Our Discussion of Meekness and Humility at Work Continues
We begin today with a restatement of the words of Our Lord that have inspired our last few posts:
We've seen how Our Lord's yoke isn't a heavy burden; rather it's intended to guide us. We saw, too, that in submitting to His yoke we'll better understand the character of Jesus Christ, particularly His meekness and His humility. Applying these virtues to our work, last time we focused on meekness; today we shift to humility.
As we strive to do our best at work today, experience teaches us that even our best efforts don't necessarily guarantee success. But in our successes, humility keeps us grounded. While many jobs require us to be bold and assertive as we preform our daily duties, pride often hides behind the scenes, corrupting our accomplishments. And the more success we achieve, the more pride can assert its undermining influence. That's why cultivation of the virtue of humility is critically important.
On the other hand, rather than feel sorrow or self-pity when disappointments and failures take us down a peg, we instead recognize these as opportunities for the virtue of humility to take root and grow. And as it does, we can learn to rely on God's help more and more. Doing so will, in a very real sense, find us working side by side with God throughout the work day.
With that basic breakdown in hand, I found the following words from Msgr. Charles Pope illustrative of additional ways to apply the virtue of humility at work:
Humility teaches that the world does not simply revolve around me and what I want, and that sometimes the needs of others are more important than my own. Humility helps us accept that laws exist most often to protect the common good and that, while individual rights are also important to protect, humility make me more willing to submit my personal needs and agenda to the needs of others and the wisdom of the wider community.
Father's words help us understand humility's role in society. We can apply his ideas as well to work.
Succeeding in the workplace entails cooperation. We can't think only of ourselves and what we want. Bosses, co-workers, customers, vendors, all have to be considered when we go about our business. In addition, every well-run business has its operating procedures. We should treat these ways of doing business, developed carefully over time, as rules - or laws if you will - to diligently observe. Ideally, any improvements or innovations we bring to the table result from our belief that these will build on and improve these proven business practices. This, rather than any ego-driven desire to show off our brilliance or call attention to ourselves.
Also, our business plays a role in the wider world. The products and services we provide should serve not only individual customers, but the common good as well. Even those of us who work as a sole proprietor of a small business with no employees know this. If we didn't discern and serve the needs of others, our business would quickly fail, along with any hope of material success. But even more important than our material success, our spiritual life will suffer. Giving all we can, as best we can, to others takes us out of ourselves and directs our daily toil to where it does the most good: the welfare of our families, the benefit of our customers, and the common good. Knowing our propensity to be self-centered, we pray for the grace to be generous with our efforts, even as we perform the meanest tasks of our daily work, or interact with our families, friends, bosses, co-workers, customers, etc.
As with His meekness, Our Lord's humility provides an example for us. We strive to follow that example. If at first blush, the meekness and humility exemplified in His life seems out of reach, a burden too difficult to bear, we simply recall His words:
And we remind ourselves that God never asks anything of us that is beyond our ability. He will provide the grace we need.
Come unto me all you that labor, and are burdened,
and I will refresh you.
Take my yoke upon your and learn of me,
Because I am meek and humble of heart,
and you shall find rest to your souls.
For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.
We've seen how Our Lord's yoke isn't a heavy burden; rather it's intended to guide us. We saw, too, that in submitting to His yoke we'll better understand the character of Jesus Christ, particularly His meekness and His humility. Applying these virtues to our work, last time we focused on meekness; today we shift to humility.
As we strive to do our best at work today, experience teaches us that even our best efforts don't necessarily guarantee success. But in our successes, humility keeps us grounded. While many jobs require us to be bold and assertive as we preform our daily duties, pride often hides behind the scenes, corrupting our accomplishments. And the more success we achieve, the more pride can assert its undermining influence. That's why cultivation of the virtue of humility is critically important.
On the other hand, rather than feel sorrow or self-pity when disappointments and failures take us down a peg, we instead recognize these as opportunities for the virtue of humility to take root and grow. And as it does, we can learn to rely on God's help more and more. Doing so will, in a very real sense, find us working side by side with God throughout the work day.
With that basic breakdown in hand, I found the following words from Msgr. Charles Pope illustrative of additional ways to apply the virtue of humility at work:
Humility teaches that the world does not simply revolve around me and what I want, and that sometimes the needs of others are more important than my own. Humility helps us accept that laws exist most often to protect the common good and that, while individual rights are also important to protect, humility make me more willing to submit my personal needs and agenda to the needs of others and the wisdom of the wider community.
Father's words help us understand humility's role in society. We can apply his ideas as well to work.
Succeeding in the workplace entails cooperation. We can't think only of ourselves and what we want. Bosses, co-workers, customers, vendors, all have to be considered when we go about our business. In addition, every well-run business has its operating procedures. We should treat these ways of doing business, developed carefully over time, as rules - or laws if you will - to diligently observe. Ideally, any improvements or innovations we bring to the table result from our belief that these will build on and improve these proven business practices. This, rather than any ego-driven desire to show off our brilliance or call attention to ourselves.
Also, our business plays a role in the wider world. The products and services we provide should serve not only individual customers, but the common good as well. Even those of us who work as a sole proprietor of a small business with no employees know this. If we didn't discern and serve the needs of others, our business would quickly fail, along with any hope of material success. But even more important than our material success, our spiritual life will suffer. Giving all we can, as best we can, to others takes us out of ourselves and directs our daily toil to where it does the most good: the welfare of our families, the benefit of our customers, and the common good. Knowing our propensity to be self-centered, we pray for the grace to be generous with our efforts, even as we perform the meanest tasks of our daily work, or interact with our families, friends, bosses, co-workers, customers, etc.
As with His meekness, Our Lord's humility provides an example for us. We strive to follow that example. If at first blush, the meekness and humility exemplified in His life seems out of reach, a burden too difficult to bear, we simply recall His words:
and you shall find rest to your souls.
For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.
And we remind ourselves that God never asks anything of us that is beyond our ability. He will provide the grace we need.
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