You might say that a gift of work is the Trompe l’oeil of it all.  Trompe l’oeil is when our eyes are deceived with art  to make something look like something it isn’t, as in making something 2D look or be in 3D.  It’s been used since the time of Michelangelo (next time Rome look up at the Sistine Chapel ceiling to see what he did with his painting).  A couple of years ago a bakery released a video of their cakes that looked like inanimate everyday objects.  If you’ve seen it, you are one of the 35+ million people who have. If not, it’s fun to watch: https://twitter.com/i/status/1280966608933003264.

Trompe l’oeil proves that things are not always what they seem to be.  So many times in our work we can get caught up in worry, anxiety, fear, etc. thinking that the worst is about to come.  Patti and I were watching the final episode of this season’s The Crown and I could feel the sweat running down the neck of the BBC General Manager when he got called to have lunch with the Chairman of the BBC Board.  He was sure he was getting fired.  Everything he could see and ascertain was that this was the lunch when it all was going to end for him.  I’m not spoiling anything to tell you that things didn’t turn out how they appeared they would.  He received a gift of work in that more times than not, things just aren’t what they appear and they aren’t as bad as we make them out to be.

Today, we might be going into one of those situations that appear on the surface that it’s going to be stressful, or at the worst really bad.  This is when we need to make sure it is “Bring God to Work With You Day”!.  He wants to help us as we try to understand and recognize what is real and what is not real.  He doesn’t practice Trompe l’oeil with us.  He practices just the opposite as He wants to bring us the gifts of understanding and peace.

Reference: John 14:27 (New Living Translation)