day 313: 2010 Resolutions!

Today is the last day of 2009 and the last day of the first decade of the 2000's. Want to talk about how fast a decade goes by, think back to where you were on the Millennium and fast forward to now. Yes, the decade went by faster than we can TIVO through the commercials. And now, we sit down to get those New Year's Resolutions in order and to set our goals and objectives at work for the coming year. I offer this advice as those lists get written down and posted up on the mirror, in the calendars, on the refrigerator, etc.; if you really want to get things done in this coming year, rely less on yourself and the things that you must do, and lean more on God and what you can do for others. Purposed worKING was started because I felt called to share what God was saying to me about work, through the reading of His Word. His Word to us is filled with limitless lessons about work and life, but at some point we have to distill it down into our own framework and our own takeaways to apply to ourselves. What I am constantly amazed by is how God just keeps saying to us, "Don't go it alone" and "Don't do it for yourself". We are so conditioned in our culture to do both. We go to work everyday to do the best we can for ourselves and to succeed and achieve by what we individually do! So, how do we reconcile the conflicting messages that we get daily? We do this by staying in His Word, reflecting on our learning and confirming them with our prayers and counsel of others. If there is one set of things we should resolve to do in 2010 these are; to stay close to God in His word and prayer, resolve to take Him to work with us each and every day, and to set our minds to others for the year, not to ourselves. If we want to be really productive in 2010, then the last one on our list will take care of that for us. We get that promise in Titus 3:14: "Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive." I wish all the best for you in 2010. I am blessed by the faithfulness you show in your walk with the Lord. I know this to be true, otherwise you would not be reading this, this far. I'm looking forward to another great year of worKING to God's Purpose...together with you!

Reference: Titus 3:14 (New Living Testament)

day 311: The Difference One Meeting Can Make

If we were to stop and write down all of the people we meet throughout the course of our work lives, it would probably be in the thousands. Think of all of the people we meet at conferences, business associations, interviews, parties, dinners, co-workers on jobs past, and on and on. We might trade a business card, send an email back and forth, talk on the phone once or twice, and then years later think about them and wonder what ever became of them? Most we don't even remember that long. They are in our lives for a moment and then gone forever. Every now and then I will be walking through an airport and see a face that I know, but with little time and little reciprocated recollection, I just keep walking on. What if we were think about every meeting and every moment as ones that could change the course of our lives or the other persons? Of course this is unrealistic, but is it really? Each and every meeting and moment, we have at least the opportunity to make the best impression and leave behind a calling card of the "type of person" we are. We may never get a chance to speak more deeply than ask how someone is and be a listening ear at a time that someone else is in that need. But, that moment could mean way more to them than us, and that is the point. We are given this example in the baby Jesus story when Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem. It was there that a man named Simeon laid his eyes on Jesus and, we are told, his life was changed and fulfilled within that instant. Simeon says in Luke Chapter 2:29-31; " 29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” In that one meeting, Simeon's life was made complete and Mary, Joseph and Jesus never planned it to happen. I doubt that many of us will ever have that kind of impact over someone else, but just in the way that we respond, the way that we listen, the way that we care, the way that we take interest in another person, could be the meeting that they were waiting for and the meeting that could make a true difference in their life. Let us think about the importance of the moments and the meetings we are given as we plan and start our New Year.

Reference: Luke 2:29-31 (New Living Testament)

day 310: Starting At The Bottom

I was talking to a college graduate from last year who just found a job. As he described the job to me, he was very humble and grateful that he had any job to begin with. He told me that the job he had taken required him to start at the bottom and work his way up. I explained to him that this was fine and that most of us, myself included, did just the same thing. Not enough stories are told about those who started in the mail room and ended up in the corner office. That's mainly because most of us don't stay in one company long enough to see that full ascension cycle occur. But even when we change jobs, we know that we need to start at the bottom and work our way up. That may mean that we need to start at the bottom of the organization and the root of the work and learn the business from the ground floor, all done before we can be truly effective in our new role. Those that come in from the outside and act as if they know and understand the business before they really do, don't last long. This is a challenge for all of us, to work as though we don't know everything and continue to return to the foundations of our business and to the people who do the real work and value their work and the relationships we can have with them. Just a few day after Christmas we should be reminded that Jesus took the same approach. He came to the earth and started at the bottom of the bottom, as a baby, born in a manger in a stable and from there worked at his life like God desired to rise to be the King of Kings. We so often think that life and success should come easy and that we have "earned it already". Any time we start to fall into that attitude and we forget that life and success at work is really about what we do to work from the bottom up, then all we need to do is think about how our Lord started into this world and how He, without regret or disappointment, worked, learned and waited until it was time for God to bring about His purposes. As we enter into the last days before the New Year, let's not forget the example that Jesus provided for us and let us never forget from where we have come and how important it is to never lose sight of importance of starting at the bottom.

