the groove and focused and how that feels. Not to mention, the amount of work that gets done when we are in those zones. And, we know what it feels like when we are not focused and we find ourselves scattered in our thoughts and actions. It is in those times that we don't get much, if anything, accomplished. As we try and bring our purpose into our work it is just as important that we focus and we know what to focus upon from the bigger perspective. In Proverbs 21:21 we are given areas to focus and we are also given the outcomes and benefits of that focus: "Whoever pursues godliness and unfailing love will find life, godliness, and honor." I found this verse pertinent to work as the verse clearly states that to reveal something you must focus on finding it first. The verse says that if you want to find godliness, you must focus and pursue godliness. And if we do so, then we not only receive that blessing we also receive the added bonuses of finding life and honor. That is a great return on the investment! But without that focus of pursuit, then we will come up short and not find the godliness that we seek. That being the godliness that we want to take to work with us daily to be the example and model of God that we worship and follow. So, it is a matter of focus and removing the other areas in our lives that defocus us from pursing godliness. Today, at work, ponder these words and see if there is an area that you need to defocus so you can focus on pursuing the godliness and unfailing love which comes from our Lord. You may find that with even just a little sharper focus that you may see things that you have not seen before and find a time and place at work today to exercise godliness and His unfailing love.

Reference: Proverbs 21:21 (New Living Testament)

day 114: Instant Messaging

How fast technology is moving! When I first went to work I hand wrote or typed out memos and then someone nice in the office pool would retype them and make lots of copies based on the cc list and distribute them around the office for me. Then the word processor showed up and I learned to do some of that myself but I still relied on an assistant/secretary to mimeograph the printed version so that something could be distributed. Then came email. It was primitive at first but it lessened the need for the printed paper. And then in what seemed a blink of an eye email took over, voice mail showed up, then everyone had a cell phone, IMs came to the office to quickly be replaced by texting, Facebook status updates and Tweets from Twitter. Before I am done writing this there will be something else that we will be doing next to quicken the message, shorten the gap of time of reception and feedback, close the connection to people around us, and make the world so small that everyone feels like they are in the same community. This trend is not going to change and we all will need to continue to adapt, stay on top of the technology wave and adopt what is next or risk that we fall behind and become out of touch. All of this "closing in on each other" technology reminds me that we are to keep God even closer to us as we work our way through life. Even way back in Isaiah the prophet told us, "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near". As I read that verse I thought about how we work so hard to keep everyone around us within keystrokes or speed-dialing distance but yet we forget that within our work and our bigger lives that we are to keep God even closer. I love the part of the verse, "call on Him while He is near". He is always near if we let Him be and when we push Him away all we need to do is call on Him and He comes right back as close as we desire. Today we will email, IM, text and Twitter hundreds of times if not more. How many times though will we call on God? He is right here no further than the thought in our mind before even the action that our hands or mouth would have to take to call upon another human. There is no faster instant message. There is no closer community than the communion we can have with God today, if we so choose!

Reference: Isaiah 55:6 (New Living Testament)

day 113: See The Forest

It's the beginning of the work week and what seemed like over the weekend to be a manageable and planned out week can on a Monday morning, in an instant, turn into an overwhelming stack of things in the to-do list. The more we look at the list, the more that gets added and then the more there is actually to do and before long we feel overwhelmed and begin to feel like we are drowning in it all. This is a dangerous place to find ourselves because it is in this place, way deep into the woods, that we begin to make decisions that are based more on the urgent than the important and we scramble to take the little things off of the task list while the big, chunky, critical items remain and pile up. It is in those moments that we have lost perspective and fulfill the old adage, "we can't see the forest for the trees". Often in these times we need to get some help. We can reach to those who we work with to delegate, ask for support, redefine or redistribute the workload. All of which are good things to do, but let's not forget that we have a larger power with us who wants to be there at the office with us too. He wants to have His work be done in the office and will be there with us if we just allow Him to do so. Look no further than in Romans 12:12 for words to carry us through the days when we feel overwhelmed, overworked and lost in the trees: "Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying". It is hard to be patient when we are in trouble and this verse would imply that we can't unless we have both the confidence in the hope of what our Lord gives us and that we keep on praying into the problems and issues that we cannot handle on our own. It is not below God for us to ask Him to help us be better, more productive, more efficient and good at what we do at work. We were made to work and He wants us to be good at what we do so we can bring glory to Him in everything in our lives. So, when the forest starts to close in on you this week, take a deep breath, remember the hope that you have in Him and take a moment to rejoice and then take your to-Do list to God and let Him help you see past the big trees in front of you. Be confident because, He will!

