day 354: Shift Work

Early on in my career I worked in a manufacturing plant that had three shifts that were filled and assigned by seniority first and preference second. When the two were combined, first shift (day) was first choice and then 3rd shift (graveyard) was the next most chosen. I was always fascinated by this as I found overnight the hardest shift to adapt to (I did it on the radio for 4 months). What I learned is that some people are just built for overnight work and sleep during the day. There is a rhythm to the night and a quietness of the world that some people take to more than others. But, these are a rare and small number. The night and darkness for many people is a time of uncertainty and many times fear. Once during a realignment of the plant, a woman was bumped to third shift for a short period. She was nearly hysterical that she would have to be out of her house in the middle of the night. I really felt for her as it was obvious that her fear was real for her and it was not going to be overcome. We could only help her in that the time period was going to be short. Light and dark and night and day are all metaphors that we read throughout the Bible and light symbolizes good and God. Dark and night is bad. 1 Thessalonians 5:5: says; "For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.". It may be that even though you work first or a day shift, you feel like you are caught in the dark of a third shift. What God wants to do in our lives is to allow us to work and walk in the light of His day, each and every day regardless of the physical light or dark that we would work or live in. He doesn't want us to ever feel like we are stuck in the dark or stuck in the metaphoric night. There is one way to always be in the light of the day and that is to walk towards Him. With God there is no seniority and he does not place preferences on people. God opens Himself up to all of us and only asks that we walk towards His light and then take Him with us, in our hearts, wherever we go. What God wants is us to have Him with us on all three shifts!

Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5:5 (New Living Testament)