Reference: Luke Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 312: Times To Be Loud?

The Bible is clear with us that to be silent in many cases is the best course of action. But we also read that there are also times for being loud. Work is that way too. There are many times when the best thing we can do is to keep our mouth shut and let others do all of the talking. By keeping quiet, we don't get dragged into the muck or have ourselves lowered to levels that would compromise our values and principles. We have all been in the situations where the emotions are running high and someone says something that he/she regrets. Even after the apology, the problem is that people are slow to forget at work so stories are told and remembered and then passed along. If there is one place that is hard to put a reputation back in the bottle, it is at work. So, we have to be even that much more cognizant and controlled at work. But there are also times to be loud. These are the times when we have to stand up for what is right and in the areas that compromise our values and principles. I feel for the people who have told me that they are sitting in jobs today because they are afraid or worried about getting up and moving somewhere else. They are staying in the jobs they have today even though where they work has become someplace that they no longer can trust or believe in the mission and how people are treated. God wants us to have courage to make the moves and get loud when we have to do so. This past week we likely all heard or sang the song Silent Night. It is a beautiful song and lyrics that give us the peaceful moment when Jesus was born. But even then, Jesus knew that He was going to have to put that silent night and moment behind Him. We read in 1 John 3:8 this account of why Jesus came to the earth; "... But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil." Jesus knew that He was coming to fulfill not only the purpose of building up His Kingdom, but also to tear down the works of the devil. Tearing down and destroying means getting loud about some things! Part of our following of Jesus is to be sure that we are also doing our part to destroy the works of the devil. We do that by not taking the devil's side but by getting loud about what is right and living that life fully, courageously, boldly and unabashedly. As we ring in the New Year, let's all feel good about getting loud about it!

day 309: A Long Walk...

I've been known to say that our careers are much like running a marathon, because just like a marathon, being 26.2 miles, a career of 26.2 years (and more) is no matter how you add it up, long. And we don't really run our careers, we more walk them through and do the best we can to keep at it when the hills are in front of us, when we are in the valleys and when the long, unbending road in front of us seems only to end where our eyes can't see any further. This is our career. It's a long walk for all of us regardless of what our careers are and how many changes we have along the way. And in some years, like this one, I know of many people who have felt like it has taken all they have to just keep one foot in front of the other. My favorite movie of all time is Lawrence of Arabia. I don't know why, but some of the scenes in the desert and the long journeys that they take in that movie have always stuck with me. Maybe because the movie is so long too, I don't know, but I know that I have felt on more than one occasion that like the movie, the future was nothing but a mirage on the horizon and that there couldn't possibly be that much distance between here and there. One foot in front of the other has been a mantra for me on more than one job and one part of my career. Our careers are long walks that if we don't know where we are going and why, can for many days, weeks, months or years, seem intolerable. I wonder if this is how the Wise Men (the Magi) may have felt in the middle of their journey to see Jesus. Here they were, three men who decided to follow a star, a light in the sky, to see where it shone, to see if a prophecy was true. I have often wondered why others didn't do the same. If there was this bright light in the sky and there was legend, lore, prophecy that this would happen, why didn't many more didn't follow to see, if for nothing else, if the prophecy was true? My conjecture is that the three wise men were not the only ones who traveled to find the star, they were the just the only three who finished the journey. If it was like theologians and historians say it was, this was a multiple year trip, that was far from easy and in fact was from such a distance and terrain difference that the scenes in Lawrence of Arabia would look easy. Suffice to say, it was a long, long walk and only three finally showed up. We can take a lesson about our careers from the Wise Men. They followed what they believed to be the light and the steps of the Lord. They did not give up. They did not turn back and while they may have doubted along the way, they showed up in a spirit of appreciation, awe and gift-giving. Every day in our jobs we take steps along the way, steps that can be leading the right way, or the wrong way. Regardless, it is a long, long walk that we are on and if we don't follow the light we have been given, if we don't persevere, if we don't stay true to the real purpose, then we will miss out on the gift-giving that comes from giving glory to God in all that we do. There was a reason we call them the "wise men". They gave us a lesson of wisdom that we should never forget.

Have a very Merry Christmas eve and truly wonderful Christmas Day!