Reference: Romans 12:12 (New Living Testament)

day 112: Walking With Wolves

Have you ever walked into a meeting feeling like you are about to be fed to the wolves? You know that what you are going to present or talk about is of enough consequence that there is controversy in the room and even though you have tried as hard as you can to round up support from everyone involved, you know you are about to face those who disagree and are relishing the fight? I hate that feeling. It's the same feeling we get when we know we have to stand up to our boss for something that she/he disagrees. That knot inside of us, down deep in the solar-plexis just tightens and tightens until you almost can't stand it anymore. This is when we need to remember and know that we are not alone in our struggles and challenges. God allows each of us to be in these trying places so that we can rise to the occasion, lead by example, and respond to others in Christ-like ways. He doesn't say that we will always win the decision or that we have some supernatural power to influence others. He just gives us the internal power and courage (if we draw upon them) to maneuver through these situations in a way where His will can be done and we can be a part of His plan. In Matthew 10:16 Jesus speaks to his disciples, preparing them for what the real world is going to be. In verse 16 He says, "Look, I am sending out out as sheep among wolves." There's a not so comforting verse, huh? Jesus wasn't trying to scare them, He was telling them the way it is and the way it is going to be so that they and we are ready and prepared for the attacks that come in life. He later goes on in verse 28 to tell them to not be afraid and to have courage for no matter what happens no one can kill their souls. Ironically, I also see something else in the metaphor of the wolves and the sheep. We are God's sheep and there are others who are wolves. What can be more attractive, interesting, or compelling than a sheep to a wolf? A pack of wolves doing what they do, will all stop and take notice when a sheep is nearby. They cannot help themselves but to turn all attention to even one sheep. Today as we walk into the wolf pack, we can know that we are the center of attention. It will feel dangerous and frightening, but we have God on our side and when we are right smack in the middle of the pack, we are right where God sent us to be. It is then that we get to decide how we will handle the situation and the kind of God's sheep we will be. I pray that we all will be strong and courageous and be the model that God wants and asks us to be for Him.

Reference: Matthew 10:16 (New Living Testament)

day 111: Please, Keep Your Voice Down!

They are infamous in companies. We all know a story or two of the "screaming boss or person". This is the person who everyone knows that when tension rises that they will be the first one to pound the table, raise their voice and let out a stream of words at such a decibel level that everyone quakes and shakes. They are so predictable that we expect it and we brace and ready for the outbursts. I once had an executive that worked for me who was like this. We all chalked it up to his cultural background and the passion that comes with where he was raised and from, and I would just slough it off as "oh, it's just (name inserted), he's just really passionate about what we do". In hindsight I made the mistake of not sitting him down and letting him know that he was losing respect from others each time he would go off on a tirade. Part of the reason I let it go was that very seldom was the outburst filled with expletives, it was just old-fashioned voice raising to make a point. Even then though, it was not good and it alienated others from him that had I intervened, he would have been better as an executive, leader and person. Most of the people who make shouting and hollering part of their work day got there because no one ever stopped them when they were early in their careers and then after a while it becomes part of who they are. There is a extremely well-known, household name CEO who is an over-the-top ranter and raver (he is even worse as he has been known to throw things at people). He is so bad that one of the companies that he is on the Board of moves meetings when he is in the building to an out of the way conference room so that when he gets going others can't hear him. I doubt he even knows this happens, but everyone inside of that company does, as well as others who hear the story externally. Guess what? We are not to be screamers! That probably doesn't come as a surprise does it? In Matthew Chapter 12:19, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah's description of the coming Messiah: "He will not fight or shout, he will not raise his voice in public." God sent those words to Isaiah to predict the coming characteristics of Jesus. These are the words that we are to follow as we strive to live the life that Jesus lived. When we are at work we are in the most public eye of all as others are watching our each and every move. When we raise our voices and allow ourselves to shout over others, we are sending the wrong message of who we want to be. Today, think about if you, or someone who works with you, or works for you, has the tendency to get a little over-excited. See what you can do to help them curb this behavior. And, if it is you, then it is clear, "please keep your voice down!"

