The Importance of Obedience at Work
Obedience isn't too popular these days (unless maybe if you're in the military). Even our children (at least many of them past a certain age) don't really think they need to simply obey us parents. It's not just that they want to know "why." That's normal. It's that the whole idea of "obedience" has kind of faded.
So "obedience" in the workplace sounds strange. But I want to look at how a simple idea of obedience to God at work - yes, at work - can be the easiest, most direct way to not only do our best work, but to do work that's always good, always ethical - and in the end, how obedience will help us sanctify our work.
And when all is said and done, in spite of all our education, even in spite of all our disciplined and diligent efforts to study our faith and learn about doctrine and all that, maybe a clear understanding and commitment to obedience will ultimately prove more important in our efforts to sanctify our work.
But first, a couple more comments about the whole idea of "obedience" at work.
First, you don't really "obey" your boss at work, do you? You might at times say that you're following your "marching orders." But that's not quite obeying.
Maybe that's a good thing. Most employers want people who can think for themselves, who can take initiative. Of course, there are rules to follow. But obeying rules and obeying some person are two different things.
We don't really have anyone to "obey" at work - any person that is. At least that's probably true for most of us.
For the most part, we think educated people can - and should - think for themselves and don't need someone else to tell them what to do - or even what's right and wrong.
And, you know, for the most part, that's right. At least when it comes to some other person - even a boss.
But unfortunately many of us otherwise educated people take this one step too far. We forget about obeying God. We might be tempted to think obedience is more something for children or maybe less mature, sophisticated types.
Cardinal Newman - recently beatified - said this in one of his sermons (#3):
"We live in an educated age. The false gloss of a mere worldly refinement makes us decent and amiable. We all know and profess. We think ourselves wise; we flatter each other; we make excuses for ourselves when we are conscious we sin, and thus we gradually lose the consciousness that we are sinning. We think our own times are superior to all others."
He gave this sermon in the first half of the 19th century, over 150 years ago. At the time, our "modernist" mentality was taking hold of even the best Christians. And so it's continued to this day. We've forgotten simple obedience.
With all our study, piety, good deeds and the like, with all our striving to be close to God, and our understanding that God loves us and wants us to be with Him for eternity, we really need to remember that obedience is central to our relationship with God.
There's no way around this. We can't just consign this to the less educated, less sophisticated among us.
We Catholic men at work - consumed with our responsibilities for earning a living, taking care of our families, and all the rest - we need to remember that God deserves, even commands, our obedience. In the end, we do what is right because God tells us it is. Here's why this is so important:
When you're at work, busy with the tasks and pressures of the day, trying to do a good job, remember that in whatever you're doing, you're following God's law. That's one simple way to avoid ever lying, cheating, stealing, even exaggerating in your work. That's being disobedient to God, no matter what excuse you might be tempted to come up with.
Isn't obedience wonderful? It cuts through all the excuses and temptations that can assail us in life, and in our work. We Catholic men, with our understanding of obedience, come equipped with this great understanding of obedience to God in our work, and we won't be swayed from the straight and narrow path.
When all is said and done, obedience to God comes first.
So "obedience" in the workplace sounds strange. But I want to look at how a simple idea of obedience to God at work - yes, at work - can be the easiest, most direct way to not only do our best work, but to do work that's always good, always ethical - and in the end, how obedience will help us sanctify our work.
And when all is said and done, in spite of all our education, even in spite of all our disciplined and diligent efforts to study our faith and learn about doctrine and all that, maybe a clear understanding and commitment to obedience will ultimately prove more important in our efforts to sanctify our work.
But first, a couple more comments about the whole idea of "obedience" at work.
First, you don't really "obey" your boss at work, do you? You might at times say that you're following your "marching orders." But that's not quite obeying.
Maybe that's a good thing. Most employers want people who can think for themselves, who can take initiative. Of course, there are rules to follow. But obeying rules and obeying some person are two different things.
We don't really have anyone to "obey" at work - any person that is. At least that's probably true for most of us.
For the most part, we think educated people can - and should - think for themselves and don't need someone else to tell them what to do - or even what's right and wrong.
And, you know, for the most part, that's right. At least when it comes to some other person - even a boss.
But unfortunately many of us otherwise educated people take this one step too far. We forget about obeying God. We might be tempted to think obedience is more something for children or maybe less mature, sophisticated types.
Cardinal Newman - recently beatified - said this in one of his sermons (#3):
"We live in an educated age. The false gloss of a mere worldly refinement makes us decent and amiable. We all know and profess. We think ourselves wise; we flatter each other; we make excuses for ourselves when we are conscious we sin, and thus we gradually lose the consciousness that we are sinning. We think our own times are superior to all others."
He gave this sermon in the first half of the 19th century, over 150 years ago. At the time, our "modernist" mentality was taking hold of even the best Christians. And so it's continued to this day. We've forgotten simple obedience.
With all our study, piety, good deeds and the like, with all our striving to be close to God, and our understanding that God loves us and wants us to be with Him for eternity, we really need to remember that obedience is central to our relationship with God.
There's no way around this. We can't just consign this to the less educated, less sophisticated among us.
We Catholic men at work - consumed with our responsibilities for earning a living, taking care of our families, and all the rest - we need to remember that God deserves, even commands, our obedience. In the end, we do what is right because God tells us it is. Here's why this is so important:
When you're at work, busy with the tasks and pressures of the day, trying to do a good job, remember that in whatever you're doing, you're following God's law. That's one simple way to avoid ever lying, cheating, stealing, even exaggerating in your work. That's being disobedient to God, no matter what excuse you might be tempted to come up with.
Isn't obedience wonderful? It cuts through all the excuses and temptations that can assail us in life, and in our work. We Catholic men, with our understanding of obedience, come equipped with this great understanding of obedience to God in our work, and we won't be swayed from the straight and narrow path.
When all is said and done, obedience to God comes first.
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