Reference: Matthew 2:1-2 (New Living Testament)

day 308: Immanuel

As we march into the closing days of 2009, many of us are taking some time, before 2010 shows up, to look back over our shoulders and assess the year. It has not been an easy year for anyone in the work world. Much has changed and we've had to change with it. If there was a year that tested so many people in the workplace, it was long before most of were working or alive. Those that remember the Great Depression are the only ones who have seen this much sweeping change and uncertainty within such a short time frame. When there is this much turmoil, we are all affected and that impact shows up in us. I reflect on the people I know who along with their job struggles have had troubles also show up at home in their families, marriages and personal lives. Work is hard enough without the extra emotional charge of not knowing what tomorrow will bring. Many of us are winding it up this week and will try and take some vacation between the holidays and with that comes the extra stress of being away and trying to keep up. This is also something to be managed for if we aren't cognizant of this extra amount of pressure it can really start the holiday break off on the wrong foot. It's kind of like the movie "Home Alone" when the family is so caught up in the rush and the stress of the moment that they forget who they have left behind. It makes a classic movie, but it doesn't make good life story. In these challenging times, we can be just like that family who left Kevin at home sleeping, except in all of the rush, stress, pressures and worry, we tend to leave instead, God behind and then when we feel too far away with no way of turning back, we scream out, "Where are you God?", when it was us, not Him, who left Him home in the first place. This is the week when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, who took on another important name for all us to remember; "...and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" In these last few days before the Christmas break, don't forget that Immanuel is there with you. In His coming, he guarantees that He is with us at all times, never to be truly left behind, only diminished by us when we put ourselves ahead of Him. Can we close this week with us bringing God, Immanuel, back to work with us and make the commitment for next year to have Him with us every day!

Reference: Matthew 1:23 (New Living Testament)

day 307: In A Whole New Light

The last couple of years have caused any of who work to stop and rethink everything. We have had to rethink our company directions, the access to capital, the loyalty of our customers, the regulations that comes with doing business and all these and more causing a lot of us to rethink our careers and the feelings we have about the jobs currently hold. At the end of the year, it is always a good time do an inventory of how the year has unfolded and take stock of how things have gone. For many, and at least 1 out 10 Americans, this past year has not gone well in the job market. This has been a year where the bright light that we had been seeing with has dimmed and it has been hard to vision the future. What has happened to us has not been any fun and it has taken its toll emotionally collectively and individually. It seems everyone has been touched by the economic woes, or knows of many who have. As we finish a year with anticipation, we look for the light at the the end of the tunnel and expect for it to show up for us at any moment. I again reflect on the night of Christ's birth when the shepherds were in the fields, going about their work. Their work being hard, dirty, lonely and not on the list of most desired jobs. When, suddenly they were exposed to a new light, a light from heaven that revealed to them something that would forever change their lives and the course of mankind. These were just men going about their jobs, that day being just like all others, when they began to see things in a different light. That is what God does for us. He gives us through free will the ability to go through our daily lives, to do our jobs, and chart a life course. And then when we have drifted or out there where it is lonely, dirty and undesirable, He will give us His light to find our way to, and back to Him. His light shines as brightly today as it did over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. All we need to do is look for it and follow. Today, we start Christmas week. Can you look for the light to follow this week?

Reference: Luke, Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 306: Patience

As I was thinking about today's post, I realized that at work the rare time that someone tells you that you have to have patience is when they are telling you that you are not going to achieve something that you want, that they are in control of giving. For example; a promotion, a transfer, a pay increase or more compensation of any sort. I can hear myself having told others, "You just need to be patient". I also have used different words to say the same thing like, "It's not a matter of if, it is a matter of when". I can't say that this is all bad, it's just that the juxtaposition of this message with most of the other messages in business that makes the message difference so stark. In one conversation, like in most, it is about how fast can we achieve something, but when it comes to our own development and progression, we are to have "patience". That all said, we know that patience is a virtue and those who have a healthy dose of it seem to be happier and have more long-term endurance. It is one of the harder areas in our lives to balance at work because it means having both a long-term view while still having short-term "oomph". In this Christmas season, I think of a group of people who must have had an enormous amount of patience. These being the shepherds who were the first to be told and see the baby Jesus. Of course, they had to be shown to believe, but once they were in the presence of Jesus they knew then and there that He was the King. But think about what happened next to them. They went back to their work, into the fields, and then depending upon their age at the time, may never have known if Jesus was really the King or not. For another 30 years, they would have no indication of what they saw that night was real, or not. What faith the ones who held their belief all that time must have had. Even their best of friends and family must have begun to worry about them after they kept telling the same story over and over with nothing to prove it really happened. We are like that many times too. We trust in God for something in the moment that we know he can deliver, but after time, if nothing happens, our trust and faith erodes and dissipates as if we never believed in the first place. God gives us the example of the shepherds in Luke Chapter 2 as examples of faith and patience. We, like them, need to have the patience to wait and hold on to what we believe and in God's own time, He will reveal Himself once again. Today would be a great day to reflect on the patience of the shepherds and to challenge ourselves on our own patience level not only with God, but with others around us. He wants us to be the ones who have the patience, of Job and the patience of the shepherds.