Reference: Matthew 12:19 (New Living Testament)

day 110: No Grudges

Work is full of instances, events and situations where we are wronged and we just can't do anything to set the record straight. One email message with a half truth or a meeting where there isn't enough time to tell the whole story, or sometimes just a boss that doesn't want to hear about it anymore. Any of these can out us in a situation where we are mad at someone else, where we feel stung, and we want to get back at the other person in some shape or fashion. I once worked for a man who used to say, "I don't get mad, I just get even". Oh, did he ever. And usually his revenge would come when the other person was least expecting. Even if we don't feel like we can or want to get even, it is easy to fall into the trap of holding a grudge. We can find ourselves saying to others or to ourselves, "I'll never trust that person again" or, "Shame on them the first time, shame on me the second". See how easy it is to harbor a grudge? I believe there are lots of times that we let the grudges start residing inside of us and before we long we don't even know they are there but they fester and before long our attitude and demeanor to the person on the other end of the grudge begins to become callous and uncaring. We get enough of these inside of us and we can turn into a vindictive person. We are not to carry grudges. Jesus says in Matthew 5:24: "Go and be reconciled to that person." Holding grudges is not what God wants us to do. They drag us down, they alter our moods, and they project to others that our spirit is not loving or caring. If we want to live out our purpose within our work, then we have to guard our hearts and mind from those emotions and feelings that send the wrong message to others. Work does not have to be an eye for an eye. In fact, I would dare say, that in the scheme of the importance of things in life, that holding a grudge against a co-worker, a boss, or a subordinate, pales to the real problems that we have in the bigger life outside of work. So, today, let's see if we can bury the hatchets that we have already created and make time and garner courage for the reconciliation conversations that need to take place. These may be the talks where you just need to tell someone else that you have been holding a grudge and now is the time to let go. If you are asked "why?" or "why now?", then God has opened up a moment for you to share your faith and the implications of what you do when you hear God talking to you. Imagine a grudgeless workplace? Let's start with each of us dropping the grudges we have and see what we can do with our good example.

Reference: Matthew 5:24 (New Living Testament)

day 109: A Simple Yes Or No Will Do

All day long, every day at work commitments are made. We each will make tens if not more than that today. We promise to deliver that report on time, we commit to call someone back later in the day, we assure someone else that we will be someplace when they expect us, we write that we will follow up on that email and get back to someone. We make commitments over and over and then others depend on us to stand by our word. When we follow through and meet those commitments then others look at us in a favorable light and are pleased and satisfied. When we don't, then we let others down and we erode our credibility and standing. Both the positive and the negatives happen all day long, every day. With the volume of work that each of us have it is nearly impossible to be on top of everything at all times. I was in a meeting yesterday with a person that I coach and he was telling me that he works as hard as he can to uphold his integrity and that he feels good about the stands that he makes against hard lines of black and white and he believes that others inside his company would hold him up as someone of high integrity. However, he feels overwhelmed at times and can't meet the small commitments of follow-up and follow-through and when that happens he feels like he lets everyone down and that his integrity is compromised and can be questioned. He then feels like he needs to scramble and go out of his way to convince others that he will follow-through, etc. I know he is not alone in this feeling as I believe we all feel this way at one time or another. You can also see it when others are in this mode as when it comes time to make a commitment they will go overboard and you hear them say things like, "I swear I will get to this...it's at the top of the list...I promise you, I really will". Whenever I hear these words coming from others or myself, I know that there are backs that are against the wall and feelings of high stress and pressure are present. Jesus gives us interesting direction at how we are to make commitments to others. Suffice it to say that any commitment we make, we are to keep so we need to be careful on what we commit because we will be expected to follow-through and deliver. But, He goes beyond that and gives us direction on the actual words we should use. In Matthew 5:36-37, He says: "Don't even swear, 'By my head!', for you can't turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't. Your word is enough. To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong." What a clear message that Jesus gives us. He tells us that our word is already strong and that it is enough to say, "Yes, I will" or "No, I won't". And anything else we add on to those phrases weakens instead of strengthens our commitments and credibility. Today, as we enter into any one of the multiple commitments that will be asked of us, let's listen to ourselves and be cognizant of the words we use to make those commitments and know the tremendous power and responsibility of just the three simple words, "Yes, I will!"

