How St. Benedict's Fourth Degree of Humility Helps Us With Difficulties, Obstacles, and Adversity in the Workplace - 2
Our Stability Project continues with St. Benedict's "Degrees of
Humility" as laid out in his Rule. We'll conclude our discussion of the fourth degree of humility, which we began last time. Again,
our intention is to ground our work in the Rule of St. Benedict. Our
hope is that by so grounding our daily labors in the expert guidance
this masterwork provides we will foster stability in our workplace.
Again, here's the fourth degree:
"The fourth degree of humility is that, meeting in this obedience with difficulties and contradictions and even injustice, he should with a quiet mind hold fast to patience, and enduring neither tire nor run away; for the Scripture saith: 'He that shall persevere to the end shall be saved; and again: Let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord'."
Last time, we looked at how and why our commitment to obedience may not always yield commensurately positive responses from our bosses, customer, and clients. They may respond with indifference rather than with recognition or reward. So be it. We're paid for our work. That should suffice (although it would be nice to at least receive some special recognition when we're providing excellent work in a timely and beneficial manner.)
But what about injustice? It happens.
We do a great job and are passed over for that promotion. Or we get a mediocre raise. Worse, as happened once to me, we're laid off because our company was taken over by new management that wanted its own people - this despite a recognized past stellar work record.
Despite our best - and thoroughly accurate - explanation of our product, our customer pays little attention to us, buys the product, then claims we misled them when the product doesn't suit their needs.
After years of advising a difficult client in a tough situation, they decide we somehow have not provided the magic bullet to change their lot in life - one entirely of their own making - so they fire us.
As with difficulties and contradictions, when it comes to injustice St. Benedict advises that we "with a quiet mind hold fast to patience, and enduring neither tire nor run away." It may not be easy, but it's the only way.
If you follow St. Benedict's advice, you preserve your personal calm and peace - which promotes stability in your workplace.
If you give in to impatience, resentment, anger, etc., that stability is undermined.
So instead, why not heed St. Benedict's sage advice, even in the face of injustice:
"And showing how the true disciple ought to endure all things, however contrary, for the Lord, it saith in the person of sufferers: 'For thy sake we face death at every moment. We are reckoned no better than sheep marked down for slaughter'."
Doing so, we reap a greater reward than the one we were denied, especially if we endure all things in God, knowing He loves us and appreciates our efforts. Doing so elevates our reward and lifts our spirits:
"Then, confident in their hope of the divine reward, they go on with joy to declare: 'But in all these things we overcome, through him that hath loved us'."
Adversities may strengthen us, as long as we understand that they will inevitably entail some serious pain:
"And again in another place the Scripture saith: 'Thou, O God, hast put us to the proof: though has tested us as men test silver in the fire. Thou hast led us into a snare: thou hast bowed our backs with trouble'."
In the face of ingratitude, even injustice, we all can turn to Our Lord who not only taught us how to react to evil that comes our way, but Who Himself endured the greatest injustice ever wrought upon a man in His Passion and Death:
"Moreover, in adversities and injuries they patiently fulfill the Lord's commands: when struck on one cheek they offer the other, when robbed of their tunic they surrender also their cloak, when forced to go a mile they go two, with the apostle Paul they bear with false brethren and they bless those that curse them."
Something especially appropriate for us as we work our way through Lent, don't you think? And something which will inevitably help to maintain stability in our workplace.
We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee,
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