Everyday Character!

Interviews! Perhaps you have recently gone through some. Job applicants endure them. Prospective students face them. Opportunity is provided to “sell” one’s self. Perhaps the opportunity to prepare for making a good impression is appreciated. At times there may be the tendency to “undersell” one’s abilities in an effort to avoid appearing arrogant in pointing out one’s own strengths. However, how often has a flowering interview been witnessed with the reality on the job (or in the school) appearing as if there were two completely different individuals?

The story has been related that when 20th Century Fox advertised in the papers of New York in an attempt to fill a vacancy in their sales department, one applicant replied as follows: “I am at present selling furniture at the address below. You may judge my ability as a salesman if you will stop in to see me at anytime, pretending that you are interested in buying furniture. When you come in, you can identify me by my red hair. And I will have no way of identifying you. Such salesmanship as I exhibit during your visit, therefore, will be no more than my usual workday approach and not a special effort to impress a prospective employer.” Among the 1500 applicants it was this “redhead” who was selected for the job.

Such character is what Paul urged of some to whom he wrote.
“(22) Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, NOT BY WAY OF EYE-SERVICE, as people-pleasers, BUT WITH SINCERITY OF HEART, fearing the Lord. (23) Whatever you do, WORK HEARTILY, AS FOR THE LORD and not for men, (24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. YOU ARE SERVING THE LORD CHRIST.” ( Colossians 3:22-24 ESV)

The New Living Translation reads, “(22)…Try to please them ALL THE TIME, NOT JUST WHEN THEY ARE WATCHING YOU.….”

Though our employment situations are not that of the context of Paul’s letter, there is still a principle applicable to our life today. Part of the attitude here would be that if we just ARE WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE we won’t even have to think about pretending, putting on a show, or wondering if we are being watched. Acknowledging we are ALWAYS SERVING in the sight of the Lord there will be consistency in the manner in which we live our daily life. Such are the individuals the world needs and the kind God desires us TO BE! May it daily be so!

Have a great day MARKED BY A CONSISTENT SERVANT’S HEART!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Character