day 273: Delighting In Weakness?

While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today's post comes from Hank Stringer. Hank is a dear friend, an experienced executive recruiter, technology entrepreneur and author, including the co-authoring of our book, Talent Force.


2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (New International Version) says: "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

At work we have our strengths and our weaknesses. We have good times and we have difficult times. There are some things we do well and others we don’t. We’ve all experienced the fear of being asked to do something we know we don’t do well, either because we lack the experience or we just have not been blessed with the abilities to accomplish the task at hand. Think of asking the executive to fix the plumbing or the janitor to build the spreadsheets for a new business model…are these weaknesses, examples of the difficulties we sometimes face?

If we react to them as a weakness, if we are embarrassed or hide from our inabilities then yes, by not admitting or addressing them we will not improve in fact we procrastinate and worry which can affect other aspects of our lives. Is this a formula for balanced living and work? No, there is a better way.

God has this figured out. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 he tells us to delight in our weaknesses, difficulties, persecutions and insults. The formula for doing this with ease is easy know that through God’s perfect grace, the gift of His Son who died for our sins and rose again He provides the greatest strength – eternal relationship with Him. Accept your weakness and difficulty as a reminder of His perfect strength.

Reference: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (New International Version)

day 272: Ketchup

While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today's post comes from Steve Hayes. He is Steve is the Sr. Partner & Founder of The Human Capital Group, Inc. - a Retained Executive Search and Leadership Consulting firm (www.HumanCapitalGroupInc.com).



Constructive (not destructive) feedback is such an important ingredient to a healthy relationship...whether that relationship be at work with colleagues, direct reports, a boss or customers....or at home with a spouse, child or parent. We all know that no one can "buy" trust...it is something we give to those who have shown us that they are worthy to hold our trust. Healthy relationships are nurtured over time and result in trust being earned. Unfortunately, all too often we decide to "avoid conflict" at work (and at home) and choose not to "invest" in each other through the "gift" of constructive feedback. Suppose you went to lunch with your team from work and you enjoyed the best hamburger ever. Unfortunately, you left the restaurant unaware of the fact that you had a nice blot of ketchup on your chin. Everyone else saw it....but you couldn't see it (it's like having spinach in your teeth or something hanging from your nose....you know, the most embarrassing kind of feeling). Even worse...no one from your group was comfortable enough to let you know about it - or to make an "investment" in you through the gift of constructive feedback. So you went through your day, conducting meetings, interviewing candidates, making a presentation to Sr. Management...and no one told you about the ketchup. As you got home that night, your spouse made you painfully aware of the fact that you had spent the entire afternoon with a nice red mark on your face. In hindsight, wouldn't you have preferred that someone had "taken the risk" and pulled you aside to point out this "flaw"? You might have been embarrassed for a moment, but you probably would have been forever grateful to the person who "invested" in you with the gift of constructive feedback. If this was your reaction, then you now have the reinforcement to live the "Golden Rule" as outlined in Luke 6:31 "Treat all people as you would want to be treated!" In other words, take the time to "invest" in others when you see that they have "ketchup" on their face...maybe they said something inappropriate during a meeting, or they didn't deliver on a commitment, or they are making bad choices of some kind or another. The easy thing to do is to say nothing. The loving thing to do is to give them the "gift" of constructive feedback in the hopes that they don't walk around all day with ketchup on their face!

Reference: Luke 6:31

day 271: In The Spirit Of "True" Preparation

While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today's post comes from Tom Koch who works in the Executive Recruiting Industry.

Man, I want to keep getting better at this, but it takes preparation and commitment.

Work, and life, are filled with many opportunities to be truthful. These are also tests of our commitment to being truthful. They could be tests of brainpower, quickness, courage under pressure, selfishness or even tests of emotion. These are tests, challenges, and opportunities where you want to, where you are "compelled" to give an answer. In work there's always going to be the "tough question" in front of a group or an important client. There's the question that comes before you have validated the truth. There's the question where the true answer doesn't fit an important desired outcome. There's the critical selling opportunity where an embellishment might be all it takes to seal the deal. And the list of possible opportunities and/or challenges to being truthful goes on and on.

In Mark 10:19 Jesus says, "But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’"

We have all known since we were children that God does not want us to lie. Seems simple enough doesn't it? But, not so fast.

Okay, sure, it means to tell the truth and only the truth. Does it also mean "don't shade the truth"? Does it mean "don't mislead or allow others to be mislead by your words(hmmm, that's not really a lie, is it)? So, no shading the truth, no misleading, etc... That would be a much tougher standard or goal wouldn't it?

I think the answer is, God means for us to speak and live the "spirit of integrity" not just to avoid an outright lie. Maybe we would all benefit from a very clear commandment 'Thou shalt not lie, shade the truth, mislead, fake...'

