Blurring Work and Home Into Something Better

My six-minute commute is simply too short. Living only three miles from the office is one of my greatest problems (which is saying something, considering the list). When I leave work at the end of the day, I simply don't have enough time on the drive home to complete the transformation from employee to husband and father.

(That's why I envy those lucky people who drive seven or eight hours to get to work every day. They've got it made!)

I blame the short drive as the reason that I get home and act like I'm still at work. Do you have that issue? Have you ever done any of these things?

• Tell your son, "You're fired!" when he fails to take out the garbage
• Pass out meeting agendas at the dinner table
• Refer to your kitchen as the "cafeteria"
• Offer performance reviews for family members
• Compliment your spouse's cooking or home repair skills as a "core competency"
• Characterize your family vacation as an "off-site department planning retreat"

I'm not saying I have done any of these things, but I certainly have carried the stress of the workday into my home. And it's notable that I don't seem to have the reverse problem carrying my home persona to work (aside from that regrettable apparel choice on my first "casual Friday").

Rather than swing back and forth between work and home roles, I think the answer is to find a deeper role that doesn't shift depending on circumstances. Rather than try to adhere to my "home" personality or my "work" personality, can I live my "God" personality all the time?

That's easier said than done. (Which is why I've probably never done it!) But Daniel offers a biblical role model for living our core identity regardless of our circumstances.

Daniel stands firm when he is called into an elite group to train for service to the king. He resists having his name changed or eating the unclean food offered him. Most importantly, he maintains his habit of regular prayer times during the day. He is tested mightily (although I'd put the perils of a modern office up against a lion's den any day). He holds on to his identity, which is rooted in his relationship with God. In the process of living out that identity, he glorifies God.

If we need examples of specific behaviors to follow, we also have Jesus as our role model. In Philippians 2, for example, Paul shows how Christ is our example of love and humility. It's a matter of not worrying about how we impress others, not thinking better of others than ourselves (verse 3), looking out for others' interests (verse 4), and doing tasks without complaining (verse 14), to name just a few.

We can try to live out a role based on where we are during our day. One could argue that flexibility is a virtue. But scriptural examples give us a better option for adopting and living out a consistent, core identity. Or as Paul said, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" (Phil. 1:27).

Especially if you don't live more than 10 minutes away from your workplace.