Faithful, Not Perfect
Blog / Produced by The High Calling
A beautiful early morning greeted sleepy vacationers as they shuffled onto the hay wagon for a ride to the cowboy breakfast. Some 40 of us were stifling yawns and waiting to roll when a voice shouted, “Wait for us!” Across the way, a man emerged from his SUV, reached into the back seat and withdrew a small boy from the car seat. As the two neared the hay wagon, we could see clearly that the father was talking. But wait . . . stock prices and financial markets? A closer look spotted the telltale earpiece trailing to a phone on the father’s belt.
The river that afternoon was full of children and adults laughing, skipping rocks, dunking each other. On the bank, the man late for breakfast now stood with his two older children waiting to jump into the river. Standing in his mobile office he talked away, wires dangling. The next morning on a walk, I was delighted to see the same man’s entire family on horseback. But in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, riding next to his children, the man in the saddle was again on the phone.
I didn’t know the man, but I know what it is to be driven—to strive for approval, money, acceptance, perfection. The world says to make the grade, succeed, get more, have more, be more. And we buy it. We believe somehow that more means happier.
Luke 12:15 says something else: “Watch out, be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Ephesians 1:11 says, “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for (The Message).” If success is measured in peace and joy, it has to do with a daily and faithful walk with Christ. I am left to trust Him alone for my reputation, my meaning, my hope. My relationship with Him influences my actions, thoughts, decisions. I work hard, not for the world’s spin on perfection, but out of eagerness to serve my Master. Only then am I free to focus on the unfolding present moment.
I watched as the businessman at the ranch ignored blessings directly before him. He missed bluebonnets, jackrabbits, and his own children. And I thought of myself and wondered what blessings I miss by my own need to succeed.
The river that afternoon was full of children and adults laughing, skipping rocks, dunking each other. On the bank, the man late for breakfast now stood with his two older children waiting to jump into the river. Standing in his mobile office he talked away, wires dangling. The next morning on a walk, I was delighted to see the same man’s entire family on horseback. But in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, riding next to his children, the man in the saddle was again on the phone.
I didn’t know the man, but I know what it is to be driven—to strive for approval, money, acceptance, perfection. The world says to make the grade, succeed, get more, have more, be more. And we buy it. We believe somehow that more means happier.
Luke 12:15 says something else: “Watch out, be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Ephesians 1:11 says, “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for (The Message).” If success is measured in peace and joy, it has to do with a daily and faithful walk with Christ. I am left to trust Him alone for my reputation, my meaning, my hope. My relationship with Him influences my actions, thoughts, decisions. I work hard, not for the world’s spin on perfection, but out of eagerness to serve my Master. Only then am I free to focus on the unfolding present moment.
I watched as the businessman at the ranch ignored blessings directly before him. He missed bluebonnets, jackrabbits, and his own children. And I thought of myself and wondered what blessings I miss by my own need to succeed.
Lord, you are our God and King. Help us faithfully pursue our walk with you and embrace the blessings you put in front of us. Amen.
The demands, pressures and stress of work can put a huge strain on relationships with our coworkers. This 4-day plan from Theology of Work Project and Workmatters provides simple steps you can take to be more loving to your coworkers that will transform those relationships and increase both joy and productivity at work.