In this area of truth and integrity we are also guided by Colossians 3:9-10 -
"Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him." Committing to live the spirit of truth and integrity IS becoming more like Him.

Back to the daily opportunities/challenges/tests. Just like with any test or challenge, those who adequately prepare almost certainly enjoy superior performance relative to those who do not.

The people who are most successful in communication, in influencing others, in moving people through presentations, in closing a sale, or any other challenging situation, are those that prepare. Some people prepare for important conversations thinking about what might come up and how they would respond. Others prepare for group presentations in similar ways. They do this because they don't want to be surprised and make a mistake. They know they can't prepare for everything, but they can prepare for many specifics and for how to respond if certain patterns come up.


From an integrity standpoint we can prepare similarly. We all know that we will be faced with situations that "put us on the spot." That tempt us to shade the truth, stretch the truth, or downright tell false truths. Its just those situations for which we need to prepare. It could start with an individual committing to 'being aware' and committing to learn from the next series of tough situations/challenges that are encountered. In each tough situation, if an individual reviews how they react, genuinely assesses their performance against living the "spirit of truth", identifies gaps and formulates a plan for how they would do it differently next time, they will be better prepared to respond with integrity in the next situation.

Today is a great day at work to be renewed and become more like Him. It just takes some preparation and commitment.

Reference: Mark 10:19 (New Living Testament)

day 270: Worker’s Psalm; A Song For Those Who Labor

While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today's post comes from Steve Bloom who along with the work he does, lives in Florida where he watches his daughter jump horses and his son play football...and he dreams of many things.

Worker’s Psalm
A Song For Those Who Labor


Lord, we remember that you created all things – and we are confused
You tell us that your creation is good
But we see many things in our work lives that are not good
We see men acting cowardly
We see women out for their own good only
Our own actions disappoint us daily
And we mourn the disappointment you must feel as you watch us
Lord, this world tells us our business lives must be separate from worship
Our colleagues are scolded if they bring their beliefs to the office
Father, we are often afraid to witness at work

Remind us, Lord, that your creation is not divided
It is not labeled or manufactured or misleading
There is no distinction between the secular and the sacred on your earth
Lord, we believe you created all things
We know you will weave good into our labor
Even as our broken hearts fail these beliefs
Even as the world we’ve created murmurs otherwise
Tell us again, Father, how you still reign
Remind us why you desire to reign over people such as these
Embolden us to your will

Lord, show us how to worship while we work
Tell us stories of workers who pursue you as they hammer, draw and write
Make us into worthy people who worship as we create
Erase the lines we draw between our world and yours
We are weak to remember
But resilient in our beliefs
Needing only your steady reminders and prompts along the way
Lord, we are yours in worship and at work and in all places.

Amen

day 269: A Little Sabbath Time

The way work is set up for most of us is that we work a bunch of hours over a five to six day period and the seventh day is off, unless there is a real problem, overload, or huge deadline that we might miss. We, in most cases, can get our day of rest, that is if we choose to take it. Many of us, myself included, find some time all seven days to "do some "catch up" or take a few minutes to "get ahead of the week". This is not all bad, but when analyzed it means that our brains are tuning into our work seven days a week and we never really give ourselves the chance to bring our minds down to a more peaceful state, if even for a day. After all of these years of working closely with others on their work and careers, I can almost smell burnout on someone. I can see it in their eyes, their mannerisms and even sometimes in the wrinkles of stress on their face. This may be because it is also so obvious to others when I personally reach that point. I can even see it in the mirror on me. The shape of my eyes change when I am tired and/or stressed. As you can imagine, it is no fun to know that you are stressed, but then to see it, and still not be able to do much about it, well that just adds to the stress doesn't it? God modeled a day of rest of all of us, and then established that day of rest as a day of sabbath for us to turn our attention away from the world around us and turn our mind to Him. He even laid out in Leviticus 25 a "Sabbath Year" every seven years. For those who enjoy a "sabbatical" period in their jobs, they can thank God, Moses and the Israelites for this. God asks us to rest in our lives and to put some time for Him in between the daily work that He has given us to do. He wants us to be refreshed and ready for the next challenges ahead of us. If we are exhausted, stressed, beaten down, we cannot be ready for the next obstacle we will face. It may be that God is calling you to be thinking about how much rest you are getting. Is He telling you in other ways that you are reaching a "redline" on your life tachometer? If you sense it, feel it, hear a voice inside you or from a friend, loved one, or co-worker, that it may be time to get some rest, take heed of those words. God needs you refreshed, strong and ready for the work that He wants to do through you in your job. Maybe this week is the week to start planning towards using this coming Sunday as a true Sabbath day of rest.

