God, Jesus, and...

The more we see in the world, the less we want to be in it, yet the more we see we need to be.  

I started a new position a month ago and have since been whirling around the business world on a three-day trip for training, conference calls, and meetings with the client and accounts.  Even in this short period of time, it is quite apparent to me how many in this world define themselves by their jobs.  I watch and listen as they stress about deadlines and goals, beating the competitor, and impressing senior managers.  I observe them puff up when they themselves feel a sense of superiority.  I see the non-stop, always on-call lifestyles of people trying to make a name and a buck for themselves, and I am saddened.  And as I realize just how badly people out there are completely missing the meaning of this life, the light on their darkness is shined brighter.  No more denying.

The big game is next weekend, so I have been told more than once by more than one person that the “big dogs” are going to be in town.    I’m not really sure who the big dogs are actually and what I am supposed to do differently while they are here.  Since I always put forth my best, I don’t see the need to have a warning that “Well, someone’s going to be watching next week, so, you should do your job now.”  Weird, as to me I always work for an audience of One, but this isn’t even the depressing part.  Being advised yet again of this apparently epic event, I was given a further description of this traveling trio: God, Jesus, and…(wait for it)…Moses.  OK. OK.  Before I let it sink in how tragic this really was, I admit, I laughed at first hearing.  I mean, really, if you’re going to quote the Trinity, at least get it right!  But then I looked at that man in his eyes and it hit me.  He was serious.  To him, these men are God.  And if things aren’t just right– this could be the end of his world.  No more laughing. 

In case I still didn’t see the light, I came home to dial-in to a conference call.  We went through the agenda line by line, receiving our updates and weekly instructions.  I listened as I always do, contributed here and there as necessary.  And then we got to it on the topic of budgets.  Here it came again, this time, in the form of an excel spreadsheet that tracks expenses.  Enter this in this cell, it creates a running tab, it populates here...  What’s that?  A squirrel in the tree outside?  “Bible.”  Huh?  Bringing my attention back to the call, she repeated.  “Treat this as your Bible.”  An excel spreadsheet.  My Bible?  No.  I’ll stick with what I have.  No more daydreaming.

As I ended my day at home, I thought of how I just wanted to shut myself in my house, away from the chaos, unrest, greed, and self-importance illuminated in the world.  As I thought further, my heart broke for them as I realized that in their day-to-day lives they continually feel inferior with something to prove, someone to always impress.  Even when they do have confidence, it is short-lived because it’s placed in temporary things in a fallen world and some bigger dog always comes along with more power, more money, and more fame.  There is no peace for them.  In that moment, I knew that though I didn’t want to be in their world any longer, I needed to be.  They were ignorant to the Truth, and if I closed myself in, who would show them?  The light that had shone upon their darkness was coming out through me!  They need to know what God gives me everyday – pure confidence in who I am because of Who He is.  No need to measure up or impress another man.  One Lord to serve and a multitude of blessings that come forth that money and titles can’t buy—Peace, joy, rest, hope, purpose and on and on to eternity.  It's dark out there and they need to see.  

The more we see in the world, the less we want to be in it, yet the more we see we need to be.  

Go let your light shine!