Reference: Matthew 5:36-37 (New Living Testament)

day 108: Peacemaking

I am working with a company where there is a fair amount of internal politics. One group feels very much like the other group is about to put a "squeeze play" on them and force them into a corner where the decisions made will be suboptimal and wrong for the business, etc. The other group looks across the table and can't understand why "the other guys don't get it and see it the say we do?". And as such, they are pushing their agenda as hard and as fast as they can and not worrying about what others think. This happens all the time in business and across companies today the same dynamic are playing out and people are waking up and heading to work with a knot in their stomach knowing that they are going to have to deal with this stuff once again this week. The choices we think we have in these situations, for most people, come down to the "fight or flight instincts". We feel like we either have to give up and run from the situation or we must get in there and slug it out for the survival of the fittest. I personally hate these situations and while I understand how we get there, it doesn't make it anymore palatable to me. So, what is our role as believers and desire-to-be role models and examples? In Matthew 5:9, Jesus gives us a straightforward blessing and word about how we are to conduct ourselves. He says, "God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God". I have read that verse so many times and I always equated it to those who strive for world peace and some peace that is beyond all understanding. While that may be true, Jesus is saying to each of us, "those who work for peace", He will bless. We all work. So, we can all work for peace. Today, when you are in the middle of one of these fights and struggles and you can feel the tension in the air and the emotions rising in those around you (or even within yourself), take a deep breath and call on Him to give you the right peacemaking words and peaceful spirit to fill the room and take over the conversation. Blessed you will be if you work for peace and yes, others will see what you are doing and appreciate it immensely. While I doubt someone is going to stand up in the meeting and make the declaration, as Jesus says, the truth will one day be known, that you are a child of God. And in that moment you will have fulfilled the purpose of your work.

Reference: Matthew 5:9 (New Living Testament)

day 107: Weekend Work

Ever notice how your briefcase is more full on Friday afternoon than any other day of the week? It's because we all do it; we take home our "weekend work" with us and vow on Friday to set aside some time over the weekend to "catch up" and/or "clean out". And then somewhere along the way in the weekend amidst seeing friends, being with family, going out, going to church, watching TV, etc. the work gets relegated and pushed back to Sunday night. I am notorious for doing this. I bring home my briefcase stuffed with the "extra" things I am going to get done and then never get to most of it so it gets lugged back into the office on Monday morning. Email even makes it worse as all of the catch up messages are sitting there staring at me all weekend long. I also notice a change in my demeanor as the weekend time gets closer and closer to weekend work time. I feel myself begin to slip back into a higher stress mode and I know my mood changes outwardly as I tune out everything else around me. Even though I ask for permission from my wife to do so, I still end up feeling bad that I am taking away weekend time from her to complete work stuff. I admire those who never bring home their work, but I am pretty sure that I am not alone when I say that I never have found another way. The weekend work and the burden that comes with it can become automatic to us. I often wonder if we don't just put more and more burdens and troubles on ourselves because we are just built to do so. Achievers just like to take on more. And the more we take on the more burdensome it feels. It may well be that we are taking our troubles and burdens to the wrong place. In Psalm 120:1 we read: "I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to Him, and He answered my prayer." This is where we should be taking our troubles and burdens. What if we were to say that our weekend work was to spend more time in prayer, asking God to take our troubles and burdens and allow Him to work through them? That is what He wants to do and that is what He wants us to do. Don't get me wrong, God is not going to clean out the email inbox for us, but He can give us the strength, the positive attitude, the peace, and the discernment to figure out how to be more efficient and productive. This weekend instead of doing as we always do, let's try bringing the troubles to God first and do some crying out and then let Him do his marvelous and wonderful works. Start there first and then begin feeling the load lighten! Have a great weekend!

Reference: Psalm 120:1 (New Living Testament)

day 106: Valuable Insight

I truly respect people who bring valuable insights to a discussion or topic. Having someone say in a meeting, "that's a great insight" is one of the highest compliments that can be paid. Webster defines an insight as: "1. an instance of apprehending the true nature of a thing, especially through intuitive understanding.
2. penetrating mental vision or discernment; faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth." The second definition is so powerful and relevant to our work lives. The ability to be able to discern and see character and/or the underlying truth of a situation or person is nothing short of priceless. God tells us that good insights are always looked at as valuable to others. In Proverbs 3:21-22 we are told: "My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang onto them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect". I believe that insight can be developed over time if one is willing to listen, study, and think before they respond or declare. If we are disciplined enough to be still and take in what is happening around us and to really think before we speak or decide, then we will be on the path to become more insightful. The world is full or people who will speak, and today more than ever, write, without fully thinking through all of the ramifications and sides of an issue. Those who don't use time to filter the thoughts from their mind to their mouth are rarely looked upon as insightful. That doesn't mean that they aren't creative or smart, but insight is different. It is deeper and more collected in how one thinks and acts. Are you insightful in the way that you approach issues at work or how you respond to others? Since we know that being insightful can fill you with life and bring you honor and respect it should be a serious consideration in how you work and how you bring value to your job and tasks at hand. Think today about how you can bring insight and then measure how you feel afterwards. And for sure, take measure of that moment when someone else says, "that was a really valuable insight, thanks".