Reference: Luke Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 305: Big Shoulders

Any job that we do well comes with responsibility and accountability. I can't think of any job where something is not expected from the person doing the job. Even if the work is just sitting around at a desk (like a security guard), the person doing the job has to show up at the assigned time and stay through the scheduled work time. And while there are many jobs where at the end of the day, the work is left at the workplace, even that work can have us at the end of the day or into the night, rethinking the day and playing back what we did to make sure we didn't mess up or forget something. As we gain more responsibility, we take on more and more of the burden that comes with that responsibility. We even talk about it openly at work when we say, "to do that job you have to have big and wide shoulders". This comes from the story and image of Atlas holding up the globe on his shoulders. Some days it feels just like that and that weight can feel overwhelming. On those days we are best reminded of what Jesus came to take upon His shoulders. Hundreds and hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote that a child would be born and he would not only bear the weight of the lives and souls of each of us, but He would also be the bearer of all that we know. In Isaiah 9:6 we read these words that are so familiar to us at this time of year;

"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

As a child born into the world, Jesus was given the government of our world to rest squarely on His shoulders. As you think about the pressures, the stress, the problems, the challenges, the needs of others and the obstacles in front of you, don't forget to rejoice that God gave us His Son who has already taken all of the biggest and toughest challenges on His shoulders for us. And what He is asking from us daily, is to just keep loading Him up. His shoulders are big enough for us to give all that we have to Him. He never shrugs and He never tires. He holds it all up, for us. So as we think about the baby Jesus over the next week plus and we celebrate His birth, let's also remember that this little baby took it all for us, gave His all for us, and waits on us to give Him more. There is nothing we should let sit on our own shoulders that distracts or detracts from us accepting the gift of His love and living the abundant life that He wants us to have.

Reference: Isaiah 9:6 (New Living Testament)

day 304: Appropriate Office Gifts

By the end of this week people will be leaving for the Christmas week, so between now and Friday whatever gifts that are going to be exchanged in the office will likely be given. As such, the business media pulls out their annual stories about the gifts that are given in the office and what is appropriate and what is not. Some companies have their own rules around what can be given to vendors or customers and those policies have to be followed. But few talk about what is okay to pass along to other co-workers, the boss, and subordinates. I was never much of a gift giver but if I did give a gift I played it safe and I would give, for example, the same book to all my direct reports. The reason we have to play it safe is that even a gift can be misinterpreted or worse yet animosity can be created if one person gets one gift and another gets something else. So, whether we like it or not, we even have to think hard about the gifts that we give at work. Another reason, I guess why we call it work. Here is a set of appropriate gifts that you can give to anyone and a set of gifts that can be given all year long, every day, to everyone. No, they are not Harry and David fruits. They are even better. The fruits of the spirit are the gifts that are all age, people and job appropriate. We read in Galatians 5:22; "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." I cannot imagine a better set of gifts to give to others for this coming year. And how these gifts would multiply if we were able to give them daily and consistently. As we think about what it is that we can give to others, before we go to the superficial and the ones that are soon forgotten, used up, or thrown away, think about the gifts that you have as a believer and follower of Jesus and see if you can't start giving these gifts away, right away, even starting today.

