A job you want to show up for

I went downtown and stopped by the bank and then popped in to get a coffee at Dunkin Donuts. As I was waiting in line I looked across the street and noticed a small group of men standing outside the Labor Ready office. I thought to myself how nice it would be to have a life where I could decide if I was going to work today or not.

Don't get me wrong: I like my job. The problem is that most of us have a made a commitment to our job and to our family so whether we are in the mood or not, whether we feel like working or not, whether we like our boss or not, we can't simply decide day by day that we are not going to go in to work. If we do, we could lose our job and everything else. We are in for the long haul or unless another, better opportunity comes along. Even then, when we commit to a new job it is with the presumption that we are going to work 40 hours a week and give it our best.

I grabbed my coffee and as I was heading out the door I saw an image of Jesus' parable of the Lord of the manor and the laborers. Do you remember the story? The Owner went out early in the morning and he hired some workers. He promised to pay them what was fair. The story goes on to say that every few hours he went out and got some more with the same promise. I've heard that story a hundred times and I know the punchline. We usually lift it up as an example of salvation being offered the same for those who come to it early and those who come late. Looking at the day laborers across the street gave me a new insight.

When the Lord of the manor came looking for workers, he expected them to work as long as he needed them. Sometimes I get the feeling that you and I think of our service to the Lord as temporary, short lived or to be done when we feel like it. We don't like to admit it but too often we are like those workers at Labor Ready. We show up for Jesus when we need a boost for our faith or when a friend is in trouble. We report for duty when life is going bad and we want to be paid in blessings. The rest of the time we go our own way and do our own thing.

But Jesus calls us to serve him every day. He asks us to work with him every day as he tries to transform the world. And here is the good news! He doesn't look at us as hourly workers. He invites us to be full fledged partners. He says, "Come and follow me." In following he doesn't ask us to be subservient in the worldly sense. He asks us to walk side-by-side with him into a dark and needful world.

Are you looking for meaning in life? Then stop going to the world's Labor Ready and sign up with the Lord's Ever Ready.

See you at work. Cal