Reference: Leviticus 25 (New Living Testament)

Note: I will be taking my own advice over the next three weeks as Patti and I head to Africa on vacation. Purposed worKING will continue for you though as a number of people have so graciously offered to guest contribute. We will also be repeating a few of the posts from the past year that have been the ones that seemed to resonate most. Talk to you in a few weeks and in the meantime, be blessed in the work that God had given you to do and don't forget, that each day is a day of purpose for His glory!

day 268: "God, On Line One"

Over the past year plus now of writing Purposed worKING I have been amazed at the number of people who tell me that this daily companion piece means something to them because the intersection of work and faith is so often ignored. We work and work and work and all of those hours that we spend in the office, in the field, on the sales call, in the car, hunched over our computers, yada, yada, are all hours that God wants to be there with us but we so often check Him at the door or leave Him at church on Sunday morning. Our God is a God of work. He devised work and as we read throughout the Bible each of the great people we learn about also all at one time, had jobs where they had to perform to the highest standards. For most of the years of Jesus' life, he had a job too. He worked just like all of the other carpenters and he had to learn and perfect a skill to be a part of the world around him. Whenever I come to that point where I wonder if I am doing for God what He wants me to do the work I do and is that enough for for Him, He reminds me that He seeks people out, in our work, when we are doing our daily work, and goes and finds us right there in the middle of the daily routines, when we least expect it. It is clear in the Biblical testaments that Jesus' disciples weren't applying for a disciple job when Jesus found them. He found them in their day jobs when they weren't looking for another job. In Luke 5:27 we read: Later as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector name Levi sitting at his tax-collection booth. 'Come be my disciple!' Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him." God found Matthew, Levi, on the job, while he was going about his everyday work. While we don't have Jesus walking up and down the halls today physically calling us out, He is calling us each and everyday on our jobs to follow Him. We all have heard Him at some point in our careers. In the middle of something gnarly we ask ourselves what would God have me do. Or at points of extreme satisfaction or achievement, we are reminded to stop for a moment and give thanks to the Lord for the support and result. At moments of decision of how we should act or what we should say, God puts the right word in our mouth, or at least tells us what we should say. It happens every day to us, if only we would listen. If only we will pick up line one when God calls. Imagine the change of events and course of life of Matthew, John, Peter, Luke, etc., had they been too busy, or too wrapped up with a customer, to not have heard the voice of God the day that they were called. Today, let's be sure that we don't miss "God, on line one", when He comes calling on us!

Reference: Luke 5:27 (New Living Testament)

day 267: Interior Design

While not everyone thinks this way, I think where we work matters. It is not all about the exterior building as much as it is in the interior design and the individual workspace where we sit, work, and where we meet. Each company has their own specifications and personality that they need to match with the space and design. What I am amazed by is the amount of time and money that goes into the original design, furniture, and colors, etc., but the little amount of time and resources that are allocated to keep the workplace clean, up to date and repaired. The broken window theory is so true. Not many people will be the first person to throw the rock and break a window. But if those who pass by daily see the broken window never repaired, then before long, someone will pick up a rock and break the next window and so on and so on. The same thing happens with the first cigarette butt, the scuff on the wall, the the spilled coffee stain, and the next one and the next one. So, it is important to keep the interior design as clean and pristine as possible, that is if you want to keep the place nice going forward. If we believe that the interior design is important to how people feel about where they work, then how we keep the interior design fresh and clean, is just as important...if not more important. The same is true about each of us as we think about the interior design of our lives. It is a daily update that is necessary if we are to stay as pure as God wants us to be, and as pure as those around us need us to be. Paul tells us to constantly be testing ourselves to see if we can see Jesus in us; "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means that you have failed the test." Just like we need to always be looking at the facilities around us to see that they have not fallen into disrepair, we need to be in a constant state of refurbishing our own interior design.

Reference: 2 Corinthians 13:5 (New Living Testament)

