How the Simplest Good Habits at Work Can Enrich Our Spiritual Lives...continued
We continue with our discussion of how the simplest good habits at work
can enrich our spiritual lives. If you remember, we left off last time
talking about the simple practice of showing up on time.
When our children were growing up, this was one of the first and foremost bits of advice I doled out as they took part-time and summer work: Show up on time. And do so every day. Without fail. Looking back, I think it remains the best advice I've ever given them. For one thing, I've gotten feedback from them on this. The feedback has always been that their employers appreciated their habit of consistently being on time. They've also noticed how many people simply don't observe this simple practice.
Why so many people don't get this is beyond me, but many simply don't.
Another simple practice is to be prepared. For example, when Frank Sinatra, the late great pop crooner, tried his hand at acting in the movies, the screen actor Spenser Tracy gave him this bit of advice on acting in front of a camera, and I'm paraphrasing: Hit your spot and know your lines. When you act on a stage, most especially in film where a camera records your every word and movement, you have a specific place you're expected to be at any given moment. That's your spot. And, of course, if you have a part that requires you to speak, your script tells you what to say. Apparently many actors simply don't know their spot and - even more so - don't memorize their lines. Even if they show up on the set on time, they fail to show up on their "spot" when it's time for the shoot. Add to this not knowing your lines, and you've got a kind of extension of someone showing up late for work.
You might think hitting your spot and knowing your lines would be rather obvious. But apparently, while quite simple, it's sometimes rare.
Such simple things can make all the difference in our work. You can be extraordinarily talented, but if you don't show up on time, in the right place, all your talent will be wasted. Taking this one step further: just as an actor must know his lines, if you're not prepared for a meeting with your boss, your team, your customer, just showing up on time probably won't make much of a difference. Even the most talented, skillful workers, when they don't show up and aren't prepared, won't make much of a contribution to the business.
Now let's see how these work habits might enrich our spiritual lives.
In our prayer lives, we sometimes get tied up in all sorts of practices that can get in the way of the whole point of praying: to grow holier, which means to grow closer to God. For example, in these posts, we talk about reading Scripture each day, learning more about our Holy Faith each day, reading spiritual writings, attending daily Mass when possible, examining our conscience, mortifying ourselves throughout the day - the list can get pretty long and it can all seem too complicated when you sum it all up like this. If it does, just remember that the simplest things work best in prayer, just as it does in your work life. A great priest, bishop and spiritual writer put it this way:
A great resume and highly developed skills won't make much difference in your business if you can't show up on time and/or if you're not prepared. Better to focus first on showing up on time and being prepared, at which point you can develop all the additional and ancillary skills you feel might enhance your work life. In the same way, saying sincerely "Jesus, I love you" can be a far more perfect act of love than all the pious practices like spiritual reading, doctrinal study, saying your rosary, attending daily Masses, and all the rest. Remember, we won't enrich our spiritual lives by somehow impressing God with our multitude of pious practices. It might only take a simple phrase emanating from a pure heart that brings us a step closer to God.
When our children were growing up, this was one of the first and foremost bits of advice I doled out as they took part-time and summer work: Show up on time. And do so every day. Without fail. Looking back, I think it remains the best advice I've ever given them. For one thing, I've gotten feedback from them on this. The feedback has always been that their employers appreciated their habit of consistently being on time. They've also noticed how many people simply don't observe this simple practice.
Why so many people don't get this is beyond me, but many simply don't.
Another simple practice is to be prepared. For example, when Frank Sinatra, the late great pop crooner, tried his hand at acting in the movies, the screen actor Spenser Tracy gave him this bit of advice on acting in front of a camera, and I'm paraphrasing: Hit your spot and know your lines. When you act on a stage, most especially in film where a camera records your every word and movement, you have a specific place you're expected to be at any given moment. That's your spot. And, of course, if you have a part that requires you to speak, your script tells you what to say. Apparently many actors simply don't know their spot and - even more so - don't memorize their lines. Even if they show up on the set on time, they fail to show up on their "spot" when it's time for the shoot. Add to this not knowing your lines, and you've got a kind of extension of someone showing up late for work.
You might think hitting your spot and knowing your lines would be rather obvious. But apparently, while quite simple, it's sometimes rare.
Such simple things can make all the difference in our work. You can be extraordinarily talented, but if you don't show up on time, in the right place, all your talent will be wasted. Taking this one step further: just as an actor must know his lines, if you're not prepared for a meeting with your boss, your team, your customer, just showing up on time probably won't make much of a difference. Even the most talented, skillful workers, when they don't show up and aren't prepared, won't make much of a contribution to the business.
Now let's see how these work habits might enrich our spiritual lives.
In our prayer lives, we sometimes get tied up in all sorts of practices that can get in the way of the whole point of praying: to grow holier, which means to grow closer to God. For example, in these posts, we talk about reading Scripture each day, learning more about our Holy Faith each day, reading spiritual writings, attending daily Mass when possible, examining our conscience, mortifying ourselves throughout the day - the list can get pretty long and it can all seem too complicated when you sum it all up like this. If it does, just remember that the simplest things work best in prayer, just as it does in your work life. A great priest, bishop and spiritual writer put it this way:
I would rather say "Jesus, I love you" for an hour, if I could mean it all the time than repeat or read the most perfect act of love composed by the greatest saint. - Archbishop Alban Goodier, S.J. (1869-1939)Great advice about how the simplest things matter the most, don't you think?
A great resume and highly developed skills won't make much difference in your business if you can't show up on time and/or if you're not prepared. Better to focus first on showing up on time and being prepared, at which point you can develop all the additional and ancillary skills you feel might enhance your work life. In the same way, saying sincerely "Jesus, I love you" can be a far more perfect act of love than all the pious practices like spiritual reading, doctrinal study, saying your rosary, attending daily Masses, and all the rest. Remember, we won't enrich our spiritual lives by somehow impressing God with our multitude of pious practices. It might only take a simple phrase emanating from a pure heart that brings us a step closer to God.
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