How Every Detail of Our Daily Work Can Be Something Beautiful for God - 2

It was pretty clear last time that every detail of our daily work not only can be, but should be something beautiful for God. We looked at some examples of "detail" starting with starting the work day on time. But there are so many others. To get a good scan of all those details, let's use an overlay of "think, say, do." In other words, let's scrutinize our thoughts, words, and actions throughout the day.

If you consider the examples we offered last time, you'll see they were actions. What about words and thoughts? Let's start with words.

Words typically involve others (unless you talk to yourself, as I do sometimes). What do we say? How do we say it? 

Do we think before we talk? If we blurt things out before clearly thinking through what we want to say, we can easily not only be misunderstood, but may well create at best confusion, at worst, offense. Not only is it inconsiderate of others to put them through this, but it certainly can't be considered something beautiful for God.

But even if we're careful before we open our mouths, how we talk is important. Do we mumble or speak clearly. Do we look at, that is engage, the person to whom we are speaking so that we establish good two-way communication? (An exception to this might be a those who bark orders, like drill sergeants, but that's not - or shouldn't be - typical of how we talk on the job.) Is our tone of voice respectful of others? Are we patient? And, yes, are our words and how we speak them charitable?

As for our thoughts, well, there's a whole "hidden" world up there in our little brains, isn't there? For example, even if our words are communicated clearly, respectfully, charitably, do we harbor unkind or resentful thoughts even as we speak? Aside from our speech, do we try to corral our thoughts to keep them on our work? Do we catch any thoughts laced with bad thoughts about others, never mind impure thoughts, and foolish or wasteful daydreaming. Depending on our personalities, a lot of different stuff goes on between the ears in a typical day. And while much of it may not be sinful or time-wasting, developing mental discipline would be a worthy pursuit.

A lot more can be said about this, but in the interests of time, what say we turn to two of our favorite spiritual writers and two of our greatest saints for some additional insight now.

Fr. De Caussade writes: 

“To achieve the height of holiness, people must realize that all they count as trivial and worthless is what can make them holy … consider your life and you will see it consists of countless trifling actions. Yet God is quite satisfied with them, for doing them as they should be done is the part we have to play in our striving for perfection.” 

As Abbot Marmion wrote: 

“Try, my dear child, to do all for love. God is Love, and He accepts the least thing done for love’s sake. Love is like the philosopher’s stone which turns all that it touches into gold.” 

St. Therese once told a lay sister: 

“Your life is one that is humble and little, but remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all you do with love.”

St. Paul said:

“...do all in the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ.”

And:

“Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God,”

Each of these could serve as the object of a brief - or extended - meditation. Let's consider taking the time to do so. Do it wherever and whenever manageable. But do it. You don't need to spend oodles of time with this. The brevity and sharpness of the advice will yield equivalently brief and sharp meditations. So no excuses. It will help us really understand how every detail of our daily work can be something beautiful for God.