As a kid, I would lose sleep worrying about the environment. To be fair, I’d lose sleep worrying about my multiplication tables and what we’d do when the sun burns out in a few billion years too. I’ve decided that a star’s lifespan is God’s job and not mine. And I pick up litter when I can, try to be as eco-friendly as I can, and be mindful about my consumer choices. For the rest of the environment, I hope that we will do what needs to be done and I have faith that the planet God gave us will be resilient. But some nights I still lose sleep, about elementary math. Or whatever work stuff is still rattling around in my head.
God never took my times tables for me and I still have to do all the tasks assigned to me at work. But my faith helps me frame my work every day. Jesus may never have worked tech support, but he did say to love your neighbor as yourself. I know I rely on other people to do my job, or just to get the cable to work at home. Every time I have a great helper on the other end of the phone I try to offer as much appreciation as possible. Also, I aspire to be as helpful and kind to others when they rely on me. Can you recall a time the stranger on the other end of the phone showed compassion to you even if they couldn’t fix the problem? To me, it makes all the difference in the world that they showed they cared.
Even though I don’t say, I still use this example so that when colleagues are talking with me they feel my appreciation for their hard work and my earnest desire to help them. I hope to reflect the love I feel God has for me to others to warm their days. I consider that feeling my spiritual paycheck. And that helps me sleep.
Scott Hanson
