Psalm 18 Helps Keep Our Priorities Straight at Work - Concluded
Today we conclude our thoughts about how Psalm 18 helps keep our priorities straight at work.
Last time we tried to make the case that getting our financial house in order would give us the freedom to put money in its proper place. But we also recognized that money can't be simply shunted aside as irrelevant, and offered some suggestions as to how we can give it its due while keeping it in its proper place. If we can do that, we saw how it would free up our time and energy to keep God's Commandments front and center in our lives, rather than the pursuit of money.
As we saw last time, the deepening of our understanding of God's Commandments helps us to keep our decision-making during the work day morally and spiritually "clean." Our deepened understanding entails not only the cultivation of virtues to strengthen us, but also a knowledge of sin. We considered one example last time. Here's another one:
A few years back, we were asked to advise on the overall risk management discipline of an organization. The organization's Board wanted to see if there was a need to improve current practices, including policies, procedures, and insurance coverage. We offered our opinion pro bono, for various reasons. As you may know, "pro bono" work typically entails as much time and effort as work for which you are paid. This case was no exception. However, our well-reasoned and carefully considered suggestions were received in a lukewarm manner. The principles we espoused were accepted well enough, but the individual ultimately in charge of risk management appeared to take any criticisms we offered personally, as if we were criticizing him - which we decidedly were not.
Frankly, it's easy to walk away from pro bono work like this, especially when someone feels your work somehow critiques their past efforts or even threatens their current standing in the organization (again, wrongheadedly). After all, you're not being paid. And sometimes when people don't pay for something, they don't attribute to it the value it deserves. In this case, we carefully outlined and summarized our work for the Committee to which it was assigned. We fielded questions and offered our time in the future should the Committee chose to pursue our suggestions.
It might be tempting in situations like this to indulge in undue criticism, even uncharitable remarks about the guy in charge, even some of the Committee members who seemed more concerned with defending that guy rather than institution they represented. Fortunately, any valid criticism we offered was done dispassionately, best I could. And I avoided uncharitable remarks. Avoiding these kept me within the bounds of charity - a place to which we should always aspire. Such avoidance also kept me at arms length from the sin of detraction, which can worm its way into our lives, even if we've been asked to offer criticism of an individual's skills and performance.
On this point, while in this case we were not asked to critique an individual's performance, I suspect most of us have either been asked to provide such evaluations, or been subject to them - or both. Lack of charity can percolate beneath the surface or sometimes openly make its presence known. This alone can be sinful. Detraction, though, is always sinful. The Catholic Encyclopedia defines detraction as "the unjust damaging of another's good name by the revelation of some fault or crime of which the other is really guilty or at any rate is seriously believed to be guilty by the defamer."
And so, we must appreciate the importance of cultivating virtues and recognize that sin must be avoided. This is especially important in our current age, a time when any recognition of sin is often lacking. The sparsity of Confession times offered in most parishes and the empty lines when offered attest to this. You hardly hear the word "sin" anymore. But if you take your faith seriously and practice your religion conscientiously you know better. So these final lines from Psalm 18 will speak clearly and directly to you:
"Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord: And from those of others spare thy servant, if they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin. And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight, O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer."
When the author says, "Who can understand sins?" I don't think he's questioning our ability to understand the nature and seriousness of our sins. Rather, he's wondering how anyone who knows what sin is can possibly understand how any of us can commit them. With this firm grasp of the gravity of sin, he begs God to cleanse him. Duly cleansed, his thoughts and words will be pleasing to God.
Nothing should prevent us from demonstrating virtue and avoiding sin. When it comes to our work, we have the perfect opportunity to shine in the sight of God. Putting His Commandments front and center, above all other considerations, most especially our need and desire to make money, will provide the light we need keep our priorities straight at work.
Last time we tried to make the case that getting our financial house in order would give us the freedom to put money in its proper place. But we also recognized that money can't be simply shunted aside as irrelevant, and offered some suggestions as to how we can give it its due while keeping it in its proper place. If we can do that, we saw how it would free up our time and energy to keep God's Commandments front and center in our lives, rather than the pursuit of money.
As we saw last time, the deepening of our understanding of God's Commandments helps us to keep our decision-making during the work day morally and spiritually "clean." Our deepened understanding entails not only the cultivation of virtues to strengthen us, but also a knowledge of sin. We considered one example last time. Here's another one:
A few years back, we were asked to advise on the overall risk management discipline of an organization. The organization's Board wanted to see if there was a need to improve current practices, including policies, procedures, and insurance coverage. We offered our opinion pro bono, for various reasons. As you may know, "pro bono" work typically entails as much time and effort as work for which you are paid. This case was no exception. However, our well-reasoned and carefully considered suggestions were received in a lukewarm manner. The principles we espoused were accepted well enough, but the individual ultimately in charge of risk management appeared to take any criticisms we offered personally, as if we were criticizing him - which we decidedly were not.
Frankly, it's easy to walk away from pro bono work like this, especially when someone feels your work somehow critiques their past efforts or even threatens their current standing in the organization (again, wrongheadedly). After all, you're not being paid. And sometimes when people don't pay for something, they don't attribute to it the value it deserves. In this case, we carefully outlined and summarized our work for the Committee to which it was assigned. We fielded questions and offered our time in the future should the Committee chose to pursue our suggestions.
It might be tempting in situations like this to indulge in undue criticism, even uncharitable remarks about the guy in charge, even some of the Committee members who seemed more concerned with defending that guy rather than institution they represented. Fortunately, any valid criticism we offered was done dispassionately, best I could. And I avoided uncharitable remarks. Avoiding these kept me within the bounds of charity - a place to which we should always aspire. Such avoidance also kept me at arms length from the sin of detraction, which can worm its way into our lives, even if we've been asked to offer criticism of an individual's skills and performance.
On this point, while in this case we were not asked to critique an individual's performance, I suspect most of us have either been asked to provide such evaluations, or been subject to them - or both. Lack of charity can percolate beneath the surface or sometimes openly make its presence known. This alone can be sinful. Detraction, though, is always sinful. The Catholic Encyclopedia defines detraction as "the unjust damaging of another's good name by the revelation of some fault or crime of which the other is really guilty or at any rate is seriously believed to be guilty by the defamer."
And so, we must appreciate the importance of cultivating virtues and recognize that sin must be avoided. This is especially important in our current age, a time when any recognition of sin is often lacking. The sparsity of Confession times offered in most parishes and the empty lines when offered attest to this. You hardly hear the word "sin" anymore. But if you take your faith seriously and practice your religion conscientiously you know better. So these final lines from Psalm 18 will speak clearly and directly to you:
"Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord: And from those of others spare thy servant, if they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin. And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight, O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer."
When the author says, "Who can understand sins?" I don't think he's questioning our ability to understand the nature and seriousness of our sins. Rather, he's wondering how anyone who knows what sin is can possibly understand how any of us can commit them. With this firm grasp of the gravity of sin, he begs God to cleanse him. Duly cleansed, his thoughts and words will be pleasing to God.
Nothing should prevent us from demonstrating virtue and avoiding sin. When it comes to our work, we have the perfect opportunity to shine in the sight of God. Putting His Commandments front and center, above all other considerations, most especially our need and desire to make money, will provide the light we need keep our priorities straight at work.
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