day 266: Good Bookkeeping

I was having lunch yesterday with a former public accountant and CFO. As we talked about many things, one of the topics we touched on were the challenges of financial accounting in these days of high-scrutiny, increased government regulations, and an overall anxiety from shareholders about how companies are managed and in particular, how the financial accounting is being done and reported. A Chief Accounting Officer that I once worked with taught me that a good bookkeeper (the old-fashioned term for financial controllers and accountants) is continuously examining the books and the financial records, and at the end of the financial period, where it be a month, quarter or fiscal year, that the process should be in place for a very fast close. He used to to say that a slow close left time for creativity. And, as we all know, two words that should never be paired are "creative" and "accounting". The lesson learned from good bookkeeping is that there must be constant examination and scrutiny to ensure that the books are being kept correctly and that the numbers add up. It just makes sense. Yet in our own lives, how often do we do our self-examinations to assure ourselves that we are being who we say we want to be and more importantly, who God wants us to be? If you are like me, not often enough. We might leave that examination period to be on Sunday morning, for example. Or we may leave that examination time for when we are in trouble and need to rethink how we are living because we are in a jam or a bad space. But, as the good bookkeeper knows; to find a problem after the end of a financial period, is to find a problem way too late. The only way to ensure that everything adds up and can be accounted for is to be looking at the books every single day. We must learn to do the same. King David not only examined himself continuously, he would go deep into his own personal accounting. We read in Psalm 77:6; "I search my soul and ponder the difference now." He searched his soul to see where he stood in the eyes of God and to determine where he needed to make life course corrections. How often are we taking an account of our lives? How regularly do we self-examine our own personal books? Today, would be a good day to take a few minutes and check and see if everything is adding up the way you think God wants you to be? Today would be good day to do some good bookkeeping to make sure that all is in order, just in case today you are called to close your book!

Reference: Psalm 77:6 (New Living Testament)

day 265: Unrecognized Development

I have had many an occasion to counsel people about their career development. Almost all of those conversations include me reminding them that regardless of how they feel they are being developed directly, they are being developed indirectly by the experiences they are gaining and the learning that they pick up each and every day. In these times when many people feel "trapped" in their job with no immediate course of change available, it is important that every day we realize we are being developed in some way for the future that will come. Yes, the future will come. At our church we are studying Moses and how God called him in his later years to do what he thought he was going to do in his mid-life, but had actually been developed and prepared for in his early years. In Acts 7:22 we read; "Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he became mighty in both speech and action". All he was taught in his early years, he carried with him while in his midlife he pursued the life of a shepherd and leading his family. And then he put it all together later in his life. We are so determined to manage our careers fast and furiously. We don't take the long-view very often, unless we are forced to do so. Otherwise, we think that we must gain as much experience and move ourselves up as fast as we can. Maybe in this time when everything around us is slowing us down, God is trying to say something to each of us about what we can do when we aren't all-consumed with that next promotion or move. Perhaps God is trying to tell us that while we don't recognize it, He is developing us in the jobs we are in now and that He wants us to realize that we are on His time frame, not ours. If today, you are feeling the anxiety of not moving up or not feeling like you are being developed or grown, then take an inventory of the things you are able to do today with confidence, versus the things that weren't so comfortable not that long ago. You are growing, if you are allowing yourself to grow. While you may not be able to recognized your development, God can see it clearly and is at work in you today.

Reference: Acts 7:22 (New Living Testament)

day 264: FDIC

Maybe not everyone knows the ins and outs of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, but we certainly know that the FDIC insures our bank accounts up to $100,000 per bank. It is an institution that since the last round of bank and savings and loans failures that we have come to count on being there for us. In this latest financial crisis we have looked to the FDIC to be there as banks big and small have closed their doors. As of today, the FDIC has exercised its authority and will bail out over 100 banks this year. And if bank failures continue at their current pace even, the FDIC isn’t a long-term guarantee. I remember when Prudential Insurance would use the Rock of Gibraltar as their brand icon and marketing slogan. Today it would be hard for anyone of us to honestly believe that any financial institution is rock-like. We all know what it feels like to have what was yesterday solid rock footing, become squishy. We see it all around us and likely feel it in the insecurities in our jobs and careers. We miss those times of firm foundation and seek rocks to stand upon. We are looking for our own FDIC that we can count on to be there for us in whatever circumstances. And yes, we know that there is only one firm foundation and rock and this is in God and His Word. Yet, today, we will worry and have angst about the problems around us that are out of our control. We will do all we can to build up another temporal foundation and imagine it as solid rock. But like the props used in a theater or in the windows of a department store, we know that those rocks are merely Styrofoam and easily broken and destroyed. Our work is such a hard place to find a foundation because work is all about people and we all know, like ourselves, people are unpredictable, flighty, not always trust-worthy, and at the end of the day more out for themselves than others. There is only one rock to look for and only one rock to count on. There is only one rock to keep as our foundation. Isaiah says it best; "Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock." Today, don’t try and create another FDIC for yourself, instead look to the One who insured us against all as the only rock-solid insurance policy you will ever need.

