Blessing Our Workplaces

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (Colossians 3:23 NIV)

I love blessings.  There is a Jewish tradition of blessing children at the Sabbath Meal each week.  One of my favorite scenes in the movie, "Fiddler on the Roof" if when the family is all gathered around the table and the parents bless their daughters... beautiful.

But there are other kinds of blessings too.  We are blessed at our baptisms and on other special religious occasions.  We often ask our pastor to come bless our new home.  Before a church group leaves for a trip, there is often a blessing for the trip.  We bless (or ought to bless) our food before we eat.

These days, our working lives are difficult.  Economic conditions have made many of us who lucky enough to have jobs fear that our job could end tomorrow.  Perhaps we are working in a job that does not put our particular talents to good use.  Maybe our coworkers are difficult or our bosses unkind.  Maybe we have an overly long commute and the traffic headaches put us in a bad mood before we even begin our day.  Conditions are bad for seeking new employment if we are already working.  We know we need to stay put.  But spending 40 or more hours a week at job we don't enjoy can really  make life in general unsatisfying.

What if, instead of dreading work each day, we took a few minutes to bless our jobs, our workplace and our coworkers?  Such a blessing could change our whole outlook.  It could change our attitude by changing our perception of the reason we are working... "not for human masters, but as working for The Lord."  We will see our work as a little more important  We will see our coworkers and supervisors as children of God (yes... even YOUR boss is a child of God)!  It could give a less oppressive, lighter feel to our workday.

I am truly blessed to have a job that I love with people that I love.  But I've had jobs where that wasn't so true, so I know what others have to deal with.  Try starting your day with this blessing I found in a devotional written by Rev. Lillian Daniel of Stillspeaking Devotionals:

Loving God, I speak your grace, love and mercy into this place. Bless my job with meaning and purpose, productivity and usefulness, so that even my smallest task brings you honor.  Thank you for the gifts you have given to me to do my job. I do not take them lightly, but commit to using them responsibly and well. Bless the others who work here with me. Make me grateful for their gifts and patient with their shortcomings. Like them, when I walk in the door, I bring my share of both. Lastly, I acknowledge your mysterious power over all that I will speak, think, do or decide here, when I open my heart to the power of your blessing. Amen. 

Joys:  My job; my coworkers; a Florida vacation in my near future