work
The first thing you notice are the nets. They stretch tautly between buildings, hung to catch workers who might attempt to leap to their deaths. This is Foxconn, the behemoth factory in Shenzhen, China, where throngs of young Chinese manufacture iPads, iPhones, and computers for the world. As the nets attest, the job isn’t always fulfilling.
unhappy at work
I have a friend who had been unhappy at work. He told me that no matter how hard he tried, his boss was completely unreasonable. Ultimately, he was fired. An acquaintance who knows both my friend and his boss told me he feels that it was my friend’s issues that led to his dismissal. So what’s the truth? My guess is that it’s a mixture of the two viewpoints. But here’s one thing we can know without question: Being unhappy in one’s work can lead to some sad results.
help without hurting
Every summer, female sea turtles trudge out of the sea and onto the beach where they lay their eggs. The baby turtles that eventually hatch follow the light of the moon as they scurry back to the sea. It’s tempting for beachgoers to carry the little guys to the water’s edge, but their well-intentioned hands only guarantee that the baby turtles will not survive. The arduous journey from nest to ocean is essential to develop their fledgling muscles so they can swim in the ocean currents. Shortcut this process and the baby turtles will die.
you choose Q: how do I deal with job loss?
Q: There are many people who are looking for a job and are frustrated with the way our economy has changed in the past few years. What is some Bible-based advice for these situations? —Gerald
A: Many people are struggling to make sense of today’s transitional work world. Any time there is a change in an organization—new leadership, merger, acquisition, downturn…
you choose Q: how can Christians cope with life when they're unemployed?
Q: When unemployed how do we as Christians cope with life? —Dorothy
A: Being unemployed can be a very stressful and highly emotional time of life. When you’ve out of work for a period of time, the rejections from potential employers can sap your morale and cause you to lose confidence—wreaking havoc on your self-esteem and self-worth. You can even experience…
quitting time
Sorting through some old papers, I found a yellowed pay-stub that showed I had worked 100 hours in the span of 7 days. It’s crazy—I know, since there are only 168 hours in a week. As I fingered the faded document, I tried to recall the project that had required so much of my time many years ago. I looked…
not mine to do
The idea was his, but he didn’t receive the credit. He drew the plans. He designed the furniture. He collected the materials. He made all the arrangements (1 Chronicles 22:1-6). But God didn’t respect David’s copyright. The first temple built in Jerusalem is known as Solomon’s temple.
King David’s desire to honor God is commendable, but the Lord said, “You…
leaders conference
British historian Arnold Toynbee once observed that the rise and fall of societies has a one-to-one correlation with the quality of its leadership. A recent study on the growth patterns of 60 churches seems to confirm this observation. It reveals that where the church leaders were positive, flexible, confident, cheerful, and goal-oriented, the church was growing.
Joshua understood that leaders…
fair wages
That’s not fair. Why did she get a raise and I didn’t? I do just as much work as she does!” “Why was he chosen to lead the project when I’ve been here longer?”
I should get what I deserve is a work ethic that many of us live by. So we easily identify with the first-called workers in the parable…
faith and work
One of my favorite quotes from John Wesley is, “Pray like it depends on God; work like it depends on you.” I don’t always live it, but it echoes something an old wise king once said.
As King David was nearing the end of his life, he realized he wasn’t going to be able to build a temple for God…
opportunity
A cave-in left 33 men trapped deep underground in a copper and gold mine in northern Chile. The men battled despair during the initial hours, when dust from the collapse choked their lungs and cloaked the mine in darkness. They barely hung on over the next 17 days as they prayed for someone to find them. And when they finally…
working hard
My dad is a hard-working man. He works 6 days a week. During his off-days, he’s always tinkering with something in the house—fixing the fan or cleaning something. Colleagues of mine who also know my dad have remarked that being industrious is a trait that runs in my family. Is diligence an inborn trait— are some people born lazy while…