Reference: Isaiah 26:4 (New Living Testament)

day 263: "I Was Mortified"

When someone says they were mortified, it means they were beyond offended and humiliated. They are saying that they were so torn down in front of other people that it feels unrecoverable. They feel like they have lost their self-identity and self-worth and won’t be able to return to a place of power, influence, or even equal standing. It takes a lot for someone to be mortified, but when they are, you hear about it. I once heard a boss tell her subordinate that she was “mortified” when the presentation didn’t go as planned and she was left without her data and facts to complete the presentation. While she did lose some standing with the people she was presenting to and I know she felt mortified, it wasn’t really that bad. I also know that if at that moment, I had leaned over to her and said, “you know, we are supposed to feel mortified all the time”, that she would have thought I had gone off my rocker. But, if you are a believer and follower of Jesus, we are to mortify ourselves regularly. Yes, we are to die to ourselves and ensure that we aren’t letting our egos or any form of ourselves become too important that we don’t turn ourselves, our lives, and our work to God each and every day. JoseMaria Escriva says this about dying to ourselves; “The appropriate word you left unsaid; the joke you didn’t tell; the cheerful smile for those who bother you; that silence when you’re unjustly accused; your kind conversation with people you find boring and tactless; the daily effort to overlook one irritating detail or another in those who live with you…this with perseverance, is indeed solid interior mortification.” Jesus tells us in John Chapter 12, verse 24 that death must occur for life to happen and the harvest to yield: “The truth is a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone – a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels – a plentiful harvest of new lives. If we want to create new lives around us, we must die to ourselves. Today, watch what you do, think, say and feel and see if on the way home you can say with all sincerity and satisfaction; “Today, I was mortified!”

Reference: John 12:24 (New Living Testament)

day 262: What If?

What if? It’s a common question we hear at work, or at least we should be hearing that question if we are ever to improve and make things better. Product and service innovations come from people asking just the question, “what if?”. Today, I would like to ask that question back to you. What if, today, when you arrived at your office or workplace, you were called into a meeting with your new boss? He had just arrived and he was going to be meeting with you for the first time to get to know you, talk about your goals and objectives, and discuss his way of working and his expectations for you. As we all know, since we all have gone through this before, this is an important meeting and one that you will prepare for so you look and act your best. Now stay with me and imagine that you walk into your new boss’s office and there sitting on the other side of the desk was Jesus, our Lord. Imagine that He says that He wants you to continue working in the job that you have, but He is now your boss and will be meeting with you every week to review and discuss your performance and see how you are doing with what He has requested of you. Would you think differently about how you go about your daily routines, tasks and objectives? Would you care more about your performance because you were answering to Jesus versus some other person who you may or may not respect or like? The answer is an easy one, of course you would, just like I would and every other person who would be in the same situation. If we were brought into the presence of Jesus and asked to work for Him, we would do everything in our human power to please Him and outperform. Well, that “what if” is kind of a real-life challenge for each of us. You see, Paul says to us in Colossians that we are to work with others as if we were working for Jesus Himself. We read; "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." We are supposed to work our boss, our co-workers and at our job as if we were working for the Lord. That means that today we are supposed to do all we can to outperform and have God be pleased with our efforts. If you are questioning today whether or not God is in our job and whether or not He would have you do what you are doing, then reflect on Colossians 3:23 and go through the day trying to live up to that verse. You may find that God has some very interesting and important work for you to do, right here in the job you have today.

Reference: Colossians 3:23 (New Living Testament)

day 261: First-Aid

I forget what year it was, but sometime in the 90’s, it became mandatory in some places to have First-Aid kits available throughout the workplace. I remember approving the costs of those for every break room. It was expensive and also a new responsibility for someone to keep them stocked with fresh supplies. I’m not sure they got used for more than the aspirin and Tylenols, but they had all the supplies needed for the common office workplace injuries. As I write this, your mind is likely thinking of the one workplace injury we have all gotten at one time or another; a paper cut. I’ve always wondered how it is that a paper cut, such a small thing, can hurt so much. But, man can they hurt and they always get you when you least expect them. Ouch! Yes, those first-aid kits then come in handy for the needed band-aid. Many jobs have much more dangerous aspects, so I don’t want to make light of the need to work safely in all that we do. One injury that we don’t talk much about at work is the harm that is done with the cutting words that come from our mouths. We hear those words every day and many times we are the recipients of those cuts ourselves. Like that nasty paper cut, they can come out of nowhere but when words cut, they cut deeply and can hang around for a ling time; as long as our memories allow. We are taught in Proverbs 12:18 that; “Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing”. This is a very important verse for those of us working to our purpose and walking in the example of our Lord. It is obvious that we are not to be the ones who deliver the cutting words. It is less obvious, but there that we are to be ones with wide words that can heal others. How we do this depends on our being tuned to the needs, emotions, hurts and pains of others. If we go about our work in a sterile way without care or compassion, we will never be where we need to be with words that can heal. It is our challenge to be in touch with others so we can be there for them when they are in need. Today, take a look around you as you work with others. Who is hurting? Who just got cut down? Who needs your words of healing and direction to lift them back up? When you recognize them, reach out and bring them some of the first-aid that they need.

