I settle in for a large document editing job first thing in
the morning and as I open the document I see that some departmental business is
being done via e-mail. I need to chime in with at least my view and maybe to assist in structuring an official way of deliberating.
And I remember the time management advice I read just
yesterday recommending that those who really want to make a contribution in the
realm of research (or in my case, creative endeavor) should stay out of
administration.
Too late.
I make my way to church at All Saints’ where the liturgy is
well-crafted, the music thoughtful, and Father Al’s homilies winsome, as a
colleague puts it. It seems to me that my prayers for guidance are sometimes answered in the
midst of this gathering of worshippers.
I strongly believe that Jesus calls us to service – an
orientation for the good of others, a way of lowliness, an emptying of self, a
slave’s lot, perhaps having the goal of not being famous.
If leading is coordinating, directing traffic, building
consensus, and developing vision, then I think that is a role one can embrace
as an act of service. But if one becomes too enamored with ideas of leading others,
it seems to me that things become upended and service is drowned in talk of
authority and thoughts of charisma. Leadership
becomes the content of one’s relationships. Service is a much better content.
I took those ideas to worship, and here is what I
learned about doing what we do “as unto the Lord.”
1.
The holiness of our everyday work is not so much
in what we do but in how we do it. A greater purpose is revealed for one's work when it is undertaken with this knowledge.
2.
Jesus calls us to treat others well regardless
of how they behave. That’s a simple concept but we have thousands of ways of
confusing ourselves about it.
3.
We are also called to “coax goodness” out of
others. (Father Al’s words)
4.
We are to take the initiative in loving. We will grow spiritually if we resolve to be the
first to act in kindness. (Again, Father Al)
5.
Finally, we never finish learning how to love.
In fact, each day is an opportunity to seek afresh how to be loving in each of our
situations.
With these points in mind, I know better how to write
e-mails, how to go to meetings, how to teach classes, how to be a colleague,
and how to be a husband, and how to be myself.
