Some of us remember the old country western classic, “Take This Job and Shove It” sung by Johnny Paycheck. A few years later during a recession of the early 1980’s, I heard someone say that the new version of the song had been changed to say, “Shove That Job – I’ll Take It!”
This morning I have entitled my message “Take This Job And Love it”
Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Person asked a young accountant who was fresh out of school, "What starting salary were you thinking about?" The Accountant said, "In the neighborhood of 100,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, full medical and dental, Company Retirement Fund to 50% of salary, Executive Share Option Scheme, Profit Related Pay and a company car leased every 2 years - say, a 5 series BMW?"
The Accountant sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?" The interviewer replied, "Yes, but you started it."
Who wouldn’t love a job like that – not many do. Many have no job at all…….
Unemployment rate of 9.1% - 1st since 1945 - NO NEW JOBS IN AUGUST!
In May 28% of 1,000 households surveyed had at least one person unemployed – June was 27.8% and July 28.8%. Their factors that they use to calculate actual unemployment totals shows it at 22% or almost two and a half times more than the Labor Department numbers. Those are heartbreaking statistics.
Estimates show 14.6 millions who want a job don’t have one. 7.9 million jobs have been lost since the recession started in Fall of 2008. Many of those will never be recovered.
I. Love Your Job As a Blessing
“This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.”
A husband and his wife woke up one Sunday morning and the wife dressed for church. It was just about time for the service when she noticed her husband hadn’t moved a finger toward getting dressed. Perplexed, she asked, “Why aren’t you getting dressed for church?” He said, “Cause I don’t want to go.” She asked, “Do you have any reasons?” He said, “Yes, I have three good reasons. First the congregation is cold. Second, no one likes me. And third, I just don’t want to go.” The wife replied, wisely, “Well honey, I have three reasons why you should go. First the congregation is warm. Second, there are a few people there who like you. And third, you’re the pastor! So get dressed!”
A. God Blesses Work
God created work! The first time you see God in the Bible He is working…………
B. Work Blesses You
There is a great deal of satisfaction and security in being able to provide for yourself and your family…….
C. Work Allows You to Bless Others
One of the most spiritual and godly things you can do after providing for your family is to help others in need……..
Ronald Reagan was famous for saying, “The man who does what he loves will never work another day in his life”.
DO YOU SEE YOUR JOB AS A BLESSING – OR A BURDEN?
II. Love Your Job As A Bridge
One day an eager young man from Stanford University applied for a part time position at the school. The man who was doing the hiring said, “All I need now is a typist.” “I’ll take the job, said the applicant. “but I can’t start until next Tuesday.” On Tuesday he reported for work. The employer said, “Why couldn’t you come until today?” “Because I had to rent a typewriter and learn to use it!” Do you know who the student was? Herbert Hoover!
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR JOB AS A BRIDGE?
A. It Is A Bridge to A Strong Reputation
“We know how telephone conversations are; we usually hear only one side of the conversation. A young boy was talking and his father was listening, "Hello, sir, I was calling you to see if you could use a lawn boy to do your yard work!" "Oh, I see you already have one!" "Well, is he doing your work to your satisfaction?" "He is! Thank you, sir, I was just checking," then the young boy hung up the phone. The father looked at his son and said, "Sorry son, you didn’t get the job!" "Oh, no sir," said the boy. "I’ve already got that job. I was just calling to check up on myself!"
B. It Is A Bridge to Showing Real Faith
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people” Galatians 6:10
Be “pre-prayered” – Pray for God to fill you so he can use you.
Be pleasant and positive – Be a joy to work with!
Be productive – Make the boss money and assist your co-workers
C. It Is A Bridge to Redemptive Relationships
What kinds of bridges are you building to introduce the reality of Christ where you work?
If you are called to be a witness (and you are) – and if you spend 40 hours per week 50 weeks a year around the people at your job (and you do) – then how can you NOT be intentionally building bridges to your co-workers?
In the south tower, the first to collapse, a young quadriplegic was at work on the twenty-seventh floor. As evacuation of the building began, this young man instructed his personal-care attendant to leave with others via the stairs. While the attendant was at first hesitant, she agreed after the quad's best friend at work, a 55-year-old man, volunteered to remain until firefighters arrived to carry the quad down the stairs. The best friend could easily have made his way down the stairs, but selflessly he chose to stay with his buddy. Both men lost their lives when the south tower came down.
In the north tower, two men started down the stairs from the eighty-first floor. When they reached the sixty-eighth, they came upon a young woman in her wheelchair on the stairway landing. They quickly moved her from her wheelchair to a special fire-emergency carrying chair. Then, without regard for their own well-being, carried this lady down 68 flights of stairs to safety.
III. View Your Job As A Building Project
A. Build Your Confidence
In the book Scully, there is a dialogue between Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Computers and John Scully, who at the time was president of Pepsi. Jobs was attempting to recruit Scully for the top job at Apple and he asked Scully, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?”
B. Build Your Competency
A local business puts a sign in the window, stating the following: “HELP WANTED. Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an equal opportunity employer”
A short time afterwards, a dog trotted into the office manager’s office, jumped up on the chair and stared at the manager. The office manager said “I can’t hire you. The sign says you have to be able to type.”
The dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to type out a perfect letter. He took out the page and trotted over to the manger and gave it to him, then jumped back on the chair. The manager was stunned, but then told the dog, “The sign says you have to be good with a computer? The dog then executed a perfect program that worked flawlessly the first time.
By this time the manager was totally dumbfounded! He looked at the dog and said, “I realize that you are a very intelligent dog and have some interesting abilities. However, I still can’t give you the job? The dog jumped down and went to a copy of the sign and put his paw on the sentence that says Equal Opportunity Employer. The manager said, “Yes, but the sign also says that you have to be bilingual? The dog looked at the manger calmly and finally said, “Meow.”
C. BUILD YOUR CHARACTER
”Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” Colossians 3:23-24.
“Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him” Ecclesiastes 5:18-19
For years Gordon MacDonald rode the same bus daily from his home to his church in New York City. One day the bus driver complained to MacDonald: “You’ve got it a lot better than me. You have an interesting job and travel different places. I just drive this bus up and down the same streets every day.” MacDonald told the bus driver his job could be a Christian ministry too. “Every day, when you first get on this bus, before anyone else gets on, dedicate this bus to God for that day. Declare it to be a sanctuary for God for that day. Consecrate it to God’s glory, and then act like it is a place where God dwells.” Several weeks later MacDonald returned from a trip and saw the bus driver. “You’ve transformed my life,” the man said. “I’ve been doing what you said every day, and it has made me see my job in an entirely new perspective.”
THAT MAN LEARNED TO LOVE HIS JOB BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD IT WAS MORE THAN WORK – IT WAS WORSHIP!
IF I COULD SPEAK FOR GOD TODAY I BELIEVE HE WOULD SAY, “TAKE THIS JOB AND LOVE IT……..”
UNDERSTAND THESE TRUTHS TO HELP YOU LOVE YOUR JOB:
You didn’t get your job it was GIVEN to you by God - Give it back to Him
Don’t see your job as a profession but as a PLATFORM. – Live Godly through it.
Plan your retirement to be a RE-ENLISTMENT. – His plan is out of this world!