Reference: Proverbs 12:18 (New Living Testament)

day 260: Caddying

Coming back off of a three-day weekend (although I know that Columbus Day is not a big deal all over the country...but back on the east coast they have parades and everything, so when in Rome...) feels like you are carrying three days of work back into the office. No matter how hard you try to ensure that you have "kept up" there are those who use the long weekend day to clean out their inbox and well, there comes the work. Carrying the load and the bags of work is all part of the job. For some people that is what they do, they "carry" the bags of others. And, they usually get looked down on because that is their job. I have been in many a job where it was my responsibility to carry the bags of my bosses and I always felt that it was an important part of business and an honor. It's kind of like the caddy for a pro golfer. Without them, a pro golfer wouldn't get too far. They are there for knowledge, instinct, advice, counsel, nerve-calming, encouragement, and strength. I know a very high profile executive in a very high profile job right now who could use someone like this. He needs someone with him to fill in the gaps in his skill set and his intuition. Without someone to help him he has a hard time navigating certain areas. With someone by his side, he is the full picture. The problem is that he thinks he is the full equation regardless and doesn't recognize his deficiencies. Many a person is like him and miss so many opportunities because they don't let others carry the bags and some of the load. As believers, we are so fortunate in that we recognize that God wants to be there for us to carry the load and do all the things that a great caddy would do. And if we really understand how it all comes together, we know that even when we make the shot, we are to give Him the credit and He gets the glory, not us. We are so many times like that executive. We want to carry all the load and we want to do it all ourselves. But God wants to carry the bag and the load for us and He wants to be the one that can call the club and the shot, all the while coaching and having great things done in His name. Today, think about what it is that you are carrying versus what you should be handing over to God. You will find that he wants us to give it over, like he tells us in Psalms 81:5-7; "Now I will take the load from your shoulders;I will free your hands from their heavy tasks." Today, you need to shed some of the baggage and let God start carrying the load for you. If you try to hold on you will only falter under the weight that you have and the weight and tasks that is yet to come. Let God give you a hand today at work!

Psalm 81:5-7 (New Living Testament)

day 259: Consistently The Same

My wife Patti and I sometimes choose to fly on the redeye, overnight, to the east coast. We do this when we are just going for a short time and don't want to lose a day flying, or when we are flying with Louie, our French Bulldog, so he can sleep overnight. We actually hate the redeyes because even though we save the time, the flights tend to wipe us out physically. That said, when we get on the flight we prepare ourselves to get the best short night of sleep as we can. This last flight, it was hard to get a good sleep as the airline did not have any pillows to provide their passengers. When we asked about this, they said, "we don't know what happened, no overnight flights tonight have pillows, sorry". While it didn't mean that much to the flight attendants, who were going to go through their regular routine, regardless of pillows or not, this inconsistent quality meant much to the passengers who were depending on a pillow as part of the baseline offering and foundational tool for them to gather a few hours of sleep. It would be interesting to understand where the breakdown was in their operating system that allows for them to not have pillows provided, and especially on the redeye flights. As consumers and co-workers we depend on, and expect others to deliver consistent quality and a sameness in their jobs. While the flight attendants seemed nonplussed over the fact that flight operations had not provided pillows, in reality, they had to answer that question over and over on that flight, taking away from the ambiance of service that they were prepared to deliver. And they had to answer for others less than consistent quality of work. This adds a stress to their jobs. Our co-workers and our customers want a consistency from us. They want to know what to expect and then be able to count on a consistent level of delivery and quality. They want the same out of us today as yesterday. Our ability to be consistent and work to a level of predictable quality is an example that we can attain from our Lord. God made sure, even from the beginning that He was the same, day in and day out. And even when humans make mistakes and are the inconsistent link in his quality, He recovers and reinstates His sameness. We see this in the story of the Ten Commandments. When Moses broke the first tablets, God did not start all over, He instead returned to the sameness that was Him. We read in Deuteronomy 10:2 "and I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the ones you smashed. Then place the tablets in the Ark." As humans we want and expect the sameness from each other. While we want to be different and not live and work in the same, a consistent delivery, a sameness can be exactly what others need to work well with us, continue the work started, or even to get a good night's sleep. Think today about how consistently you are delivering the "same" that others need and expect from you.