Reference: Proverbs 3:21-22 (New Living Testament)

day 105: Let There Be No Doubt

Let there be no doubt, that if you want to get in trouble at work, then don’t work hard or pull your own weight. No one likes people who don’t work hard and give it their all, but if you want to see how the Bible describes how employers feel about those who aren’t quite up to snuff then look no further than Proverbs 10:26: “Lazy people are a pain to their employer. They are like smoke in the eyes or vinegar that sets the teeth on edge”. That’s pretty descriptive wouldn’t you say? How hard someone is perceived to be working is many times situational and can be as much emotionally determined by others as what is really happening. Bosses especially are vulnerable to the changing perception as they fall under stress for deadlines and/or results. But, if the perception of laziness is so distasteful that it is like vinegar on the teeth, then you can believe it is important to stay on the right side of that perception. One way to do this is to ensure that there is open communication between you and your manager and that you are doing all that you can to be in tune with what the hot buttons are in the business. More importantly, if you continue to show that you want to be one step ahead, go the extra mile, and do whatever it takes to get the job done, then you will be setting a great example for others and you can expect that your manager will be beyond satisfied with your performance. Our purpose is to bring glory to God within our work and I believe with all the references in the Bible to hard work and like this verse, to not be lazy or idle, God becomes pleased when we are using our talents to our full capability and capacity. And when God is pleased then we can know that we are doing all the right things and we can live and work without any doubt of what is expected from us.

Reference: Proverbs 10:26 (New Living Testament)

day 104: Golden Handbook

Every company has a handbook. Nearly every company I know that has a handbook has a handbook that is out of date. In fact, they are out of date the day they are printed as business is constantly changing and morphing and the procedures and policies that are written are many times so arcane that they have to be updated with any slight change in the business. In my career I resisted, fought, and screamed, when the "handbook update" came to me. I just thought that it made no sense to keep writing down more rules and policies that were being prescribed for the 10% of the population who couldn't manage on their own without having something written down to fall back on when they didn't know what to do. Rather, I was always a big fan of the department store, Nordstroms' handbook. They had two policies. The first one was; In everything we do we serve the customer. The second one was: There is no other policy other than the first one. Everything they do/did at Nordstroms was pulled through that one policy and if you have ever shopped at one of their stores and dealt with one of their employees you can see it working in action. I often think about what is the one handbook policy that each of us should be working and living under and it is one that we all know already but we seem to forget in our daily interactions and work. Matthew 7:12: "Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." Words directly from Jesus and what has come to be known as "The Golden Rule". If we were writing a personal handbook of how to conduct ourselves at work, there it is all summed up in a few succinct words. We are to approach each day and each situation and instance with the attitude of treating others how we would want to be treated by them if the tables were turned. I do believe we could build a company handbook off of that one principle if we so chose. Sounds almost too simple and true to work, but like Nordstroms says, if we believe that there is no other policy than the first one, then we will construct our work, manage our attitude and approach our day with the Golden Rule as the first and only. Imagine the change we each could bring in our workplaces today if this was the way we truly operated?

Reference: Matthew 7:12 (New Living Testament)

day 103: Why Me...Why Now?

I often get asked to help people understand why they are in the job they are in and more urgently, asked to help them get out of their current job. It is usually a hard conversation to have but I have to remind others that timing is everything and timing is not in their hands. When we try and force our own timing we can end up in a situation where we end up making suboptimal decisions which can be hard to reconcile in the future. One bad job change ends up with two problems; getting yourself out of the bad job and then finding another one without making another mistake. Whenever I am in these conversations I remind myself and others that God has a reason that we are all where we are at any given point in time. I am comforted by one of my favorite verses for navigating the uncertainty of our work and our work positions. That verse is found in Esther 4:14: "What's more, who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this?" Queen Esther was being tested and asked to do something that she did not want to do, but her aide Mordecai gave her this challenge and it is a good one for each of us to receive when we wonder why we are doing what we are doing. I like to take the verse and insert my own name: "What's more, (insert your name here), who can say but that (I) you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this?" Asking ourselves this question and remembering that God is all-knowing and has a plan for each of us, should take out the question of timing. Today may be the day that you have been put exactly where you are supposed to be for a task and a moment that you have no understanding about...yet. Hang on to and use this promise and challenge the next time you are in a time of wondering. You just may find that you are to persevere and push through just a little longer or be a little more patient so that things can work out the way they are supposed to, on God's timeline, not yours.

Reference: Esther 4:14 (New Living Testament)