Whistle While You Work

 The second course in which I participated over the summer was more historical in nature.  The course took a closer look at Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his writings and asked what we can learn from his experience of seeking to follow Christ under the Nazi regime.  For those who may not know, Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor in Germany during the time when Hitler came to power.  He ended up being executed for treason just days before the end of the second World War.

 Although the course itself was engaging and interesting, I actually learned the most from one of the books that was on the "free" table at the conference.  The book is called Whistle While You Work and is written by Richard J. Leider and David A. Shapiro.  It is all about discovering your life's calling.

 Now, you might be tempted to think that a "calling" only applies to those who might be prophets or pastors or evangelists or teachers - some of the "callings" that are mentioned in the Scriptures (Eph. 4:11).  However, the authors of this book work from the assumption that every person has a gift that they readily and easily give away to others.

 Some of the gifts, or callings, which I can remember are Awakening Spirit, Investigating Things, Fixing Things, Writing Things, Getting Things Right, and Building Things.  The book actually includes a list of 52 different gifts or callings, grouped into six different categories.

 Their approach is particularly interesting because they don't equate "calling" with "what job you do."  Instead, they ask questions like, "What gift do you most readily and easily give to others?"  "What do you value the most in life?"  "Within the work that you are already engaged in, is there some way to make more use of your gift or calling?"

 Throughout the book, there are examples of real people who have found their calling.  Some had to switch jobs to do it.  Some merely changed their emphasis in the job they already had in order to make better use of their gifts.  One man is described who is perfectly content driving a taxi, even though he is trained as a university professor.  In his case, it was more important for him to be with his family in a safe place than it was to be able to teach university.  Because of what he values the most, he is content.

 The truth is that all of us have God-given gifts and abilities.  However, not all of us discover them or use them.  The thing is, though, that we are far more content and happy when we put our gifts to good use and become the people that God intended us to be.

 So? do you "whistle while you work"?  Have you discovered your life's calling?  A copy of the book is on order for the congregation's library.

 Whether you are young or old, in the work force or retired, you do have God-given gifts.  May we help each other to find ways to use those gifts, to the glory of God and in the service of others.  As we do so, let us grow together by the power of the Holy Spirit into the people that God intended us to be.

  In Christ,
  Pastor Lynne H. Moore