Reference: Deuteronomy 10:2 (New Living Testament)

day 258: An Ordinary Day

Today, like many other days, is an ordinary day for most of us. While we may accent the day with a special meeting, presentation, or discussion, likely the day will not be extraordinary. And that is okay because in the ordinary is how we get things done, be who we are, and move through life. Today's Purposed worKING is not going to be the ordinary though as I would like to leave you with the thoughts of Josemaria Escriva from a message he delivered in 1967. He summarizes much of what Purposed worKING tries to say to us:

"Everyday life is the true setting for your lives as Christians. Your daily encounters with Christ takes place where your fellow men, your yearnings, your work, and your affections are...God is calling you to serve him in and from the ordinary, secular, and civil activities of human life. He waits for us everyday, in the laboratory, in the operating theater, in the army barracks, in the university chair, in the factory, in the workshop, in the fields, in the home, and in all the immense panorama of work. Understand this well: there is something holy, something divine hidden in the most ordinary situations, and it us up to each one of you to discover it...There is no other way, my daughters and sons: either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or we shall never find him."

May each of us find God today in the ordinary work that we do!

day 257: Access Cards

Who carries office keys anymore? We have moved beyond keys and we now carry cards to open doors and gain access to the office. Sometimes these are separate cards we carry and sometimes they are the same as an identification badge. Regardless, the cards become the one thing that we don't want to forget or leave at home or in the car. What's interesting about these cards is that unless someone tells us what access level we have, we wouldn't know unless we try the cards to see what doors they open, and which ones they don't. It's a bit of a game and of course when our cards don't open a certain door, then the curiosity kicks in as to why aren't given that access? What we all down deep and secretly want is total access to every door. We want to know that we can have an entrance to wherever we want. Few things are more rewarding than having full access to anywhere and anything. Those times when we get a backstage pass, or a special entrance, certainly feel awfully good. That desire for total access and to not be shut out of anyplace or anything seems to be always there and most desirable. I find it interesting that when it comes to access to God that we don't get nearly as excited or have that same feeling that we are somewhere special, and most importantly we seldom brag about God like we do when we have one of those total access experiences. Ephesians 2:18 tells us what is the important access; "Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us." God wants to give us total access to Him. It's like he issued the personal badge to us with daily chances to swipe that card as many times and as often as we want. All we have to do is accept that access and badge-in ourselves for God. Today as you swipe that access card at work, take a moment and think about whether or not you are allowing yourself to take full advantage of the access that God wants you to have. He has opened the door to each of us so we can just walk right through to Him. Full, 24 hour access. It doesn't get any better than this!

Reference: Ephesians 2:18 (New Living Testament)

day 256: Chameleons

I have always been fascinated about how chameleon like people can be at work. It is most recognizable in how people pick up the cues from the leaders in the organization and before long everyone is following in their habits and mannerisms. Think about it for a second, what are the words and mannerisms of your company that lots of people have picked up and imitate? It may not be obvious to you at first but if you spend enough time watching and listening you will see them. And where do you think they come from? They come from the leadership of the organization. As goes the leader, so goes the rest. I was in a meeting the other day with a person who is now the CEO of his own company, who I hadn't seen in a about six months. As I sat and listened to him talk I could see the mannerisms and the exact words of his former boss being used and coming through. In some ways it was eerie. It got me thinking about my own habits, words, idiosyncrasies and mannerisms and I could see how they were reflected and picked up on by the people in my company. It happens all the time and many times we don't even know it. And part of how we feel we succeed in business is in how well we adapt ourselves to the company so that we "fit in". There is nothing wrong with fitting in as long as we know the line where we have not given up ourselves and who we are. It's okay to take on the language and the mannerisms of a company but not if they cross over and contradict with the values and principles that we know to be true and right. If we get lost or confused on what those values and principles should be, there is no better place to return than to what God's Word says to us. Paul tells us exactly the imitation we are supposed to take on in Ephesian 5:1; "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children." There is the true role model for each of us. If we can start with being a chameleon for God then we are less likely to adapt and change our colors for other human beings, regardless if they are the boss or not. Today, listen and watch yourself, and others and see what mannerisms, words, idiosyncrasies you have taken on at work and then make sure that they are not in conflict with the model that God has given you. If they are in conflict, then you know what colors need to be changed...starting today.

Reference: Ephesians 5:1 (New Living Testament)