Reference: Galatians 5:22 (New Living Testament)

day 303: The Season For Giving

This is the season for giving. We are gearing up at the office for the Holiday party, looking forward to time off from work to spend with family and friends, and we have to get that shopping done in the midst of everyone trying to get all of the work done before the end of the year. It becomes a very busy time and while it shouldn't be, it becomes a time of stress both at work and home. When the stress sets in, the worst comes out. In these times when everything is focused on getting everything done before the big day or the end of the year, we undoubtedly will be let down by others, not get everything we need from others, and them not get all from us that they need. There will be criticism for not working fast enough and challenges that will test our patience. The question is whether or not we will rise above the stress and the pressure or allow the stress to get to us? Remember, this is the season for giving and with the play on the words, the season for forgiving. If we can enter the time with both of these attitudes at the forefront of our minds and hearts then we can come through this year with our heads held high and our example and role modeling that we desire held intact. As we think about this through the season and if we need any example how to give and forgive in this time we need only look at the greatest verse of all in the Bible. In John 3:16 we read; "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." In that one verse we receive the greatest gift of all, and only to be forgiven when we receive Him. Yes, this is the season of giving and the season of forgiving. Can we embrace this season with our hearts and minds set firmly both in giving ourselves to others and forgiving those around us? To get the most from this time of year and to truly celebrate the coming our King, we must be able to give and forgive.

Reference: John 3:16 (New Living Testament)

day 302: Not Who You Think...

In business we have become conditioned to think that it is with the people at the top that the best things happen. The press and the media always profile the CEO and Board Members but rarely are the rank and file or front line employees profiled, talked about or given the spotlight. I appreciate the CEOs who go out of their way to make sure that it is their employees who get the credit when the credit is due. But too many people try and take the credit and we when we see that happening there is a resentment than can build up and an attitude within the company that no matter who does what that the person at the top of the organization chart will take the credit. When this infiltrates the culture it is nearly impossible to remove it going forward. What is also scary is that this can sneak up on companies and because leaders don't see it, they may never know it is there, but the employees do. Any of us who are in leadership positions or who are even thought of as leaders on the team of our peers, need to be very sensitive and cognizant of not allowing ourselves to fall into the trap of taking credit. Amazing things are happening to all kinds of people in the company and sometimes even the most fascinating and exciting things can happen to those in the most unlikely positions. It is this time of year when we study the Christmas story. It is made clear to us that the most lowly of the least desired jobs were the first to be told of the birth of Jesus and see him in the manger. The shepherds who were just out doing their jobs in the middle of the night were chosen to be the ones to go and find Jesus. How come the angels were not sent to Kings, CEOs, and people in important positions? Because, God was telling us once again that He is there for us all and He can't see organization charts, hierarchies, or amounts on W-2s. The angels revealed themselves and the birth of Jesus to the right people, because as we read in Luke Chapter 2, they were frightened and amazed. I only wish I could have heard their first hand account of that night. I suspect that any King or CEO listening to their stories wished they had been able to have been there. This week as you work, remember it is not who we think who has the most amazing things happen to them. Take a moment to recognize those who may feel like they get left out or forgotten. One word of encouragement and thanks this week could make a difference and they may well see your faith and belief coming through your words and actions.

Reference: Luke Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 301: Who Moved My....?

Many a business book has sold well on the idea of all of us being movable, adaptable and open and ready for change. It's the way of business today. If we can't change and react rapidly we get left behind or obsoleted. I have seen many an organization that was so flexible to change that change became the driver for the company. These are the organizations where every six months there is a major reorganization of the company and it can sometimes feel like the only constant is change. What I watch out for and fear in those companies is that there comes a sense that they must change for the sake of changing without any firm strategic or directional footing. Change for the sake of change itself is not all that organizationally healthy. As workers in a company, we are asked to change individually as well as corporately. We have to flex with the new initiatives, the new boss, the new co-worker, sometimes the new owner of the business. We have to be corporate chameleons sometimes because the colors around us change so fast. There is a watch out here too. That warning is that we can't be changing our own values and principles to just satisfy the direction du jour. We have to be centered and grounded somewhere. The new boss that has a whole different approach to how people are treated or what is appropriate as actions in a company setting, can set a new tone that we are going to be expected to adapt to, to go with the flow, and to be considered good at change. But there are sometimes where we must be immovable. Just because we are believers doesn't mean that it is any easier to see all of the changes that are coming at us. Of course, the big changes are obvious but like the frog in the warming water, sometimes it is hard to see it coming. Paul says to us this in 1 Corinthians 15:58; "So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." Paul is telling us that if we work enthusiastically for the Lord first, then we will be able to be immovable in those areas where we need to be steadfast and rock solid. Today, you may be asking yourself in the mirror questions and wondering who you have become? It is never too late to return to where you know you need to be immovable. Today, would be a great day to make the move back to where you know you and God want you to be.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 15:58 (New Living Testament)

