day 2921: Seating Charts

“But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

Yesterday, Salesforce announced that much of their workforce would now be able to work from home for multiple days a week and some employees never have to come back to the office.  This latest announcement of a company making this shift got me thinking about some of the unspoken things that happen in the workplace and how these new ways of working will take hold.  For example, seating charts.  Unless we work in the oldest and most traditional of companies, there isn’t any formal “seating chart” per se, but there is an informal seating chart for sure.  If you are a leader of a team or organization, have you every noticed how you tend to gravitate to the same seat in the room when meeting?  And, if you are not the leader, notice your boos and what she/he does?  And then notice next, who sits where in relation to the leader?  That is the informal seating chart.  So, what happens when there is a rotation of people in and out of the office for meetings?  I predict a new undercurrent of political struggle to occur.  And, that might be enough to draw people back to the office more than they, or the company, desires.  It will be interesting to watch and study who does what to sit where.

Even Jesus’ Disciples desired a seating chart.  John and James wanted to reserve their places next to Jesus for eternity.  They were asking for the ultimate seating assignment!  But, what did Jesus say?  He told them that this decision was not His, leaving all of us, if you will indulge me, eligible for being asked to sit closer in with Him.  Now, do any of us expect to be sitting at the right or the left hand of The Father?  Naw, probably not.  But, consider that we don’t know what God’s table of eternity looks like or how it will work and maybe, just maybe, we all will be able to sit together right at His side.  It’s a fun way of thinking and it’s also an encouragement for us to stay close to Him today.

Reference:  Mark 10:40 (New Living Translation)