day 255: Employment Agreements

Certain companies give certain people employment contracts. I have never been much of a fan of these agreements as I believe that what can happen is somewhat like sports athletes who have their best performance in the years that their contracts are up for renegotiation and the other years, well, we many times perceive that they are not giving their all and their best. That can be just a perception, but as we know, perception can also become reality. Employment agreements are also only just as good as the paper on which they are written and the consideration that backs up the contract. I have seen many times when the pressure to live up to the contractual terms was so high that the company and the employee never felt like the deal was the best. So, to my liking is to not have any artificial terms in the employment relationship and for everyone to perform to their highest level knowing that they may move on at any time they so choose, and for the company to recognize the same and tailor their treatment of employees respectively. If we each do all we can to perform to our highest level, give our full effort, go the extra mile in our work, and treat others as we want to be treated, then we probably don't need to worry about having a piece of paper for security. As believers, we have the ultimate agreement with God since He is always there for us and giving His all to us at all times. We read in 2 Samuel 23:5 of the agreement that God gives to Samuel and passes on to us; "Is it not my family God has chosen? Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me. His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail. He will ensure my safety and success." This is what God wants to give each of us. He wants us to know His safety and His success. Unlike an employment agreement, we don't have to negotiate for the best deal. All we need to do is accept His terms and then hold ourselves within those parameters. Today, as you start the week, consider the terms by which you are working and living. Are you following the example and life of Jesus? Have you found His footprints to follow and walk in? These are the terms that He asks us to work within. There is no better agreement to be written for any of us!

Reference: 2 Samuel 23:5 (New Living Testament)

day 254: Storytelling

I heard a gentleman named Andy Goodman speak on the power of storytelling. He rightly said that storytelling was the first social networking, dating back 30,000 years, and that all that we do today with blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. is just using shiny tools that further our innate ability and desire to tell and consume stories. Storytelling is ubiquitous in our culture, even at work. We tell the story of the gained or lost customer, the terrific or the terrible boss, the productive or unproductive employee, or the great or horrible job we have. It is just part of who we are. On Monday, many of us will start the week with, "how was your weekend?", looking for and wanting to hear and tell some stories. The stories we tell are a window into who we are and a reflection of what and how we think. As Andy Goodman said, "stories are our identity". This thought has resonated and sat with me since I heard it. It has made me think, what are the stories that I tell and what do they say about me? I think of the great storyteller, Jesus, and what his stories said about Him? We as believers know that His stories said everything about Him. The parables, the stories He told, were told to reveal Himself and the kingdom of God to us. And oh how they resonate even today. Much of my work philosophy and coaching with others is rooted in the story of the talents in Matthew 25: 14-30. Hardly a week or day will go by that I don't in some way use the foundation of that story to help others. We all have have our own stories that we tell. Some are good, some not so good. But each of them tell others who we really are and what is important to us. Today would be a great day to stop and listen to the stories that you are telling and if they are not the right ones then it may be time to undergo what Mr Goodman calls, "narrative therapy". Narrative therapy is the removing of bad stories and replacing them with good ones. Some of us are stuck on a bad story. Work is bad, the job is bad, co-workers are bad, life outside of work is bad, on and on. If those are the stories you are telling to yourself, you can be sure that you are telling the same stories to others. And, what does that say of you? There is a great book of stories to go to replace the ones you have been telling. Look no further today than God's Word to find the stories to reshape your own story.

Reference: Matthew 25: 14-30 (New Living Testament)

day 253: Sacrifices

Work is full of sacrifices. I know that in my career I have used this line so many times, I couldn't count; "This is one of those instances where we are just going to have to make some sacrifices". This can apply to how far we go in negotiations on a deal, how we work with someone else on the team, how we expend our resources, or maybe even how we expend our own time and energy. The irony is that within our jobs proper we really aren't making any true sacrifices. The better terms are probably concessions or compromises. I have always felt that sacrifice is an overused and misunderstood term. Just look at the first four dictionary definitions: "1.the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage, 2. the person, animal, or thing so offered. 3. the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim. 4. the thing so surrendered or devoted." If you really offer up something at work like those definitions then you have made a sacrifice. Our jobs typically don't ask us often to take it to those extremes. However, a part of work does ask us to make that type of sacrifice when we look at what we give up outside of work for the time and energy we devote to our jobs. We do, so many times, sacrifice our loved ones to our work. We make them a distant priority and before long we look back on the months and years and wonder where they went. Our families wonder the same thing. We also sacrifice, too many times, our time with God and our walk with Him when we don't take Him to work with us and we put Him second or further down the priority list. When we surrender our full attention to our work then we have, in essence, sacrificed ourselves to our jobs, leaving behind God and our loved ones. This sounds bleak and dark and it is when we don't keep a light shined on ourselves. Today, think about how you are spending your energy, time and your being. Are you putting everything you have into your job and not leaving anything left over to spend on God, your family and those who need you? If you are answering yes, and we all do at some point in our careers, then remind yourself that there was someone else who made an ultimate sacrifice for us. We read in John 10:11; "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep." Let us use this verse to remind ourselves that our shepherd has already made His sacrifice for us and that we now need to not turn our back on that sacrifice, but instead follow our shepherd first and allow Him to lead our way. Do that and we will find that any sacrifices we are asked to make are only the right ones.

Reference: John 10:11 (New Living Testament)