day 300: Hand In Hand

"We'll walk hand in hand through this", said the boss to his subordinate as they talked about the hairy project they had in front of them. The subordinate thought about that statement as he walked back to his cubicle, knowing that his definition of hand in hand was far different than his bosses. As the one who was going to be doing the work, putting in the long hours, formulating the presentation, and putting his neck on the line if they missed the deadline or didn't succeed in completing the project, what he wanted from hand in hand was someone who would be there for him each and every move and someone to help with the real work. His suspicion that there were differing definitions was correct, for his boss was thinking that hand in hand meant that as a good manager he would get out of the way and let his employee work independently and he could be there as support, guidance and air cover in case anything came up. And at the end of the project, the employee would get the credit, but everyone would see that he had managed the project well. As far as those long hours, days and weeks, he could check in on the employee regularly and offer to provide any help needed, knowing that with this employee, there would never be a request. Hand in hand meant two very different things to these two people. Work is like that many times. We desire a level of support, partnership, and comradery that is an unrealistic expectation. Yet, we long for that tight-knit, side-by-side, deeper working together. The truth is that it rarely happens and when it does, it is a gift. So, we have to look beyond people for that level of support. David says in Psalm 37:24; "Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand." The only hand in hand relationship we can expect without any fear of disappointment or letting go is the one that comes with a personal relationship with God. Today, you may feel like you are in hand to hand battle at work, when all you want is hand in hand working. Move your expectations away from the people around you and claim a hand in hand relationship with God and watch what happens. He wants to be hand in hand with you everyday, all day, and with you as much at work as anywhere.

Reference: Psalm 37:24 (New Living Testament)

day 299: Who I Am

I was on a Southwest Airline flight the other day and because I had to power down my Kindle e-book during takeoff and landing I picked up the Southwest Airline magazine and browsed through the articles and advertisements. In the back of the magazine was an ad for the airline itself and all it was were pictures of employees and their employee identification badges that said, "What I do" and "Who I am". The "What I do" statement were what you would expect, First Officer, Accounts Payable Manager, Aircraft Mechanic, etc. It was the "Who I am" blurbs that stood out; "Speaker for Recycling, Volunteer at a Children's Hospital, Mentor, Box packer at a food bank, Walker for shelter animals, Support for military families, and on and on. With each one I read, I was touched and when I would go back and look at their pictures and then their job titles, their jobs took on so much more importance to me. They came alive. It made me think about how it easy for us at work to just worry about "what I do" and to pay little attention to "Who I am" and to many times just hide that "Who I am" under the proverbial bushel. As believers who work to bring our purpose to life, on our jobs and in our workplace, we should spend more time thinking, deciding and talking about, "Who I am". That is the part of us that makes us alive and human to others. It is the "Who I am" that is the real, unselfish, giving, caring and loving person. Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23; "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me". He is saying to us that we have to subordinate the "What I do", to the "Who I am". Can we think about this today and be sure that we have a good strong definition of "Who I am" that aligns squarely with who God wants us to be?

Reference: Luke 9:23 (New Living Testament)

day 298: Persuasion

We all know people at work who are more persuasive than others. It seems like no matter what they tackle and who they have to convince, they are able to persuade, convince and win over others. Sometimes it is their knowledge, other times it is their experience, but mostly it is their ability to influence and how they use their personality and communication skills to persuade other people. A lot of times these are also people we like because they have figured out how to connect with many different types of people. The other characteristic that makes them so persuasive is that they have confidence that others may think cannot be possible. It is like the confidence is automatic and unwavering within these individuals. It's impressive. When we look at these people and then compare ourselves, we likely ask the question, "What is it that they have, that I don't?" Once dissected past the skills, knowledge and experience, looking at confidence levels is probably most important area to becoming more persuasive. No one can be persuasive if they lack confidence in themselves and their position. I not only see this regularly in business but also in many people's lives outside of work. As believers there is no reason for us to lack confidence in anything we do, because if we take the power of God with us into every situation, then we can go forward with all the confidence needed. We read this in Ephesians 3:12; "Because of Christ and our faith in him,we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence." This says that if we can go to God boldly and confidently with our needs and issues, then we can rise from His throne with the same confidence and boldness. From there, we can walk forward with that underlying foundation of being persuasive. The more persuasive each of us can be, then the more others will look at the examples within our lives that make us different and our lives intriguing to others. Today, think about what it is that you need to be more persuasive.

