Whatever line of work we’re in, we always have to consider our priorities. What is it that we feel is the most important thing about what we do? Earning money to benefit ourselves? Working hard to impress our boss?
It’s easy to slip into the thinking that our ‘work life’ is separate from the rest of our life.
If we aim to earn lots of money, that will benefit our personal life financially. We may work hard to impress the boss, but that can go one of two ways: we can exhaust ourselves, to the detriment of our family and friends; or it can instil an attitude of excellence, where everything must always be done to the highest standard possible. After all, we’re trying to be ‘professional’ about it all. It can be so easy for such attitudes to become our main priority.
I’ve come to the conclusion that our main priority should always be people. I don’t mean working hard to please people, I’m talking about helping others.
When upholding the values of the institution we work for means we choose not to listen to another person’s pain; when our determination to please the boss comes before spending time with someone in need; when saving a little extra for that nice holiday or fancy car means we don’t take our hungry neighbour out to lunch; when the wonderings of what ‘other people’ may think of us if we don’t act in the ‘correct manner’ becomes our focus...
That’s when there’s something wrong.
That’s what Jesus came to destroy.
“But you ignore the customs of our tradition!” ... “You don’t follow our age-old hand washing policies!” ... “You would do something that we would think of as work on our designated holy day?!”
People must come first.
Jesus wasn’t against Jews, or Romans. He was against people who would give their money to the ‘temple’ rather than feed their parents. He was against people not helping others just because it was considered a special day. He was against silly policies that were designed to make people look good and pure on the outside, when the real issue is the rot in the human soul.
This is part of the challenge to live. Our society can’t handle the self-sacrifice of putting the well-being of another person as top priority. Because the top priority of pretty much every society is remaining in control.
I could be the most honest and trustworthy person, the most kind and generous, the most helpful and the most popular, the most patient and most loving, and I could uphold the highest moral standards... but the way of the world deems all my good deeds worthless unless I bow the knee to and do the will of those in power.
Someone else was killed for this kind of thinking...
He said that we should not fear other human beings... though they may kill my body, they cannot touch my soul.
But no one needs to touch the soul if it is already rotten, if already the priority is for material possessions, wealth, or other things that are here today and gone in an instant. But when our priorities are set for the things of eternal value – other people – then our soul has life.
When we encourage someone, feed someone, clothe someone. When we fight the cause of the orphan, when we defend the widow. When we stand up against the injustice caused to another person. When we protect someone from harm, forgive the person who has wronged us and show love to those who would seek to destroy us.
Our work life is not separate from the rest of our life. It’s intertwined. How we live in one will affect how we live in the other. Our priorities must be right in all areas.
And when we start to get it right, we will face resistance.
Because that’s when we become dangerous. That’s when society loses control over us. That’s when we truly live a fulfilling life. That’s when our soul is revived. That’s when revolution comes.
