While on a pilgrimage walk on the Camino de Santiago (St. James Way) in Spain, I asked some of the most committed and courageous faith-driven business leaders I know to guest contribute to Purposed worKING. Enjoy! – Rusty
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“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you, and to show esteem them with special love on account of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.”
“It is good sense to be slow to anger, and an honor to overlook an offense.”
Holy moley! How can the people we work with make so many mistakes? I mean, don’t they think before they act? Am I supposed to just smile and say, “It’s okay, no worries”?
The answer is kind of, “Yes”. Of course, at work (and in broader life) we are expected to provide criticism – constructive criticism. But occasionally I fail at this. I get frustrated and can “snap” at people on my team. Fortunately, sometimes they tell me that what I did didn’t feel good. Although it confronts me with a mistake that I have clearly made (and I don’t like making mistakes). It is a gift because it gives me the opportunity to “recover”. It gives me a chance to give them back respect, to make a sincere apology, and hopefully to increase my awareness of my weaknesses so that I can improve. There are so many lessons and opportunities in these type situations.
First and foremost is that God wants us to love each other. Sometimes it’s hard to love people (some harder than others!). These are great opportunities at work and home to live our love.
Second, it is so important for us to be examples of Jesus love, patience and goodness. Every test like this that God gives us is an opportunity to emulate Jesus. People notice and are influenced. Finally people deserve the “best” from me. When I fail to be patient, kind or respectful, they are not getting the best of me that they deserve.
Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (New American Bible) and Proverbs 19:11 (New American Bible)
Tom Koch