Reference: Ephesians 3:12 (New Living Testament)

day 297: Follow The Leader

Yesterday in the Children’s Church that I help teach at our church one of the other teachers was talking to the kids about how important it was that we follow Jesus. In the course of her teaching she asked the kids why it so hard to follow Him? One of the smarter and quicker to answer kids said, “Because we can’t see Him”. As I listened to that answer I also heard more than just a child’s response, I heard a business person’s lesson on how to be better at following Jesus in our work lives. At work it is always easier to follow someone who we work more closely with than it is someone who we have little interaction and/or only hear about what he/she thinks or says. I believe this is one of the reasons that all of the management and leadership studies show that our direct and immediate supervisor or manager is the person who we trust most at work. The layers of people above us and the hierarchy that comes with those layers, dissolve the trust, layer by layer. It’s just hard to trust someone you don’t know and it’s impossible to follow someone you don’t trust. If any of us are managers or leaders then we should be aware that we carry a great responsibility and burden as the person who others are counting on and trusting with their work, their jobs, their careers. And our leaders are counting on us to follow them as they do their best to lead. They look to us to fulfill their wishes and support the vision, mission and objectives of the company or their area. When we “fall in line” and follow, they are pleased. When we stray and go our own way, they are not happy with us. The same is true of how we follow Jesus. No, we cannot see Him. No, we cannot expect that we are going to receive a divine intervention or an audible “word” from God telling us what to do. As much as we would love it, we are not going to get the direct words of Jesus like in Mark 1:17, when He said,“Come follow me...” We don’t need those as we have been given so many ways within His word to know how to follow His leadership. At work we are expected to follow a leader, in our life we are expected to follow THE leader. If we can apply the same amount of concentration, effort and commitment to following Jesus day in and day out, as we do to follow a leader at work, we may find that the rewards we begin receiving from being a follower are multiplied many times over. Are you being a follower and living out daily the expectations and desires of God? Would those around you at work know that you follow a larger leader in your life? As we close off this year and we plan for next year, now would be a great time to start thinking about how to improve our following skills.

Reference: Mark 1:17 (New Living Testament)

day 296: Working On A Slant

I listened as it was described to me the pains and troubles of working on a slant. The context was working outside on the land where the ground is on a hill, on a slant. The same work that can be done on the flat and level can take 30-40% more time when you have to work on a slant and even the best of the best, the strongest of the strong, and the most able, have to call it quits early when they are working on a slant. As I listened to this, I could feel my hamstrings, my back, and my neck saying to me, "don't you even try it". For me, manual labor is not easy anyway, and like most of us, I know the feeling of being bent over the garden and yard for a day and how I feel the next day. Thinking about doing that on an incline where it is not only strength but also balance and the use of other muscles to keep upright and stable, makes me sore just to think about it. As I listened, I also heard a metaphor for how we all are sometimes asked to work. We may not have to go and clear a hill of weeds or brush, but we many times are asked to work on a slant within our own jobs where we are pushed, strained, and stretched to a point we don't think we can go on. The slant may be an unfair circumstance, or lack of resources, or lack of direction, or not enough time, or not cooperative co-workers. The slant can come at us in many different ways. And regardless, we mush react, act and overcome. But after too many hours on the slant we are just like the physical laborer, we have to call it quits because we don't have any more in the tank to give. As believers, we have someone to call on to help us level the land in front of us. God gives us His promises that He will be a rock, a foundation, a steady place in the midst of the not level and shaky. We read in Psalm 62:2; "He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken." God has built His and our fortress on His rock, which is as level and workable as any we could ever imagine. When we get ourselves caught on the slant and can't keep our balance or are losing our strength to lean up and into the hill, crawl up on His rock to find that balance and steady footing you need. Today, you may feel like you are working on a slant, and maybe have been for a long time. Know this, God does not want you to fall down any incline. He just wants you to stop looking for the level ground on your own. As soon as you allow him to give you your footing, the field will level and you will find yourself on steady ground once again. Because of this promise, don't ever let the slant get you down!

Reference: Psalm 62:2 (New Living Testament)

day 295: The Main Thing...

