Issue 085
Sometimes in relation to work we hear phrases like “he
doesn’t like to get his hands dirty”, “she’s above such
things” or “they don’t mix with the likes of us”. Again we
come across words like ‘fat cats’ or ‘the powers that
be’.
It’s often from the shop floor, the building site or an
angry press that such phrases come and they are
directed at the managers, or professionals who are seen
to be distant, superior or greedy. It’s the workers who
feel alienated. It’s even reflected in the meanings of
letters: TUC as opposed to CBI.
The implication is that some people regard themselves
as superior (or inferior) to others and division is the
result.
With God the lines are much more blurred. He has
revealed Himself as a Shepherd, a Gardener and a
Builder; – all jobs that involve dirty hands. His Son
became a carpenter learning a trade rather that a
profession – and then became a Rabbi learning a
profession rather than a trade (and both involved doing
business).
It’s as if God is deliberately advocating a classless
workplace, not in the naive sense that there are no
differences between people, but that each has a value
and a role – no one can look down on another.-
Eventually his hands were more than dirty, they had
nails through them.
Philippians 2:3-8
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himselfand became obedient to death- even death on a cross!
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Work well
Geoff Shattock
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