Who Do You Work For?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I want to introduce you to my friend, Al Cagle. I’ve known Al and his wife, Jeane, for a number of years through our church, Gateway Community.  I’ve served with them on the drama team and come to love them both as two of God’s special people.

Jeane sent this example of Al’s writing to share with me and gave me permission to share it with you.  It is from an email he sent to the members of his Life Group.

The following is from Al:

With the economy the way it is, some may be starting to feel trapped in their jobs or situation.  It is easy to start to complain about how you are stuck and cannot get out. In some cases, it might be very valid.

But I am going to ask you one thing: “Who do you work for?”

In one of Stephen Covey’s books he writes about being responsible.    He explains that that word responsible can be broken down into response-able.  He challenges that no matter what is happening, you ultimately decide if it is “good” by your response.

A lady in the audience at one of his lectures stood up and explained that she was a home care nurse and she had a lady that was grouchy, uncooperative, mean, and negative and was making her life miserable.  She hated going to this lady’s house.  Covey told her that she was still response-able.   The lady sat down upset that Covey obviously did not understand.

It is funny how we sometimes view problems, difficult situations, and life’s jungles as not our doing and, therefore, there is nothing we can do but complain.    Paul wrote that all things are made right (pause, pause) through God (Romans 3:28).   James wrote whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy (James 1:2).

Okay, so when all hell breaks loose I should be happy?   Really?

So, “Who do you work for?”

If you are working for a company or yourself or even for some grouchy, mean customer, it is easy to become angry, disgruntled, or disenchanted.  You can even start to plan on moving to another job unless the economy is in the tank and you are then trapped—right?   Luke 19:40 says that if we don’t praise God then the rocks will break out in praise.  Wow! If we cannot find a reason to praise God, that dumb, stupid rock will pick up the load for us.

The fact is that you get to decide everyday how the day will be. You get to decide every moment how you will view the situation. God does not promise problem-free lives but He does promise hope and reward.  He asks only for obedience.  Job learned that lesson as he lost all of his possessions.

That lady in Covey’s group finally had an “ah ha” moment.  She came up to Covey afterwards and said, “I get it.  Why am I letting that woman’s poor attitude infect me with a poor attitude? Yes, she can see the life as miserable but I don’t have to do the same.  I can smile and laugh at her and say, ‘I am so sorry you are having a bad day but not me.  I am having a good day.’”

She figured out who she worked for.

At the end of the day it is not important how happy the customer is (in some cases they are never happy).

It is not about whether your boss is pleased with your performance and giving you praise.

What really matters is what God sees of your performance. He is my Boss.  He is the reason I go to work, am a father, am a husband, dance a jig, sing a song, love, exist.

And here is the great thing:  my Boss thinks so much of me that He sacrificed his very son so I could keep living.   So, hey, I will do whatever he wants and I can’t help but be happy about it.   Today, he wants me to work at Dow Chemical as a production leader. Tomorrow he may want me to work at the garbage dump moving waste around.  I still work for the greatest Boss ever and I will more than happily do what He wants.

I have read that the bad kind of stress (the kind that causes health issues, pain, and death) is caused when you are not acting in line with your values.   When you let God rule and obey, you will never act out of line with your values because He is your value.

So, who do you work for?

Thanks, Al (and Jeane for letting us read and share this)

Love,
Brother Bill