September 5, 2011
Christ United Methodist Ministry Center
“Christ in the Heart of San Diego”
3295 Meade Avenue
San Diego, CA 92116
(619) 284-9205
Pastorgraphs: “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”
I cannot remember a time when our economy has been so hard pressed for jobs. On this Labor Day 2011, the politicians kick off the next election cycle with the slogan, “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!”.
I spent some time in my devotional today looking at such terms as work and labor and found this verse: “…every man should…enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:13). Our jobs (work, labor) are themselves a gift from God.
We tend to think of work as a curse: that Adam was condemned to work and sweat as punishment for his sin in Eden. But work can also be a great joy, bringing fulfillment within our spirits that we are continuing the creative acts of God.
Tom Friedman, whom I quote often, says the job crunch is partly because we have succeeded in being so productive (thanks to innovation and technology). It’s nothing new. Ever since the creation of the steam engine, cotton gin or computer, people have been “displaced”. But we have always found ways to create new jobs through those innovations. And we will again.
Occasionally I hear of a new study forecasting which jobs will be most in demand over the next year or decade. Funny how a new study comes out every six months with a different forecast. Friedman would not be surprised. He reminds us that just seven years ago when he wrote his revolutionary “The World is Flat” book, there was no Facebook, Twitter, 4G or iPad.
And a word about job security: according to Friedman, anyone who takes the “that’s not my job” attitude in this economy will either be outsourced, left in the dust or just flat fired. The most indispensable employee is not the one who performs the same tasks over and over, year by year, but the one who takes his or her job and transforms it to keep pace with the dizzying pace of change.
If all else fails, move to North Dakota. I hear they cannot hire folks fast enough to fill all the jobs they have open. But remember to pack your heavy coat!
Happy Labor Day. Devotedly, Parson Bill
No comments:
Post a Comment