Labor of Love

Another necessity in life is work. We work to put food on our tables. We work to earn money. We work to create a good environment to live in. We also request the labor of others, using the services that they provide.

Some people view their work as more than just a way to earn money. Some view their work as their special calling, as their mission. Doctors may feel a calling to care for the sick. Lawyers may feel a calling to defend the poor. This view of work as a vocation can help put meaning back into work. However, this view does not have to be limited to a few choice professions. Most jobs can be done with purpose, and all can be done with love.

When you work, work well. Do your best for the people you work for. Even small jobs deserve to be done well. People may look down upon the janitor, but if the janitor does not do his job well, then the building becomes unsanitary. People might become sick, and the appearance of the building as a whole is degraded. A person on an assembly line is helping to bring a product to someone, someone who wants a good product. A person working in a kitchen is working to prepare a meal for someone who is hungry. If you give of yourself in love in your work, you will do better work, and your work will have more meaning. If you are loving towards those you work with, you will create a friendlier, more supportive, more human work environment.

People are not simply cogs in a machine. They have a certain dignity and should be treated as such. Remember the dignity of those who work for you. When you go to the store, be a little more patient, be a little more loving. Say hello to the employees. Don’t just look past them as cogs, as part of the machinery of the store, but acknowledge their human worth and dignity. This can be difficult, especially when you are busy and stressed. However, the state that you are in does not change the dignity of the other person. We ought to take an effort to remember the dignity of workers, especially when this is difficult.