I was in meetings yesterday with a very talented and accomplished business entrepreneur who runs a very successful company. He also happens to be a strong believer and leads his company with God-driven and faith-filled principles. As we were talking he referenced a few times a quote that he had heard a long time ago, that was later said now broadly attributed to Stephen Covey; "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing". What a simple concept, but such a hard thing to do. What I noticed about when this CEO would say this was that he was talking out load to himself as much as he was talking to me and the other people in the room. This simple statement is not only a philosophical statement, it is also a constant priority reminder and gut check on ensuring that you are doing the right thing first, the right thing most and the right thing for the right reasons. It is a natural tendency to drift in our work. There are so many different priorities that are put to us daily. There are the priorities that come from our boss, those that come from our peers, those that come from our customers and those that are our own priorities that we want to do ourselves. So the main thing can drift and the main thing can get out of focus and the main thing can slip down the list into one of the other things. So, not only do we need to know what the main thing is, we may have to say it out loud to ourselves a few times a day, to remind ourselves what that main thing is and to keep that main thing, the main thing. As believers God also tells us through His word what is our main thing. He says in Proverbs 4:25; "Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you." God is saying to us, don't let yourself waiver or become unfocused, just keep the main thing, the main thing. And we know what that main thing is as we bring our purpose to our work. Our main thing is to bring glory to God in all that we do. Today, remind yourself of the main thing and see if you can keep it the main thing all this day and don't hesitate to say out loud a few times as a reminder, "the main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing".

Reference: Proverbs 4:25 (New Living Testament)

day 294: Fresh Air

Sometimes when we are at work and we are at our wits end there is nothing better than going outside and getting some fresh air. There have been many times in my career where I have said to myself and others, "I just need to go for a walk, I'll be back". Just the change of air can make the difference between hope and despair. We get pent up in one place and we need a change of venue, a change of location, a change in the sights, sounds and smells around us to clear our head. I once read a study that we can become 40% more productive by changing location for what we are doing at the moment. That makes sense to me as when I really want to concentrate and get something done quickly, I take that work into another room or to another desk, away from my office where I can get distracted with all the other things that I need to do. That change of venue really helps. The same can be said for a change in environment like the change that comes with different sights,sounds and smells around us. The most subtle of changes can take us away from the fixations we have on one thing and allow us to concentrate on what we need to do. We also can get that change and breath of fresh air when we change the people around us for advice and counsel. If we are stuck in a problem or feel like we have run into a brick wall, we probably also need to change the people who are giving us our advice and look for others who can add a new perspective and give us new and fresh ideas. Many times that new way of looking at things can open up our minds to another idea or another solution. The wisdom of the Proverbs brings this to us as well in Proverbs 27:9; "The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense." How many times have you felt "stuck" in a situation, sometimes so stuck that it feels like you just can't breathe and you know you can't figure this out on your own? I know I have been there many times and the breath of fresh air has come from someone else who takes the time to hear out what is on my mind and then adds their take on the problem. That extra thinking, those caring words, have been what helped me through the issue. When we try to go it alone all the time, which can be the tendency for many of us, before long we are breathing our own air and everything feels stale. We need that fresh and sweet air that comes from the advice and counsel of a friend. Find that friend of yours today and seek out their counsel before you make another decision and also see if you can't become that friend to someone else who needs your counsel today.

Reference: Proverbs 27:9 (New Living Testament)

day 293: Sense Of Direction

Work takes good sense of personal direction and yes, it would be ideal if there was an "app for this". But there isn't. It just takes good common sense and emotional intelligence to navigate through the complex weave that are organization structures and people relationships. It's an odd combination that takes us as people and places outside of our home and comfort zone into a place where we know some (but maybe not all) of with whom we work and we spend our time and energy against objectives that we don't really own (unless it is our own business) but instead we kind of "rent". My nephew who has graduated college and now working in his first real job is reading Atlas Shrugged for the first time. While I personally disagree with Ayn Rand's totally self-centered and atheistic beliefs of Objectivism, I still love the book as there are good challenges to us as "workers" in her literature around how we each need to be productive and adding to a collective innovation to better work and companies. My nephew is looking at his own job through this lens and wondering if he really is making a difference or not. I don't think that he is alone in that question. Work is complex on so many fronts both physically and emotionally. It many times boils down to the complex nature of people and who we each are and what makes us up. We each, each day, add or subtract from that complexity by out attitudes, cooperation and spirit of teamwork. It is no wonder that it takes a great sense of direction to navigate successfully through a job. And when we are faced with that complexity and how it can sometimes overwhelm us to the point we don't know which way is up, we should stop and marvel on it and praise God for making it all so intriguing and interesting. David writes out of his difficult experiences and turns his needing for direction into a praise in Psalm 139:4; "Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it". David found his sense of direction within the marveling of the complexity. Today, you may be facing a navigation issue at work. You may not know which way to turn with a problem or with another person who you are struggling. Or you may be wondering, like my nephew, "what am I really doing here"? In those moments, remember the words of David and praise God for the complexity and the workmanship. May God give you the sense of direction you need to make the complex simple and to allow you to navigate with confidence.

Reference: Psalm 139:4 (New Living Testament)