I’ve
had some jobs that I really hated, for various reasons – mostly boredom. In
every one of these jobs, I posted this on the wall above my desk:
And
whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
Colossians
3:23
It’s
not easy to go to work when you have to do something you dislike, or work with
people who are obnoxious, or sit a desk and look busy when there is not enough
work to do. I am blessed to have meaningful and rewarding work to do, but not
everything I do is exciting, important, or fulfilling. In fact, most of the
activities that fill my days are mundane, tedious, and frustrating.
Some
of the things I do that I find fulfilling are the following: reading and playing
with my children; writing and teaching.
Some
of the mundane things I spend most of my time doing include: cleaning, grading,
and planning.
But
I am a happy person, and industrious. I work hard, though I have
to admit, I put more effort into the first list than the second.
We
are told to work hard always, in whatever task or job we find ourselves in. I
was raised in a home where my parents modeled hard work and taught us to work
by enforcing chores. I am grateful for the work ethic that was instilled from
my early life.
* * * * *
What
is the worst job you’ve had? How did you cope? What is the most unpleasant task
you have to complete in your current life?