The Journey 285
Friday, October 12
Read: Genesis 1: 27-31
           One of the dreams of every human being is to have a job, that is well paid. From the moment one joins college and is enrolled in graduate studies, the eternal hope is that once we graduate, one would land a good job. But one of the strange aspect that you find in this world is that once you land up a good job, there are many who find excuses not to do the job that they had dreamt once in their life and then going to work become one of the most arduous activity. Hence at times playing truant at work.  It is often considered that it is children and teenagers who feign illness to skip school or college. But this week a new survey has been published by news agencies and this  has  revealed that it is not only kids who feign illness or excuses not to go to school but even grown ups feign sickness, and take sick leave when they are actually not sick. According to this survey  more than 35% of adults have called sick, when they weren't actually sick, and offered them different types of excuses from not coming work. Some of the craziest and funny excuses that people have given for not coming to work are the following.1. I lost my  mind in the morning, and I cant find it and hence cannot come to work, 2. I cant come to work because my dog has a nervous break down, 3. Last night we had a party and I woke up with a strange lady in my bed and I was confused and it was too late when I realized it was my wife,  4. My wife is too sick to get out of bed and therefore I am staying home to take care of her, 5.I cant come to work today because of an eye problem.… Hence I cant see working today, 6. My dog is having puppies and I need to help her. 7. The blankets were too heavy for me to lift and hence I got stuck on bed all day, 8. My kids are locked outside. Even religious excuses were also given to abstain from work. One individual reported that “It is against my religion to work on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the best excuse was “I was up all night arguing with God and hence attend work”. I think we all find excuses one day or the other to abstain from work. But it is not the excuses that is to  be taken seriously on the contrary the question that we need to ask ourselves is whether we are passionate about doing our jobs that we have today?, What is the ultimate purpose in doing those jobs? Is it only for financial security or there is a higher meaning to the job that we do? I think only when we are able to answer these questions, does work and career have a meaning. Thus no need  to scratch ones head to find an excuse to call in sick when one is not.
              We are meditating on the theme “ Transformed Living” and the portion that we shall use for our mediation is from Genesis 1: 27-31. This is the portion that describes the creative act of God, creating this world and finally the crown of creation– Human Beings. But after creating both Adam and Eve, they are given duties of different kind. The first responsibility is the marital duties and responsibility. This could be found in Genesis 2: 18-25. Marital duty was all about being a suitable companion to each other and also in the act of procreation. Along with the marital duty, God also gives human being the responsibility to work. The earth and its resources are given so that human beings would toil it and tend it as God’s stewards. Here is God entrusting human beings the duty of tilling the earth– a sign of work. The gift to work and earn a living is something that God expects all of us to do. But I don't work just to do my living and it is in this context that my Christian commitment and calling helps me to view my work and my job as an extension of my working with God to establish God’s kingdom on earth. Just as Adam and Eve had to work in Eden as a part of God’s divine mission in the same way I believe we all have been placed in different work environment and work place,  to bring about change and transformation not only in the work set up that I am placed, but also in through work, achieve meaning and purpose in life, which is in reality God’s calling and purpose for each one of us. According to David Jensen, work is an activity that is done with a sense of obligation to self, others, to ones community and to God. Thus when we think of work that we are engaged in, let us thank God that He has given us the physical health to engage in work,  both mental, emotional and spiritual faculties which helps us to be more passionate in our work and also make our work more productive. It is this thought that should drive all of us each day, as we become co workers with God in the area of our work place.